Marathon Training & Weight Loss Query

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Samstan101
Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
Having discovered a love of running as part my weight loss & lifestyle change I've now done a couple of HM's (with a couple more planned before the autumn). I'm now running on average 25+ miles a week and am seriously contemplating a spring marathon. However, I still have around 35lbs to lose and am concerned that alot of things I've read say that people put on weight whilst training for a marathon. I am not overly bothered by time in my first marathon but want to train properly whilst countinuing my weight loss (week before race day I appreciate that this goes out the window!).

Has anyone here trained for a marathon whilst eating at a sensible deficit?

Thanks
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Replies

  • aswearingen22
    aswearingen22 Posts: 271 Member
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    I'm midway training for marathon #3 right now and have lost 16 pounds in that time (well, some was in the month before training started, but still losing on average 1 lb/week).

    However, I gained about 13 pounds per marathon training for my last 2 marathons (total 26 pounds gained from June 2013 to February 2014). It's easy to gain. I'm still working to lose the last 10 pounds I gained from those two training cycles. I've learned what NOT to do!:) I have to keep counting calories while I'm training, be mindful of the quality of the food, eat before I get hungry, have my meals planned, and not treat the long run day as a free for all cheat day. So far so good this time! Good luck!!
  • _Josee_
    _Josee_ Posts: 625 Member
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    I was able to lose about 5 lbs on my first marathon training cycle.... But gained 10 lbs the month after. I am now training for my second and trying to lose that 10 lbs + some more but I'm having a REALLY hard time. I'm working on keeping trigger food out of the house (by that I mean eating all of it one day at a time UGH) and I'm trying to focus on the quality of the food (more fruit and veggies less processed food etc etc). I can usually manage a 150-300 cal deficit but not more than that!

    I used to ''pre eat'' my running calories based on the run I had planned that day but I found out that it's not a great way to do things. It usually ends up with me being over as I get hungry after my run. So I'm also focusing on eating back my calories right after that run.

    Good luck on your first marathon and on your weight loss journey!
  • rabblerabble
    rabblerabble Posts: 471 Member
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    I lost almost 80 pounds during 2013 hitting the gym about 5-6 times a week where some days were intervals on the treadmill and other days were lifting. Eating was quite clean (healthy carbs, high protein, low fat, and very little in the way of 'junk').

    Early 2014 I started running (did a Couch to 5K, then a bridge to 10K plan, and finally a 12 week half-marathon training plan) and was doing just a day or two in the gym each week (generally one day lifting, one day cardio cross training). Finished my first half marathon last week and currently am up about 10 pounds from when I reached my lowest weight last winter. Eating now is much heavier in carbs (for all the running) and I simply find I am hungry all the time. Simply am not able to resist the urge to reach for a handful of chips or a couple of cookies (and I live in a household with others who demand such snacks be available).

    Starting another 12 week plan for a half marathon in October. Going to try to be a little cleaner when it comes to carbs this time (more veggies and fruit and will try to reduce heavier carbs such as grains, rice, and potatoes). Have to really find more will power when it comes to 'garbage food' like the above mentioned chips and cookies.
  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
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    It is very difficult to lose weight while marathon training unless you are very diligent. Since starting training for my first marathon almost a year ago I have lost maybe 10 pounds total, in a whole year. I still have 10-15 to go. You have to be focused and stick to your plan, or at least I do. I can very easily out eat an 18-20 mile calorie burn. Be smart and you can do it.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    Thanks everyone :smile: some really useful tips and things to avoid so much appreciated! I've managed my HM training without gaining as I do tend to try & pre-log my food. On long run day if I'm hugry afterwards I do allow myself a couple of 100 extra cals but if not I stick to my normal allowance. The days I slip up are my post race days which usually involves copious amounts of alcohol LOL.

    Just got to decide which marathon now (assuming I don't get into London through the ballot). I'm thinking either Great Welsh in Llanelli (reasonably local for me) or Manchester (I can stay with my parents). Excited & nervous about the prospect of doing a full Marathon!

