Hello World!
So after nearly being washed away for what seems like eternity in the great and awesome state of Texas, it’s a wonderful treat to have some sunny days showing up in our lives.
I want to be out in it…. like a large lizard…. laying on a rock…. basking in it…
Nothing wrong with that, is there ? 😉
Actually, my version of digging the sunshine and drinking it all in looks more like this….
Suffice it to say, after more rain falling on us than we have seen in years, and weeks of grey skies, there’s a new appreciation going around for some sunshine…..Happy dance that this weeks forecast offers up lots of the beautiful stuff……
Now on with the show…..
I was having a convo with a friend the other day in regards to how many calories swimming burned in comparison to running.
I was pretty confident that running was the top calorie torcher over other cardio activities .
On average and keeping it simple running gets you about 100 calories per mile.
Swimming is based on an hour time period and varies. A 130 lb person swimming free style in that hour can burn 590 calories swimming fast, 413 swimming slower.
Obviously in running some will be able to run more miles in that time, thus burning more calories. It’s a good ballpark estimate. I just love everything running does for me besides burning a few calories.
Ok, I don’t know about you, but I know I can definitely run for an hour, not sure on the swimming for an hour 😉 it might be on my future list to be able to do that……
As my running “career” progressed and my miles increased one of the recurring comments I get is…. “oh, you can probably eat anything you want!”
Perhaps that’s true. The implication is in some ways, I can eat whatever random foods I want, I guess maybe I could, but I don’t .
I’ve never been one of those runners who “run to eat” or “run for desserts” or “run for beer/wine” … maybe I’m a weirdo…
I guess ’cause my running was born out of my quest for getting fit and losing weight that I never understood WHY I’d put myself through that intense workout to only come home and fuel my body with crappy foods.. It seemed so ….counterproductive.
Maybe it’s good that I trained myself in that way ’cause even after marathons and crazy stupid long runs, when hunger hits, I try and take in good foods in modest servings.
Not to mention my food intake on any given day is determined by what my training is for that day. Obviously, a 4 mile run will require less fuel and calories than when I run 20 miles.
So I guess as respect to my body I try and offer it healthy goodies pretty much all the time. Getting into that habit makes it a part of your permanent lifestyle change.
However, this is one complaint I hear from new runners who might be looking to drop a few pounds. “I’m running… but I’m just not losing weight”
Let’s consider if you run 3 miles ( and that’s running 3 miles) that you’ve burned the average 100 calories per mile. This is simple math so I can help you out here 😉 you’ve burned around 300 calories.
But, what if you stop at your fav coffee shop on the way home and grab a grande Carmel Macchiato treat… or whatever similar floats your boat ? The grande size is 304 calories…. you’ve just negated your calorie burn from your run.
I’m not saying you haven’t done something positive for your body, I’m saying if you want to lose weight it’s important to understand that running is a great fat burner, but you need to be aware of the foods you consume and how they fit into your day in your quest to drop weight.
Adopting a healthy attitude about fueling your body no matter what sport or activity you pursue will help keep you strong and fit and help you reach your health goals.
What tips have worked for you losing weight and exercising ? Do you have a favorite after workout treat you enjoy ?
