Weight loss during marathon training

dawndeluca · July 2012

Good morning!

I am wondering if anyone out there has had success losing weight while marathon training. I am currently trying to find a happy balance between running a calorie deficit while training and I am not succeeding! Here's the story:

I had a baby 7 months ago and gained approximately 35 pounds during my pregnancy. I have lost 27 pounds to date. I was a runner prior to my pregnancy and was able to continue running (no more than 3 miles) up until week 25. Before I got pregnant, I was in pretty good shape... Completed p90x, ran a half marathon and two century rides. However, during my third trimester and the first two months postpartum, I was not very active. I assume I lost quite a bit of muscle during this time.

I began working out again after two months and lost weight gradually... Until I started marathon training about a month ago. I tried cutting my calories back to 1200 (and eating back exercise calories), but I was lightheaded, cranky and my runs were sub par. I knew that was not enough food to fuel the amount of miles I have been running each week. I bumped it up to 1450 and have been feeling a lot better. I have also added strength training to my regimen (NROWL Beginner Program) and I am feeling much stronger because of it. The problem is- I HAVE COMPLETELY STOPPED LOSING WEIGHT. Ideally, I want to be below my pre-pregancy weight by race time, which means I need to shed about 10 pounds by mid-October. Yes, I want my figure back, but mainly I want to not lug 10 extra pounds around for 26.2 miles.

Does anyone have any advice? I am so frustrated.

Digby · July 2012

I honestly don't think weight loss is smart during training. Your body NEEDS fuel to run these distances. I have not trained for a full marathon yet. I completed my third (two official, one unofficial) in June and I managed to maintain and was happy. I was getting advice from a seasoned marathon runner and she said to keep your eating clean but fuel yourself on the days you are running. I was eating between 1500-1700 calories. Higher range on longer distance days. I didn't lose, but I didn't want to. I managed to shave 30 minutes of my PB for a half. Once the event was over and I lightened up my running, focused on strength training and dropped my carolie intake and I started dropping fast.

Good luck!!!

dawndeluca · July 2012

Thanks for the insight! Yeah, I probably should have lost all the weight I wanted to lose *before* registering for a marathon.

kylTKe · July 2012

Your body only stores so much glycogen. I don't see any reason you can't eat at a deficit as long as you eat enough to replenish your glycogen, enough lipids, and some protein (like 0.8-1g per lb of body weight).

Also, I would find it hard to believe that 1500 calories is not eating at a deficit for a person training for a marathon. Even the people with really low BMRs are around 1100-1200, which would only allow for 300-400 calories burned from exercise (assuming 0 net calories). That's like... a handful of miles at best.

Also... you started training a month ago. And you must have only bumped up your intake in the last week or two. If you're going to try something, give it a fair shake. Nothing happens in two weeks... most people eat at a 500 calories per day deficit, which only amounts to 1 lb a week. That can easily be erased by a binge or covered up on the scale by water weight fluctuations. Give it a few months...

InfinitePoss · July 2012

I trained for, and ran the LA Marathon, back in 2010. I started my training in September of 2009 and I weighed 260 and by the time I ran the marathon in March I was down to around 235.

At the time I was not really monitoring my diet very much and I certainly was not counting calories at all. As a matter of fact, I would venture to say, that I really was not eating all that healthy, I actually ordered pizza a couple of the nights before my Saturday long runs, big mistake;-)

Seriously though, I did not start to notice any significant chnages in my weight until about my third month of training when the miles started to increase pretty dramatically. It became really hard not to lose weight, regardless of my poor eating habits, when i got to a point in which I was running more than ten miles at least one day per week. I would just say to be patient and don't get too crazy with cuttiing calories.

drgndancer · July 2012

I'm not exactly an expert, but I'm training for my first half marathon now. Everything I've read says that in the later stages of half marathon training (which would be the early to middle stages of marathon training) you shouldn't run a deficit or try to lose weight. Your body needs the fuel. The flip side that it's nealy impossible to eat enough to fully fuel 50 or 60 mile weeks, by the end you may be losing weight no matter what you do.