    Thanks again :drinker:
  • nicruns
    nicruns Posts: 201 Member
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    & thanks to you for starting the discussion!
    While I was training for my 1st marathon (at the weight I'm currently at-- which isn't so great!), I maintained my weight... but my body composition changed a lot.
    (which led to others commenting that I'd lost a lot of weight, which WASN'T AT ALL TRUE!)
  • tkillion810
    tkillion810 Posts: 591 Member
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    Many, including myself in the past, struggle with gaining a few pounds while marathon training. In addition to the food challenges, I've seen a lot of folks stop their cross training in the gym and just focus on running. Lean muscle often gets put second to building the cardio. That's a whole other topic though right?! :)

    This training cycle I've been able to drop about 5 pounds, and I've lost 2.5% body fat. I work with a holistic nutritionist that specializes in runners. Timing of certain foods was one of the biggest changes I made and I think had the biggest impact in controlling my post run appetite. It's so easy to out-eat the calories burned in a run. I know there's many differing opinions on timing of when to eat and what, but this has worked for me. I am most active in the late afternoon/evening time, so I load my carbs in my morning snack and lunch. This fuels my workout well. Then I take a post workout recovery accelerator that has fast absorbing carbs within 30 minutes of completing my run or hard workout. Dinners are protein and veggies based.

    The biggest things she continues to stress to me is that immediate post-workout refueling.

    Good luck! And either way, I hope you decide to sign up for a full! It's such a feeling of accomplishment.
  • SteveTries
    SteveTries Posts: 723 Member
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    Would be good to hear from experienced marathoners if the weight gain people refer to during training comes from "I'm running 40 miles this week, I can eat WHATEVER I want" syndrome? It's certainly been a failing of mine in the past.

    I'm a couple months into training for my first and am losing weight nicely. I am being very careful to monitor my intake and expenditure and have found no issues so far. Now I do have 12 weeks left to go, so I might find something unexpected around the corner......

    Of course not everyone is trying to lose weight during marathon training and for sure it's going to be hampering the overall effectiveness of that training, but that's a compromise I am willing to make.....probably until 6 weeks out when I'll try to maintain.

    My (unproven) view is that it's down to the same discipline as at any other time; create a deficit and you'll lose weight.
  • NorthCountryDreamer
    NorthCountryDreamer Posts: 115 Member
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    Typically I would say no to losing weight during marathon training. However, if you lose a pound a week it should not affect your running. As long as you feel you have the energy to run and do normal stuff. Most of the time clean eating is going to result in weight loss because you didn't need the extra fat on your body anyway. Your body doesn't need the excess fat. I will continue to lose weight as I am able right up to my taper. I will be sure to hold steady and not gain any weight during the last two weeks. During the taper, I wouldn't want to lose weight either. Hope this helps. I am definitely not worried about continuing to lose weight during my marathon training cycle. I am much more worried about gaining.
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
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    I also experienced weight gain when I trained for my first marathon. I'm training for my second marathon now. I'm following Matt Fitzgerald's "Racing Weight" book and still losing a pound every couple of weeks with weekly mileage at 30 - 35ish. I think the weight loss will taper off as the miles (and my energy needs) go up though.
  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
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    I do quite high mileage when marathon training (65 miles +) and I do gradually lose a bit of weight towards the end of the training just because it's hard to keep up with that many calories. I think the weight gain comes from people increasing mileage but only to about 35-40 miles per week, then being hungrier or needing to get extra carbs & protein in to recover from long runs. Logging helps because you can see where you need the food and where you're just overcompensating - there's no reason you NEED to gain weight.
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
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    Ugh! It is quite common to gain weight while marathon training. You run 20 miles and think you deserve that whole medium pizza! (LOL, I've NEVER done this... never! :-) )

    This is why I came to MFP. I really had to take a hard look at how I was really eating, especially during marathon training.

    I initially lost 10 pounds about 3 years ago while marathon training. This was done at a very small deficit.

    I have gone through several training cycles since then and have not put on weight. Again, you just have to be diligent about logging, especially on the long run days. And I wouldn't expect a rapid loss - maybe a 250 calorie/day deficit for 1/2 pound loss per week should suffice without compromising your training.

    Best of luck!!
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
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    p.s. I know what you mean about those post race alcohol calories. :-) Hey, gotta factor them in still, right?
  • ekat120
    ekat120 Posts: 407 Member
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    Many, including myself in the past, struggle with gaining a few pounds while marathon training. In addition to the food challenges, I've seen a lot of folks stop their cross training in the gym and just focus on running. Lean muscle often gets put second to building the cardio. That's a whole other topic though right?! :)

    This training cycle I've been able to drop about 5 pounds, and I've lost 2.5% body fat. I work with a holistic nutritionist that specializes in runners. Timing of certain foods was one of the biggest changes I made and I think had the biggest impact in controlling my post run appetite. It's so easy to out-eat the calories burned in a run. I know there's many differing opinions on timing of when to eat and what, but this has worked for me. I am most active in the late afternoon/evening time, so I load my carbs in my morning snack and lunch. This fuels my workout well. Then I take a post workout recovery accelerator that has fast absorbing carbs within 30 minutes of completing my run or hard workout. Dinners are protein and veggies based.

