Fat Loss for Runners: Why You Gain Weight During Marathon Training

When Alanis Morissette wrote that song in the 90s about irony, I feel like there should have been a verse in there about gaining weight while training for a marathon. Sing along with me...

It's like training for your marathon day
But the more you ran the more you weighed
It wasn't supposed to be this way
And isn't it ironic, don't you think?
 

But just like the rest of the song, it's actually not ironic at all. When you are training for a marathon there is no guarantee of weight loss. Isn't that a jagged little pill to swallow? (You see what I did there?) In fact, it is quite common for runners to gain weight during marathon training. Runners of all shapes and sizes are kicking-ass across finish lines all over the world. So what gives? Running obviously burns a lot of calories, shouldn't we all be losing weight when training to run 26.2 miles?

The first thing to consider is that there is a difference between running for performance and running for weight loss. When training for a marathon you are running for performance. You are training your body to have the capacity to run 26.2 miles and that is a pretty amazing feat (but you "earn" less amazing-looking feet.) To lose weight you have to be in a calorie deficit, taking in less calories than you burn, but that is not ideal for running performance and recovery.

WHY YOU GAIN WEIGHT DURING MARATHON TRAINING (IT'S NOT ALWAYS NEGATIVE)

YOU GAIN MUSCLE

One reason the scale may seem to be moving in the wrong direction is a positive thing. You are building muscle mass that wasn't there before. Muscle is more dense than fat, so when you lose fat and gain muscle your body fat percentage goes down (yay!) while your weight goes up or stays the same. The number on the scale may have gone up but you improved your body composition. 

YOU INCREASED CARBOHYDRATES (GLYCOGEN) STORES

When you run long distances you are training your body to increase carbohydrate (glycogen) storage in your muscles and liver, which also increases water storage. This is a necessity when you are training to run a marathon. The more glycogen you store the farther you can run without hitting "the wall", but it can add numbers to the scale. It's important to note that this is not fat gain.

YOUR BODY ADAPTS TO THE STRESSES YOU PLACE UPON IT

This is the whole point of marathon training. You train your body to be able to run long distances. You are able to run longer and farther month after month during training. Your body becomes more efficient over time. That means it feels easier to run and you are not expending as much energy. When you first start running your body is less efficient at running, so it burns more calories. Over time your body adapts, becomes more efficient and you burn less calories during the same activity. For marathon training this is a good thing. For weight loss, a double edge sword. 

YOU EAT MORE BEFORE YOU RUN

We've all heard of carb-loading before a big race, but when it's used as an excuse to eat junk foods in large quantities, it can be a factor in weight gain. Fueling for your long runs should include a slow increase of calories from carbohydrates from a variety of mostly whole foods. It doesn't mean three servings of pasta and four servings of garlic bread the night before your long run. Dangit, I wish it meant that. 

YOU EAT MORE DURING YOUR RUN

On average we burn about 100 calories per mile, obviously this varies from runner to runner. After about 90 minutes of running we usually start needing to fuel during our runs. It's necessary, but another reason that weight loss and creating a calorie deficit while marathon training can be so challenging. 

YOU EAT MORE AFTER YOU RUN

Are you seeing a trend here? You just ran 10 miles and your are hungry (or hangry, amiright?). You gulp down a protein shake, take a shower, then meet some friends to treat yourself to an indulgence meal. You can easily put down 1000 calories of burgers, fries and beer. While there is nothing wrong with an indulgence meal, try not to get into the habit of rewarding your hard work with junk food. After all, during marathon training you will be running a lot. If you reward every run with indulgence foods, you can easily out-eat your calorie expenditure. 

YOU MOVE LESS THE REST OF THE DAY

After running 14 miles you crash on the couch with your compression socks snuggling your calves while watching a NetFlix marathon. When hubby asks if you want to go to the mall, you grunt out a no-way Jose (even though his name is Russell). The house isn't getting cleaned, the dog isn't getting walked (by you) and you're not moving until you hear the doorbell ring with your dinner delivery.

The calories you burn while walking around doing everyday activities add up. So while you increased your calorie expenditure during your run, you decreased it the rest of the day. With the added food intake, the decreased activity outside of running, you can easily put yourself into a calorie surplus, which can cause weight gain.

FAT LOSS FOR RUNNERS: WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

It can be counter-intuitive to have marathon goals and weight loss goals at the same time, but if you want to keep the weight off while marathon training I recommend always focusing on fat loss, not weight loss. Our goal should be to build or maintain muscle while losing fat.

VARY INTENSITY

Your long runs should be long and slow, but after a month or two of building your milage base you can play with the intensity of at least one other run in the week to help with fat loss. Long interval runs (1/2 mile or 1 mile intervals of hard effort repeats) can help with fat loss while improving your marathon pace. Here is a post I wrote about different types of interval runs. For injury prevention be careful never to increase intensity and mileage in the same week. That means if you are adding miles to your long run, don't also add in a new interval workout or increase the intensity/pace of an existing workout. Only introduce new intensity on weeks you aren't adding mileage. This is important. Got it? Good.

FUEL RESPONSIBLY

Yes, when you are marathon training you need to fuel, which means that you will probably need to eat more than usual. However, don't use marathon training as an excuse to binge eat. Increase calories with a variety of nutrient-dense foods from nature and save the treats for occasional indulgences in moderation. I wrote more about nutrition for athletes (yes, that's you) over in this blog post.

STRENGTH TRAIN

Runners who strength train are stronger, faster and less prone to injury. When you are marathon training, running should absolutely be your first priority, but don't neglect strength training. Short and focused runner-specific strength training sessions just twice a week can help you meet your running and fat loss goals. Muscle tissue uses more energy at rest than fat, so when you build lean muscle you burn more calories during your daily activities, like recovering on the couch. 

Running a marathon is a fantastic goal. I recommend training and fueling for your marathon with performance as your main focus, even if your personal definition of performance is crossing the finish line without dying. Once you achieve that goal, you can adjust your training and nutrition to focus on fat loss for a period of time before you inevitability start your marathon training all over again. 

Any questions about fat loss or weight gain during marathon training? I'd love to help. 

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52 Healthy Habits: 25 Grams of Added Sugar Per Day

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 healthy habits where we tackle a new healthy habit in order to improve our lives. Why habits? Because habits are our backup plan when everything else falls apart. Habits don't require motivation or willpower. If we take the time to develop healthy habits, then a healthy lifestyle will emerge. Choose a healthy habit and work to cultivate it for a few weeks. Once it becomes second nature, work on a new habit. It's a sane and sustainable approach to living a healthy lifestyle. Each week we cover a new habit. You can follow along with my weekly habits, dig into the archives or make up one of your own. 

This week we are talking about a crazy controversial topic: Sugar! The ruiner of all good health. The root of all evil. The nefarious! But wait...

I don't believe that sugar is the single culprit of all our health and weight problems. Shocking, I know. Yes, eating too many processed foods filled with sugar is bad for your health. Sugar is highly palatable and easy to overeat. Have you ever dug your spoon into a pint of Ben & Jerry's with the self-promise to stop after one serving only to have it scrape the bottom before you knew what hit you? Yeah, me too. They do that shit on purpose. Processed foods are manufactured to be easy to overeat. When you eat more than your body needs, the excess is stored as fat. It's not necessarily the sugar itself, it's the excess. The sugar just makes it easier to eat too much.

The health industry will have you believe that sugar is as addicting as cocaine! While some people have trouble controlling themselves around sugar, no doubt, moderate amounts of sugar can be part of a healthy lifestyle. I am not arguing that we don't need to limit our sugar, we do. I'm just trying to bring some balance, common sense and rational thinking to a topic that is often sensationalized. 

Our bodies run on sugar. It's our brain's preferred energy source. From my friends at Precision Nutrition:

“Sugar is a fundamental molecule in biology.
Human bodies need sugar.
Sugar makes up the backbone of our DNA. Helps power our cells. Helps store energy for later. Plants convert sunlight into sugar. We convert sugar into fuel.
Molecules like glucose and fructose (just two of the many types of sugar) are so basic to our biological needs, even bacteria love them.
Indeed, sugar’s the breakfast of champions, chemically speaking.”

