Losing weight while marathon training

I joined this site because after running Boston Marathon I gained 25 pounds in 3 months.  Ouch!  I decided to rest up and heal up some injuries but at the same time ate and drank too much (alcohol).  Now I am training for NY marathon and need to get to 165 (marathon weight) from 187.  Currently halfway through training but no progress on losing weight.  Only when I run over 15 miles and lose water weight do I see any difference, but I gain it right back. 

I have been "counting" since aug 13, when can I expect to see some movement?

Can I be running (no pun intended) too much of a deficit?  I am easily at 1000 cal deficit each day, but never go under 1500 cals?

Getting desperate; my speed is suffering, the 18 to 20 mile runs are taking a lot out of me while carrying this extra 20 pounds.  Starting to get nagging injuries in ankles and especially feet, and the hard training is about to begin next week.

My guess is that you aren't eating enough. 1500 calories a day is not enough fuel to get you through your day as well as a run. If you add even another 300 or so, you will feel a dramatic improvement in how you feel while you run. I come across this a lot, when I eat too little (which for me is around 1200) the next day my run is like torture. When I up it to 1600-1700 I do much better (I am small, so my caloric needs are lower). Also, my best friend is a marathon runner (5 foot 8 and 123 lbs) and she needs to eat closer to 2000 per day during training in order to get enough fuel. Further, she lets herself eat a lot a couple days a week; for instance she will eat close to 4000 on the day before her long run. (20 miles = 2000 calories burned.)

The trick is to eat just enough so that your body will freely burn it, and also to zig zag a bit during the week.

Congrats on your marathon running - that's fantastic.  I would love to run a marathon, and I will someday, but right now I'm too heavy and I'm not sure if my body could take it.

I've been a long time reader of Runners World, and I have read several times that you shouldn't even try to lose weight while training for a marathon, your body needs way too much energy (calories).  Food for thought.

Looks like a theme here.  I guess I am trying to do two things which are in opposite directions.  I am trying to qualify for Boston again and I am sure that if I don't get down to my goal weight, I won't have a chance to run a 3:30 marathon.  I only made it last year by 80 seconds!

It took only 3 years from couch to first 5k to first marathon.  Never ran a day in my life before.  Then only 4 marathon's to qualify for Boston (only marathon you need to qualify to get in).  Running has become a passion.

It was easy enough to pack on the pounds in such a short time, might there be a balance to maybe do both somewhere in the scope of cutting calories and increasing speed and mileage?  This cutting (I mean counting caories) has made me at least feel better.  I guess I am just eating more healthy.  Never been on a "diet" before so not sure what to expect.

I ran my first marathon a little over a year ago.  I started it as a weight loss endeavor, but I found that when I got up to the 15-16 mile runs on my schedule that I had to abandon the diet and make sure I was eating well for my performance.  I still made sure to avoid sugar and only eat things that were good fuel.  I didn't gain any weight, but I didn't lose any more.  I moved right after the marathon and sadly gained about 30 pounds within a few months too.  That's interesting that the same thing happened to someone else.  Good luck on getting to Boston again!  That's quite an accomplishment!

I lost weight last year while training for NYC.  I was eating roughly 1200 cals a day.  I'm female and 5'3.  I went from about 140 on Aug 26th, to just below 124 by the end of October.  I didn't find it too hard.  I just had to resist the urge to stuff my face after the long runs.  With that said, if I was 124 to begin with and ate closer to 2000 cals a day, I probably would have run it faster - so I think you have to chose.  I understand that with the extra 20lbs, getting a Boston Qualifier will tough - and be careful of those injuries.

I honestly think you would be more likely to qualify if you train hard with adequate nutrition than if you train hard with insufficient nutrition.  Regardless of the extra weight. 

If you really want to continue the calorie restriction, I would invest in a heart rate monitor, if you don't already have one.  Track your calories burned on each run with that, log them here so you can figure out your expenditure as closely as possible.  Then aim for no more than a 500 calorie deficit except on your long run days and any days you do strenous speed work.   Those days you should eat back everything.

No, you won't lose 20 pounds.  But you should lose a bit, and still have energy for your training.

Best of luck!!

jocur -

Congrats on Boston.. I ran NYC last year, and two others before that.  I have never been able to lose weight AND train for a marathon.... it's like quitting smoking and trying to diet... one usually kills the other one.  I didn't GAIN last year, but stayed the same.  are you doing any weight training?  That might help...

I would just keep up the training and as someone else said, try not to STUFF your face after your long runs.  AFTER the marathon, then diet....

Thanks for the advice and the support.  If you run marathons Boston is it; and I feel like I missed a little of the experience with the weather that day ( a Nor' easter with rain and 20-30mph winds in our face).  I wanted to run it again, but I would need to qualify again.  I can see that I will not be able to do both it just requires too much stress on the body at normal weight, so I will run NY for fun and not kill myself in training trying to keep up with my past performance.  I like the idea, instead of rewarding myself with time off and binging on food and alcohol, I will just rest and prepare to start training for a Spring marathon.

Great site.  You are all so helpful with your experiences.

As a runner (of marathons, even), I found it downright impossible to lose weight when training.  In fact, I gained about 10 lbs WHILE training.  Having said that, I was little (borderline TOO little) to begin with.  Honestly, I can't imagine running for time while trying to restirct calories.  I think you'd be far better off just focusing on what you're putting in your body (i.e. give it the fuel it needs, not extraneous crap) and listening to the signals it's giving you.  Eat when you're hungry.  Stop when you're full.  And afterward, you can concentrate on the number.

I agree with all thats been said.  Eventhough I lost weight, I'm sure I paid with my performance.  It was my first though, so know I have a time to beat!  I would love to qualify for Boston one day, but I'm afraid I will be 60 before that happens :)