Half marathon training on deficit

apreimer2 · June 2015

I am about to start a training program for a half marathon in October. This isn't my first half, though it has been several years. I am planning on continuing a small (0.5 lb/week) weight loss through this summer. Will this impact my training at all? Should I eat back running calories or no?

esjones12 · June 2015

If you don't eat back your running calories then you will increase your deficit. Having a small weight loss goal during intensive training is usually a good idea. You need fuel to train, and if you are training hard core your body will be all over the place hormone wise and with water weight, etc. I wouldn't recommend a huge deficit if you are looking for performance results. I focus more on the tape than the scale when training hard.

But I do train hard on a deficit. It can be a PITA some days. If I start getting too tired, I eat. I've found I have a line between performance and weight loss. I just determine which one is more important at the moment (ie - right now I'm in my obstacle course racing season and performance ranks higher than dropping a few pounds).

Capt_Apollo · June 2015

you'll be fine. i would eat back a good 50-90% of your exercise calories. it would be a good idea to have some kind of recovery protein shake after your runs.

WhatMeRunning · June 2015

I really had no problems until I began shooting for regular distances of about 3-4 miles, long runs around 6-8 miles. At that point I really had to focus on eating calories back as I kept running out of energy.

dawnna76 · June 2015

I just did 6 months of training for a full on a deficit. I lost about 8-10 pounds during that time. i ate back my running calories mostly on the days when i was out over a hour or more. the days i only ran for 30-60 minutes I didnt since thats not much different than a regualar workout for me. I consider maintaining or losing just a bit a win when training for a half or full. most people gain during that time as you are extra hungry!

I upped my protien and always ate a some quick carbs right after a long run, along with a recovery drink. usually had a protien shake and a couple caramel flavored rice cakes. everything else was lots of veggies, oat bran and lean meats.

if you eat the right macros you chould be good to go during your training on a deficit. i shot for 40% carbs, %35 protien and 25% fats.

debbrown631 · June 2015

I'm starting my training today for a half in September! Not my first, but has been a few years and I'm looking to lose a few pounds for my October wedding. I'm starting from scratch and eager to have accountability with this throughout the summer!

sadiebrawl · June 2015

I almost always eat my running calories. I get so hungry if not!

veganbettie · June 2015

I just ran my first half on Saturday. I attempted to eat on a deficit and only have 15 more pounds to lose so have it set at .5 a week, I barely lost a thing, the only time I dropped weight was when I got sick and couldn't eat.

I'm just too hungry running long distances.

shrinkingletters · June 2015

When I trained for my first half, the last month or so of training I was fatigued and shakey despite thinking I was eating enough, however I was very low on iron, which is apparently (OBVIOUSLY) really important. So that's my two cents: get plenty of the important nutrients, don't lose sight of them in trying to lose and training.

BrianSharpe · June 2015

You will find that as your runs get longer it becomes more difficult to maintain much of a deficit.....you need fuel. In the early stages of your training plan it shouldn`t be a problem.

apreimer2 · June 2015

Thanks all, everyone had very useful input. I guess I would rather train hard and be able to complete the race at this point then lose weight. I'm pretty sure that I gained at least a little weight the last time I trained for a half because I was eating more (I was not tracking calories back then).

veganbettie · June 2015

you could always set it to maintenance and if you eat less then cool, if not then whatever. But I would eat back at least your long runs.

mwyvr · June 2015

@apreimer2 as was noted up-thread, in the early stages of your training you should be able to maintain a deficit of some sort without running out of gas. Why not try that and adjust?

My rule of thumb (for me, works for me) for eating back running burns is roughly this:

< 400 calories (meaning a pretty short run for me now) I don't even try. If I feel I need it - fine.
> 400 < 1,000 (8 - 12kmish) I plan on eating 50%, but always ok with eating all. Body decides.
> 1,000 I eat whatever I need but usually still end up with a deficit.

I've set my base calories to 1,350, up from 1,200 earlier this year. This seemed to help me avoid problems with energy I was running into occasionally, but it may also be that I've adapted to running longer runs more or less fasted for any run under 2 hours, and that I'm targeting a lower heart rate for all of my longer runs than I was prior.

That's for training pace + days. Race day will be a bit different effort and food wise but that's not today's question.

I'm prepping for an event in the fall myself but I'm not willing to dedicate a couple of months for an event and forgo weight loss during that same period of time, so I experiment to find out a mix of both prep + loss that can work for me. If I find that event prep is getting in the way, I'll forgo the event. I want to be at or near my goal weight by my date objective (birthday one year after I started) - that's more important to me. I can keep running and just scale back the volume and work on other aspects of running. There'll always be another event.

Half marathon training on deficit

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