— Precision Nutrition

As part of my life long quest for balance and to stay away from the all-or-nothing mindset, I strive to not look at sugar as simply good or bad. It's not a choice of either eat-all-the-sugar-nom-nom-nom or never-ever have a gram of sugar ever! Most healthy people can have their sugar and eat it too. This week's healthy habit is to pay attention to food labels and limit added sugars to approximately 25 grams per day. 

NATURAL SUGARS

Some people go to the extreme and give up all sugars, including the natural sugar found in fruit and dairy. While of course you're free to do whatever feels best for your own body, cutting out fruit and dairy is not necessary for most healthy people, even those who are on a fat loss diet. Fruit provides nutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals that keep the body healthy. Of course, we don't want to overeat fruit either, three bananas in one sitting is excess, but to enjoy a piece of fruit with lunch or as a snack is always a healthy choice. Fruit generally isn't making people fat. For most people looking to lose weight, there are often other food and lifestyle choices that can be improved that will have a bigger impact on fat loss than eliminating fruit.

PROCESSED FOODS

The sugar found in processed foods are often combined with fat and salt to make them extra delicious with little-to-no nutritional value. These are the sugars we want to limit because they are easy to overeat. We'd all do well to limit processed foods like ice cream, candy, snack cakes, pastries, soda and donuts. But we know all know that already that, right? 

READING THE LABEL

Here's where it gets tricky. There is sugar in almost all packaged foods, even the healthy(er) ones. You can read the nutrition label to see how many grams of sugar per serving, but how can you tell if those sugars are natural sugars or added sugars? If it is an added sugar it will be listed in the ingredients on the back of the package, but food manufacturers know you are looking for the word 'sugar'. Here are some examples of other names for sugar that are used on packaging labels. Pro tip: If it ends in -ose it is sugar. 

• Cane crystals
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Evaporated cane juice
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Molasses
• Sucrose
• Syrup

Ingredients on the back of packages are listed in order of quantity. That means if sugar is the first ingredient, it has more sugar than any other ingredient in the package. 

25 GRAMS OF ADDED SUGAR PER DAY

A good rule of thumb is to limit added sugars to 25 grams per day. I highlighted the word 'added' because I don't count natural sugars in this total. When I buy packaged foods like pasta sauce, yogurts (while dairy has natural sugar, most store bought flavored yogurts have a lot of added sugars) and salad dressing, I try to choose items with six grams of sugar or less per serving. It can be eye-opening to read the nutrition labels of the foods you buy. Just reading the labels, being aware of the sugar content in the foods and keeping in mind the 25 grams per day guideline, is a great habit to cultivate. Awareness is the first step.

Limiting added sugar to around 25 grams a day allows you to eat the fruit and dairy that is healthful, while having some sugar that is found in most foods, without going overboard. If you tried to cut out all sugar, there would likely be nothing left to eat. 25 grams of added sugar a day gives you a target that is realistic and sustainable. Music to my ears. 

For more information on the topic of sugar and my view on artifical sweeteners check out this post I wrote called 'A rant on sugar, cocaine and artificial sweeteners.' 

If you like what I have to say about nutrition you may be interested in learning more about my sane and sustainable nutrition program (no boring meal plans, strict diets, macro calculations or crazy eliminations)! A few slots still open for new clients at a reduced rate. If you're in it for the long haul and willing to put in the work for permanent changes, this may be the program for you. 

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5 WARNING SIGNS OF A WEIGHT LOSS SCAM

Last week we talked about the seven health and fitness myths that just won't die. I did my best to debunk them once and for all. Now if only the internet would pay attention. Over here internet! I'm talking! 

This week I wanted to go over the 5 warning signs of a weight loss scam. Some may think that this is common sense, but as hubby likes to say, common sense is actually not very common... especially in the fitness industry.

The same rule applies as it does to anything else (I can hear my Dad's voice saying it now) "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." But I think as humans, we are always looking for the next quick fix, the undiscovered secret or the magic pill to solve all our problems. We may fall victim to believing the things that we want so desperately to be true. 

Pay attention to these common signs of a weight loss scam to avoid wasting your time and money. 

IT PROMISES RESULTS WITHOUT WORK

"Lose 30 pounds without changing your diet or exercise!"

