We are all impatient, especially with issues like weight loss. We want to lose the weight as fast as possibly and we want to see results within a week, but unfortunately this is not realistic. Although it is possible to lose weight rapidly, this will be mostly water and will reduce performance and the ability to train. Weight loss has to occur slowly and we will have to be very patient. Runners often try to achieve weight loss during the competitive season, and this will result in unde rperformance.

Another approach that runners have tried in the past is not eating in the morning and sometimes even skipping lunch. This is not advised because it will increase hunger feelings later in the day; with one single very large meal, the reduction in intake can easily be compensated. When losing body weight, there is always the risk of also losing some muscle mass. However, this can partly be prevented by consuming relatively large amounts of carbohydrate. Because it is difficult to train hard when the energy intake is reduced, it is advised to achieve weight loss during the off season.

Below are a number of guidelines that might help to achieve weight loss:

1. Determine a realistic body weight goal. The help of a sports dietician is likely to be needed to identify a realistic target weight.
2. Do not try to lose more than 500gms per week and do not restrict energy intake by more than 500 – 750 kcal per day.
3. Eat more fruit and vegetables. 
4. Try to choose low – fat snacks. 
5. Study food labels and try to find substitutes for high fat foods. Do not only look at fat content but also the energy content per serving.
6. Limit fat add–ons such as sauces, sour cream and high fat salad dressings or choose the low fat version of these products.
7. Try to structure you eating into five or six smaller meals. 
8. Avoid eating very large meals.
9. Make sure carbohydrate intake is high and consume carbohydrates immediately after training. 
10. Increase the volume of aerobic training to promote fat oxidation. Ideally this exercise is performed daily for at least one hour at a fairly intense level although it should not be so hard that talking is a problem. 
11. A multivitamin and mineral supplement may be useful during periods of energy restriction. You should seek the advice of a nutritionist or dietician. 
12. Measure body weight daily and get measurements of body fat regularly (every two months) and keep a record of the changes.

Many of these guidelines need specific nutrition knowledge and therefore you are encouraged to seek the advice of a qualified registered sports dietician.

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Healthy Eating

Many women runners, although not over weight, still would like to lose weight and in particular body fat. For some this is an advantage because it increases the power to weight ratio, for others it is simply because they can reduce the energy expenditure when carrying a low body weight (running). Research has also shown that another reason why women runners want to get rid of some body fat is simply for the looks. Anyone who has tried to lose weight will know it is not an easy task. It cannot be stressed enough that weight loss may not always be a good idea and can even be detrimental to performance. There are many mistakes that can be made and the purpose of this short paper is to make you aware of some of  these mistakes and give you some guidelines how to lose weight in a responsible way.

Defining the goals.

A first step is to define weight loss goals. In conjunction with the coach and a nutritionist weight loss goals should be identified. These goals should be carefully thought about and defined. Is it really desirable to lose body weight? Weight loss may be useful in some cases but in others it will do more harm than good. Whether it is a good idea or not depends primarily on the body fat percentage. Although individual differences exist, it is not recommended to go below a body fat of percentage of about 5% for men and 12 – 14% for women. Fat has important bodily functions and these will be compromised at extremely low fat levels,

The goals also have to be defined with the time schedule in mind. How much weight do you need to lose and how much time is there to achieve this? A realistic weight loss is about a kilogramme every two weeks, so to lose three kilogrammes at least six weeks are needed. A more rapid weight loss will make it impossible to train adequately.

Energy balance:

When the energy intake equals the energy expenditure you will be in energy balance. When you eat less than you burn, you are in negative energy balance and as a result you will lose weight. When you eat more than you expend, you are in positive energy balance – and in this case you will gain weight.

A negative energy balance is necessary to lose weight and there are two ways to induce a negative energy balance:

• Reducing energy intake.
•  Increasing energy expenditure.
•  A combination of these two seems to be the best way to lose body weight.

Besides a negative energy balance, you also must be in negative fat balance in order to lose body fat, This generally means reducing the fat intake, but including aerobic work in training sessions is another way of moving to a negative fat balance.

Reducing the fat intake can be very effective for several reasons:

• Fat is very energy dense, it has more than twice as much energy as the same weight of carbohydrate or protein.
• High fat foods generally taste good and this leads to a tendency to eat more. Studies have shown that increasing the fat content of the diet increases the spontaneous intake of food.
• Fat is efficiently stored and requires very little energy for digestion.
• Fat intake does not stimulate fat burning.

Dr. AskerJeukendrup, University of Birmingham

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I run at least 4 times a week ranging from 5k to 20k I have just completed my first Marathon but am still unable to lose any weight. I need food to fuel my runs and for the main part eat healthy but am stuck at 80kilos on a 5 7 in frame – all the weight being around my stomach. Do you have any helpful advice?
Thank you
 
 
 
Answer:

Hi Katrina,
Thanks for your email. It would appear from what you say in your email that you really need to cut down on your carbohydrates. I know that you need fuel for your runs but you should try cutting down slightly on you carbohydrate intake. With the amount of running you are doing you should not be carrying that much weight.
The other thing you need to do is to introduce interval work to your training .

 
I hope this is of some help – if there is anything else I can help you with please contact me and I will do my best for you
 
Kind Regards
 
Peter Hier
Running4Women Ltd

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10 miles a day is a considerable amount of training and as such your energy demands are going to be pretty high. It is therefore normal to have a good appetite. The average female requires approximately 2500 calories per day, so the extra 1000 you are taking on board is not unreasonable. However, I would advise you to take care with the types of food you are eating to ensure that they are not too high in fats, as this will encourage weight gain.

Another factor to consider is that muscle weighs more than fat so if you’re toning up as a result of your training this may account for changes in your weight. It’s probably more useful to get your Body Mass Index checked as opposed to weighing yourself, as this will give a more comprehensive breakdown of your body composition i.e. how much of you is fat versus muscle.