HMVOL7409 · July 2012

Training for a 1/2 and I eat for maintenance and some days I still don't have full energy for my runs. I couldn't imagine having a successful full marathon race training on so little. Yet everyone is different and you'll find your balance.

valeriebpdx · July 2012

My coach always got hysterical when I tried to lose weight while training. He said I needed the fuel. I think I dropped a few pounds during my first, but I was training only to finish, with no speedwork, on just three runs a week. Honestly, it's so hard to tell because of water retention after long runs, hard runs, and speedwork that it's just frustrating to try to focus on weight loss. You will have a great eating day with a good run, get on the scale, and be up two pounds. None of my female runner friends ever lose significant weight during a training cycle. It seems theoretically possible, but it never works out that way for me. Good luck for a great race!

KHB9 · July 2012

You certainly need to make sure you are consuming enough calories. Cutting calories is not the key to losing weight while training for a long distance race. The biggest key is the heart rate that you are performing your running at. If you making certain to stay aerobic while you run your primary fuel source will be from stored carbs and fats. This is what you want! If you are running at an anaerobic rate your body will be using sugar for fuel and you will not attack you fat stores. Running for fitness and weight-loss is the topic of a new blog talk radio show that I found from the Natural Running Network. The weight loss show will air Friday August 3rd at 8:30am - I am interested to hear what they talk about with regards to running for weight loss. Might be a good place to find some info. You should be able to find it a blogtalkradio.com and search for the Natural Running Network - hope it helps!

mlb929 · July 2012

I follow the book Racing Weight. I was able to lose weight, maintain it, and train for my half marathon successfully. I"m in the middle of marathon training and haven't gained or lost any weight.

essjay76 · July 2012

Though it's not recommended, weight loss during marathon training can be done... you just have to tread lightly! You really don't want to hinder performance or your training! I'm no expert but I've finally managed to find that balance. In the past I gave in to eating much more than I should, and that resulted in a slow weight gain during each cycle. Now, in the last training cycle, I've managed to slooooowly lose 9 pounds since December (I didn't have much weight to lose to begin with). I did it by creating a *small* deficit over time.

I don't know what your height and weight are, but 1400-1500 calories seems way low for most endurance athletes! (I eat more than that and I'm not the biggest person around).

If you really want to perform well for this marathon, make sure you fuel. You'll find that balance. You will feel MUCH better on your long runs, and you'll toe up to the starting line feeling strong and healthy!

Good luck!

**I forgot to add... I didn't have much time between training cycles and am training for my next full... the 9 pounds I've lost have all been marathon training. Have been maintaining it.

dawndeluca · July 2012

Thanks for your advice, everyone. I am definitely feeling better now that I have added back some calories. My main problem right now is patience. The weight will come off eventually if I keep doing the right things. There will always be other marathons to be lighter and faster.

Thanks again!

jamesmckirdy610 · June 2013

I've been a trainer for over a decade. a Runner for over 20 years. I just ran a half marathon and finished 25th out of over 5000. I currently train over 50 clients, most of whom are runners, some are professional.

I say that so i can ask this:

are you happy with where you are, and are you healthy with where you are. forget what other people say you should be. or what's a "healthy" weight for your height. no such thing exists. if you want to lose weight for the purposes of being lighter on your feet so there is less pressure on your body while you run (every pound takes 4 lbs of pressure when running) then go for it. but do it in the correct way.

a quality runners diet will consist of about 60-65% calories coming from carbohydrates. 15-20% from protein and about the same in fat. but of course everyone is a little different, but that's a good range for most people. load up on the healthy carbs. salads, greens, veggies, colored starches.

keep away from processed sugars as much as possible.

but in terms of weight, on days when you run very little, or not at all, keep your calories a bit lighter. say 200-400 calories. again, without knowing specifics it's hard to give you exact amounts. on days where you run longer, space your food out every 3-4 hours, keep meals and snacks even.

get to a local gym, find out what YOU need for calorie intake to maintain your weight with little activity. and go from there to make adjustments to what you need on a daily basis. just because you run 1 hour, doesn't mean you're really really active. in 24 hours, 1 hour isn't that much work. there is a lot more that goes into it, but keep in mind that being on your feet most of the day means you need a little more food than your average secretary just because you are moving a bit more.

Weight loss during marathon training

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