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Marathon Training and Fat
Loss
Working out
or physical exercise - of a good enough intensity - obviously helps in
losing weight. If that theory is true, then marathon training that
involves running nearly 50 miles a week must be very helpful in terms of
burning away those extra fat deposits around the waist. But that's not
the case. Why is marathon training not a suggested method for losing
weight?
The very
basic concept that goes against taking up marathon training as a means
for fat lose is obvious - the pain of taking so much strain, when other
very effective methods are available, and the need to consume more food
in the process as running burns away so much calories each time
(extended energy levels is a necessity in marathon training). Stressing
on the latter point, if after consuming the necessary food, due to some
reason, if the marathon sessions become irregular or the distance is not
punctually maintained and gradually increased periodically, it
eventually will lead to an increased weight instead of actually reducing
it. Summing things up, an overall assessment of marathon training
reveals that the entire exercise requires a hell of a lot of
preparation, planning and personal endurance for a few pounds of weight
loss. But, given the fact that the same thing can be achieved through
other simple workouts, then what is the need to run around this much,
especially if you are not an athlete?
Another
aspect to take note of in marathon training is that simply running a few
miles does not actually contribute to fat loss as the body may possibly
derive its required energy for sustaining the run from its stored
carbohydrates and proteins. In fact, the amount of fat that is used by
muscles as fuel during the marathon training depends on an assortment of
other factors such as one’s training history, the extent of physical
strain expended on running (how hard the person is running), the slow
twitch fiber concentration in the muscles, and the contents of the last
menu he/she had and the time interval since the person finished the meal
and started running. Theoretically, it is possible to tune the body or
muscles to use more fat instead of carbohydrates and proteins as a
predominant source of fuel, but a lot of effort goes behind this before
it could be said that the body actually has started responding
accordingly. For example, weeks of hard endurance training and aerobic
exercises might be required to tune the muscles to use more fat than
carbohydrates or proteins for a supply of energy. But, there is no
definite rule or theory that could suggest a definite success rate, as
it also depends on the person’s physical self and genetic aspects as
well. Again, it is this complexity and ambiguity in generalizing the
details that goes against marathon training.
From the
foregoing, it can be concluded that marathon training, even though,
technically may be able to burn away unwanted fat deposits from the
body, on a practical scale, is not worthy enough, owing to the huge
physical effort needed and the obscurity in the surety of results it
offers in the end. For someone looking for a suitable workout to lose
fat, marathon training should be your last option.
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