Hope this information is helpful.

Kind regards
Angela Benjamin MSc MCSP SRP
Chartered Physiotherapist

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I try to run at least 3 times a week covering a distance of at least 10k each time I run. I have lost a lot of weight before but now I can’t seem to lose any weight even though I am running and exercising loads more! I am a veggie and try not to eat loads of junk! What should I do?

Thanks

Ash

Answer:
Hi Ash,

This is not an unusual problem. Many runners experience plateaux in their training as the body adapts and gets used to the ‘load’.

Possible solutions include:

Adding another run each week to increase the number of calories you use.

Increase the intensity of one of your runs. This can be done by

• running a more undulating route and pushing the up hills
• running ‘reps’ i.e. hard for a few minutes, easy for a few minutes,      never quite letting yourself fully recover
• adding a little variety to your training, rather than always running 10km do some faster, shorter runs and some steady longer runs or even some cross training

Remember that as the effort of running has become easier because you are now fitter, this has meant that you will expend fewer calories for the same distance run. Adding variety and some different ‘efforts’ will increase the amount of calories you are burning.

Good luck.

Jim Cowan.

R4W Technical Advisor

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Hi,

I have put on over a stone in training for the marathon. With it being only 5 weeks away I do not know whether to try cut back on calories now and try and be lighter on my feet or to ignore until after the day. I feel very sluggish with this extra weight and I know I have probably eaten too much along with muscle gain. what do you advise at this stage?

Regards
Angela

Answer:

 Hi Angela,

It is important to ‘feel’ lighter when undertaking any event, particularly one as long as a marathon. It is also, obviously, easier to run if we are lighter! I think in your case you need to find the balance between decreasing food intake, or rather decreasing calorie and unhealthy fat and sugar intake, and getting enough energy and nutrients to maintain your training regime. For this reason I would recommend you think of replacing those foods you are eating with ‘calorie-negative’ foods (a controversial theory purporting that some foods burn more calories in the effort to consume them than they contain) such as celery, cucumber, onion, radish, apple, courgette, chicory, fennel, broccoli, cabbage, endive and lettuce. This will provide you with the nutrients you require while encouraging your metabolism to speed up.  Additionally ensure you eat enough lean protein to balance your blood sugar levels and provide energy for your runs. Have eggs or muesli with nuts for breakfast, lean poultry or quinoa for lunch.  Without even decreasing the amount of calories in your diet, you can burn off more energy by increasing the amount of fibre and decreasing the volume of high sugar and saturated fats.

Good luck!

Emma Wight-Boycott

MSc Nutr (2009), PGDip Nutr, PGcACNEM, Dip. Sc Nutr

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Hi,
I am starting out training as a beginner for the Great South Run in October.  I am doing it as fundraising but also to help lose weight.  Can you recommend some good foods I can eat to help give me the energy but not to put on weight?  I am a vegetarian (no fish also) who is very prone to weight gain.

Thank you!

Jane

Answer:

 Hi Jane,

A great source of protein and carbohydrate for energy levels are lentils, chick peas, kidney, pinto and black-eyed beans. Try using them in curries or as hot or cold salads mixed with olive oil, lemon juice and coriander -tasty! You could consider a vegetarian protein supplement if you are struggling to get enough protein from your diet.

Good luck with the training,

 Emma Wight-Boycott
MSc Nutr (2009), PGDip Nutr, PGcACNEM, Dip. Sc Nutr

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I am recovering from anorexia and am now a healthy weight. I plan to run my first half marathon in October and am just beginning training. I wondered whether I will need to increase my calorie intake whilst I am training, and if so, roughly how much by? Also, what types of food are best to eat to increase my energy levels and stamina? I am also concerned that I may gain weight as I train, and wondered whether there is any “normal” level of weight gain to expect?

Jo

Answer:

Dear Jo,

I assume that you were under the care of a dietician/nutritionist for your anorexia? I would recommend that you consult them regarding your dietary needs for running. Alternatively you could seek advice from a sports nutritionist.

Kind regards

Angela Benjamin MSc MCSP
Chartered Physiotherapist

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I am 16, and have been regularly running for about a year. I have recently found out that I am classed underweight for my height though (about 5lb) and in one running book I have read it said that if this is the case you should consult your doctor first before following any kind of training plan. is this necessary and are there any dietary changes I should make? I am not running to lose weight but I feel reluctant to put on a lot as I have grown accustomed to my current weight.
Thanks,

Katherine

Answer:

Dear Katherine,

Even though you are only slightly underweight, I would recommend that you have a chat to your GP regarding dietary requirements. Depending on how much running you’re doing your body weight may go down so it is important that you are eating enough to compensate for this.

Kind regards

Angela Benjamin MSc MCSP
Chartered Physiotherapist

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About a year ago I saw a nutritionist who advised me on healthier eating and suggested I take up speed walking. I lost a lot of weight (3.5 stone), eventually became a little bored of speed walking and took up running, following a beginners programme. I would be glad to lose another 10-15 pounds. How can I reinvigorate my running – I currently run for about 35 minutes, at a slow steady pace, and improve weight loss? I should add that I have been living abroad, in warmer climes, for the last 10 months and recently returned home to the UK.

Many Thanks
Rochelle

Answer:

Dear Rochelle,

You didn’t mention how often you’re running? Aside from increasing the frequency of your training sessions, you could try doing shorter quicker runs. Hill running is also a good way of challenging your cardiovascular system. Alternatively, you could try doing some other type of exercise e.g. strength training with weights. Increasing your muscle mass will help to boost your metabolism and aid weight loss.

Kind regards

Angela Benjamin MSc MCSP
Chartered Physiotherapist

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