    The biggest things she continues to stress to me is that immediate post-workout refueling.

    Good luck! And either way, I hope you decide to sign up for a full! It's such a feeling of accomplishment.

    I've tried something similar, having a decent-sized snack or meal right after my run (e.g., smoothie, Clif bar, or both), and I've also found that it helps my post-run hunger a lot.
  • MelisRunning
    MelisRunning Posts: 819 Member
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    This is a great question!

    As a general rule, I have lost as I trained for all of my big races. After my second HM, though I went up almost 10 pounds. It was weird. It was frustrating to have to lose all that weight all over again and I made a vow to never have to do that again.

    During my training for last years full, I lost that 10. Bells and Whistles. Then training for my 50K (last weekends race), I lost 20 during training for that. Next week begins training for the Chicago Marathon. I think I am done losing. I just want to maintain my current weight. We'll see how it goes! Fingers crossed!
  • georgiaTRIs
    georgiaTRIs Posts: 231 Member
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    Sign up. Commit. Then you train. You will drop a few mor pounds during the training. My first marathon I signed up 6 months out so I had to do it. I found a great on line training and logging system and started out. Go For IT!!!!!!!! You will feel so great when you accomplish something that thousands and thousands of people can not do. I look forward to your progress:glasses:
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
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    I've lost almost 10 lbs while marathon training this spring/summer. I track everything! But the good thing is, because I'm running so much, I'm eating things that are better for me (just don't look at this week... ahem...) and are less calories, so I can eat more. If you are reliably tracking, there's no reason you can't eat at a reasonable deficit, still be losing weight, and be eating well :) I'm just worried about how my body will react when I'm not running 30-40+ mile weeks anymore....
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
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    Really interesting conversation. Enjoyed reading all the responses.

    I trained for & ran my first HM in June this year. I started running May 2013 with C25K. I lost quite a bit of weight in the year between starting running & starting my half, and was down to about 10-15 pounds to go as of April this year. I bumped up my calories to maintenance the beginning of May (after my first 13 mile run when my hunger level suddenly went through the roof). I managed to stay within 2 pounds until the final couple of weeks before the race. I have a personal trainer who backed off my strength workouts the last couple of weeks & had me start tapering my miles, but I didn't taper my calories and ended up 5 pounds up on race day. Six weeks later I'm still trying to take the last of those 5 pounds back off. I feel a lot better about it knowing other people had issues post-race as well. I'm back within a pound of where I had been so it would be a great time to get back in my weight loss groove. I ended up getting tendonitis so I'm currently just doing short runs. I miss the calorie burn but my appetite seems to be more under control as well, so mixed blessing.
  • vmclach
    vmclach Posts: 670 Member
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    For what it's worth, by the time I geared up for my first marathon, I had stopped counting calories. Why did I stop counting? I was painfully hungry all the time & it was negatively impacting my training. I started "listening to my body" but still eating very clean & smart.. Etc.

    Anyways back to your marathon question. My answer, I lost not only a significant amount of weight & body fat since I ran my first marathon 15 months ago, but I've also dropped down to pants sizes I've never seen in my life. Granted, I have ran 8 marathons/ultras and countless 1/2s, 25ks, etc since then, but MY point is follow your passion.

    Being active is NOT I repeate NOT going to make you fat. If you want to run a marathon, chase that dream. Go for it. Training for a marathon will absolutely NOT make you fat.

    Seriously listen to what you asked here..

    Yes, you might gain a few pounds or not lose any weight during the first cycle, but this is a lifetime sport. During marathon traing your body is going through a lot of changes.

    It's a hard transition into the "athlete" mindset. Everything you put into your body should serve as "fuel". Once that clicks, you'll really be setting yourself up for another level of success.

    Sorry if this was weird/mean lol!!
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    Sign up. Commit. Then you train. You will drop a few mor pounds during the training. My first marathon I signed up 6 months out so I had to do it. I found a great on line training and logging system and started out. Go For IT!!!!!!!! You will feel so great when you accomplish something that thousands and thousands of people can not do. I look forward to your progress:glasses:

    I'm waiting to find out if I have made the ballot for London (find out start of Oct I believe) - that's the only reason I haven't yet signed up for Manchester. I've read lots of stuff on training plans etc and pulled together a plan that I think I can stick to. I've passed this to someone in my running club who has years of experience to see if they think it'll get me to the start line in good shape. Once that's been tweaked and decided upon then I start training!

    Everyone's input on food has been really useful though as I need my weight loss to continue (even if it slows). :drinker: