{"id":36617,"date":"2015-10-16T11:15:44","date_gmt":"2015-10-16T15:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=36617"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:06:38","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:06:38","slug":"running-for-weight-loss-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/running-for-weight-loss-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Runners Shouldn’t Diet (and What to Do Instead)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Running
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jason Fitzgerald is a 2:39 marathoner, USA Track & Field certified coach, and the founder of <\/em>Strength Running<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>where runners go to get faster and prevent injuries.<\/em><\/p>\n

Runners have a reputation for being exceptional eaters<\/a>. We\u2019ve been known to out-eat our bigger, heavier friends while they look on in amazement (and, sometimes, in terror). And we\u2019ve all been on the receiving end of well-intentioned comments like, \u201cAre you really going to eat all of that?<\/a><\/em>\u201d as we scarf down food after a long run.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Hate Running? 25 Ways to Learn to Love It<\/a><\/p>\n

For distance fiends trying to shed pounds, runger<\/a><\/em> can make weight loss difficult \u2014 but it\u2019s not impossible. All you need is a smart approach that will help you balance your running schedule<\/a> with your weight loss goals. Unfortunately, many runners combine a standard calorie-restriction diet with race training, hoping their high mileage and limited food intake will blast off pounds. More often, this results in sub-par performances, feelings of sluggishness and poor weight loss results.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you diet while training, you won’t perform at your best because your body won’t be able to adequately repair your muscles<\/a> after workouts,\u201d says Anne Mauney, MPH, RD, and the author of the food and fitness blog fANNEtastic food<\/a>. The consequences aren\u2019t just limited to feeling sore and tired<\/a>, either. Mauney says, \u201cIf taken too far, under-fueling while training can lead to more serious issues like stress fractures or passing out during runs due to electrolyte imbalances.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a09 Thinks I Wish I Knew Before I Started Running<\/a><\/p>\n

The solution? Implementing a short-term weight loss phase before<\/em> your normal training cycle begins. During this period, you should be focusing on weight loss, and running for cardio, not performance. While there are a lot of different diet strategies<\/a>, these three are the best for runners during this weight loss cycle.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Focus on Nutrient-Dense Foods<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Certain foods will help you better manage your hunger after runs. A landmark study from the Nutrition Journal<\/a><\/em> found that a nutrient-dense diet lessens the experience of hunger, and thus, is an effective tool not only for improving your health, but for weight loss, too. In other words, a protein-packed quinoa bowl<\/a> will probably fill you up more than cheese fries.<\/p>\n

RELATED: 5 Healthy Fast Food Breakfast Options for Crazy-Busy Mornings<\/a><\/p>\n

Naturally, the best foods to eat during your weight loss phase will be high in nutrients, while also being relatively low in calories<\/a>. Focus on eating foods like vegetables, fruit, legumes and grains for the bulk of your pre-season running diet. Mauney says that healthy fats<\/a> can also be great for satiety.<\/p>\n

If you know you always feel ravenous after workouts, plan what you\u2019re going to eat before you even leave for a run. This strategy will help you avoid any last-minute decisions resulting from those \u201cmust eat\u201d survival mechanisms that tell you to dial for pizza, pronto. Having food that\u2019s ready and waiting for you, or already prepped, is the best way to go.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 12 Brilliant Meal Prep Ideas to Free Up Your Time<\/a><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Don\u2019t Drink Your Calories<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Water should be everyone\u2019s beverage of choice, for a whole host of reasons. And for the athlete trying to lose weight, one of the biggest perks is that it contains zero calories.<\/p>\n

While sports drinks<\/a> are helpful immediately before, during, or after a strenuous workout, they contain too much sugar<\/a> to consume regularly. Instead, choose water during most of the day and to hydrate for easier runs.<\/p>\n

Several Harvard University<\/a> studies have connected the consumption of calorie-containing beverages with obesity. One study showed that people who drank their calories didn\u2019t feel as full as those who ate them from food.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re trying to lose weight, drink water at least 90 percent of the time, and stick to unsweetened tea, coffee or other unsweetened beverages when you want to mix things up.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 10 Ways to Stay Hydrated (That Aren\u2019t Water)<\/a><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Protein, Protein, Protein<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Eat protein with every meal, especially at breakfast<\/a>. Research has confirmed again and again that eating protein increases your feelings of satiety<\/a>. Not only will you feel fuller, longer, but you\u2019ll probably eat a little less, too. So make protein a priority, especially at breakfast, which will help reduce cravings<\/a> later in the day.<\/p>\n

Mauney agrees that protein is critical for runners. \u201cYour body needs protein to repair and build muscle tissue after a challenging workout. It is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and even blood, and you need it to make enzymes and hormones, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the best sources of protein are wild fish, free-range poultry, and lean meats, or plant sources<\/a> like legumes, nuts, and seeds. Or, mix up a smoothie with protein powder<\/a> for a filling milkshake-like treat. Most runners should aim to consume about .5 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, depending on how many miles<\/a> they\u2019re logging.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 13 Dessert-Inspired Protein Shake Recipes<\/a><\/p>\n

The Final Word on\u00a0Running for Weight Loss<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Maybe you\u2019ve heard that 95 percent of people fail at their diets. But perhaps we should shift the blame and consider that 95 percent of all diets<\/em> fail. That\u2019s a critical distinction.<\/p>\n

Dieting can be risky for runners. Restricting calories \u2014 or avoiding an entire macronutrient, like carbohydrates<\/a> \u2014 is a mistake when you\u2019re training hard.<\/p>\n

But if you focus on eating on minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods that are high in protein and fiber, it will be difficult to gain weight while running. In fact, many people find that by mainly eating meat and vegetables, and drinking water almost exclusively, they\u2019re able to lose weight without having to count calories or \u201cdiet\u201d at all.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 30 Best Marathons in the Entire World<\/a><\/p>\n

If you do want to focus on weight loss<\/a>, do so before you start a serious training program. Integrate some of these healthy eating habits into your pre-season program, and you may just find that you\u2019re not only lighter, but also faster<\/a>,<\/em> when you\u2019re ready to take your training up a notch.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is running for weight loss a good idea? Find out the best ways for runners to shed pounds and avoid diet-wrecking runger. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":36619,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[288,41,289,108,341,357,285],"class_list":["post-36617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-cardio","tag-diets","tag-exercise","tag-running","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2running","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36617"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36617\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}