Getting lean(er) for running performance. Need advice from runners that lost weight!!

runinthewild
runinthewild Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
Hi!

I am a female hobby runner. I am 5 ft 7 (170 cm), 136 lbs (62 kg) or less on some days and want to lean down a few pounds, maybe even 10 pounds for maximal running performance. I already look good, but I am a bit too heavy for maximal acheavements in long distance running. I mean 10k to half marathon.

I strength train 2 times a week and prior to my running start, even 4 times. I love running more than the gym. I run easy 4 to 5 days a week (zone 2), and hard 1 to 2 days (max or zone 4).

I eat pretty everything and only a runner knows what it feels like post running apettite, so...here is my question:

HOW did you tame that beast in you post running? HOW to stay on a deficit? Wow, I cant somehow. :D I tried protein shakes after runs, but at the end of the day I end up with some snack and bye bye deficite. I even gained 2 pounds after increasing my weekly km.

I am so thankful if somebod gives advice on how much the deficite should be and some insider tips how to do it. I dont eat clean all the time, but mostly. My weekly big mac menu is religious and if I cant make it to mc donalds once a week, I do eat a big fat pizza or lasagna. Sweets not that often.

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    With 10 Lbs you want to lose, 1/2 Lb per week deficit. If you're already fairly lean, it's going to be difficult.
  • runinthewild
    runinthewild Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks. Somehow I hoped for a more detailed story of own experience. I know it will be difficult lol, that is what I am saying. Do you run? Did it get better? When? How did you combine running with weight loss? Did you change running volume? Isnt a small deficite better? Like..300 cals? Better intense 500 kal deficite for 8 Weeks lets say or less but longer? Did it affect running performance? Do you also felt such cravings? Did you lower carb intake?

    And so on...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    runinthewild wrote: »
    Thanks. Somehow I hoped for a more detailed story of own experience. I know it will be difficult lol, that is what I am saying. Do you run? Did it get better? When? How did you combine running with weight loss? Did you change running volume? Isnt a small deficite better? Like..300 cals? Better intense 500 kal deficite for 8 Weeks lets say or less but longer? Did it affect running performance? Do you also felt such cravings? Did you lower carb intake?

    And so on...

    I don't run, but I used to do a lot of long distance endurance cycling and racing. Losing weight doing endurance cycling was always a struggle because hungry and performance suffers. As I suggested, 1/2 Lb per week would be a 250 calorie deficit. I have managed that in the past while training, but it's still hard. The only time I've been able to maintain a 500 calorie deficit is when I wasn't actually training for races or putting in a ton of miles. My best overall weight loss results happened when I wasn't doing anything more than walking...it's hard to cut weight when your're actively training.

    I still cycle, I just don't race anymore or do any really long distance endurance stuff these days, namely due to time constraints and some body wear and tear.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,740 Member
    I am a runner, currently training for my 6th marathon. Logging everything I eat works for me. I lost 45 lbs before I began running, then another 10 pounds when I began training for long races. It basically comes down to being mindful of what i eat. I still eat ice cream, beer and pizza, but I make sure they fit in my overall calorie goals. They come on long run days, not rest days. Because I'm logging, I know whether I have enough calories for ice cream or if I need to stick with a single cookie. Eating something after a hard workout helps keep the starving beast at bay. Combining protein with carbs is best. For me that is usually lunch, but can be a half sandwich if I'm not due for a meal, or cheese and apple.
  • runinthewild
    runinthewild Posts: 8 Member
    edited February 2020
    This kind of input is very helpful, thanks! I realise maybe I just need some real stories of endurance hobby athletes to motivate me to do the obvious and to keep me on line when hunger knocks. okay, 250 deficit then.

    Feel free to tell me more, runners/endurance people. I am hungry for motivation and prove thet its possible to run and loose. :D

  • helen_goldthorpe
    helen_goldthorpe Posts: 340 Member
    edited February 2020
    I'm a cyclist rather than a runner these days. I lost 100lb around the time I started running but then the weight crept back up slowly as I got less careful with my eating and transitioned to cycling. One thing I've noticed is that on a long bike ride it's fairly easy to burn a lot of calories but also easier than you'd think to eat nearly as many calories while riding (admittedly I don't think I ate as much when running as I do when cycling), meaning that when you finish and think you've earned a treat you don't have as many spare calories as you might think. Logging is really helping me with that.

    I've just done a really big (for me) week of 21 hours on a cycling holiday and have needed to eat a lot of food. I think I've managed to average about a 250 cal deficit but any more than that would have been a struggle.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Long distance cyclist rather than runner.

    Weight loss for performance.
    I often cut a few pounds before big and/or important events and find I can either lose weight very slowly (1 to 2lbs a month) without significant training impact or quicker (1lb/week) but only for a few weeks. For example I can drop 5 or 6lbs in 5 or 6 weeks but then as my training volume and intensity is rising my performance and recovery will start to suffer unless I return to maintenance calories. If I don't I do that I show clear signs of over training / under recovering: plateau in performance, elevated RHR, weight loss stalls despite a deficit (cortisol).

    Hunger while training hard and losing weight.
    I can skip breakfast without impact on hunger, up to two hours training fasted or fed makes no noticable difference to me so that's a sensible strategy for me (but do need breakfast for long rides). Recovery fuelling after long rides is important for me (classic 4:1 carb:protein ratio) otherwise I'm hungry for hours. Starchy carbs are my most satiating foods but this is very personal, protein doesn't blunt my hunger much and I find it too easy to overeat on high taste, fatty foods.
  • runinthewild
    runinthewild Posts: 8 Member
    edited February 2020
    Thank you too! These are great stories and already help me. From that I understand that big deficits are good in theory, but suck in practice. 2 Weeks ago I did maybe 6 days of 400-600 Kal. deficit a day with the program I stated and since than my appetite is a lot more. Slowly I ate back all the lost Calories. I cant manage even a day with a deficite.

    Today I hat my long run (about 1:20 h in zone 2 and 3) and burned around 680 Kal. I decided to fuel back post run with 110% of the burned amount and not restrict sugar and carb intake. I ate whole wheat toasts with nutella, dark chocolate oatmeal cookies, couscous and a sandwitch for about 750 Kal. Pre run I had 2 bananas. I feel really satiated and will try to keep carbs high while losing weight.

    Like @sijomial I think protein doesnt satiate me enough like carbs. Maybe to feel good I will even allow myself more junk food while restricting.

    But I never eat while running and I mostly run just on 1 or 2 bananas/4-5 h after a meal, because otherwise I dont feel good.

    Comparing myself to other endurance people with experience helps a lot.

Categories