Anything worth having takes work. If having the body of a fitness model could be achieved by taking a pill (and without Photo Shop), every single one of us would be walking around with six pack abs. Don't be fooled. Fat loss is hard work and lifestyles changes will be required for sustainable results. Anyone who tells you differently is likely trying to sell you something. 

IT PROMISES RESULTS IN A SHORT TIME PERIOD

"Lose 30 pounds in 3 weeks!"

Any plan that promises more than two to three pounds of weight loss per week should be examined closely. Any more than three pounds and you are likely losing water or worse, muscle. Muscle loss can hurt your metabolism, which makes it harder to keep weight off. Always aim for fat loss, not weight loss. Build muscle, lose fat, slowly over time. It's the only way.

IT REQUIRES THAT YOU PURCHASE BRANDED SHAKES OR SUPPLEMENTS

"Drink this fat loss super shake to lose 10 pounds quickly!"

It is always better to eat real foods than to take supplements. Some shakes may have better-sourced ingredients than others, but no shake is a magic weight loss shake. Shakes don't make you lose weight faster than real food. Shakes may help you consume less calories so that you create a calorie-deficit, which can lead to weight loss. Just remember it is the calorie deficit, not the shake. Shakes are great when real food is not available or convenient (I drink them all the time), but you don't need a shake to lose weight. 

Ever notice those fat burning pills always say "For best results use in conjunction with proper diet and exercise."? Save your money and focus on the diet and exercise part. 

IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE OVER THE LONG TERM

"Drink two shakes a day followed by a sensible dinner for rapid weight loss"

"Do this extreme workout for an hour a day six days a week for 60 days"

Make sure any new diet or exercise plan passes the sustainability test. "Will I be able to do this long term?" A short term program delivers short term results. Once you go off the extreme diet or exercise plan any weight you lost will come back on. A better long term solution is to find a sane plan you can follow long term. If you are not going to drink shakes twice a day, eat cabbage soup or do insane workouts for the rest of your life then don't waste your time.

IT USES THE WORD DETOX

"For one week drink green juice followed by a shot of apple cider vinegar to detox."

The word detox is one of the largest red flags of a weight loss scam. It is a marketing term that means nothing. Drinking juice doesn't cleanse you. Eating cabbage soup and drinking apple cider vinegar doesn't detoxify your body. Our liver does an excellent job of detoxifying our body. If your liver stops working, you'll need to see your doctor immediately. 

There is nothing inherently wrong with drinking green juices, eating cabbage soup or taking apple cider vinegar. Just balance them with whole foods from a variety of sources and be aware that you're not detoxing anything. 

It all boils down to this:

Listen to your Dad (or my Dad). If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Be wary of outrageous claims. If the product could really deliver those kinds of results everyone would be thin and fit. 

Avoid extremes. Everything in moderation, my friends. Short term extremes do not produce long term results.

Be skeptical about testimonials and before/after pictures on the internet. When possible, talk to people you know and trust about their real world results. 

The problem is that when we fall for weight loss scams they end up being distractions that take us further away from our goals. If we focus on the tried and true principles over the long haul, results will follow. Money back guarantee. 

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Healthy Protein Fudge Popsicles

Making healthier choices isn't about giving up all your favorite foods. Sometimes it is eating your favorite foods in smaller portions and/or in moderation. Other times it is making healthy substitutes. Healthy doesn't have to be boring, we can have sweet treats that are healthy, satisfying and delicious. 

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link in this post and make a purchase, I make a small percentage of the sale with no additional cost to you. No one is getting rich here, it just helps with the costs associated with the running (pun intended) of this blog. 

Last weekend I made these healthy protein fudge popsicles. They tasted delicious like the store-bought ones, but because of the added protein powder they have 30 grams (per scoop) of protein. I am a Premier Protein ambassador, so I used their chocolate protein powder which has only two grams of sugar and no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors. They were a cool refreshing post-workout treat on a hot summer Texas day. 

With only four ingredients, they were easy to prepare and I had gobble them all down before they melted. 

PROTEIN FUDGE POPSICLES INGREDIENTS

1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
2 cups of chocolate almond milk (use any type of chocolate milk you like)
1 tsp of cocoa powder
1 tsp of vanilla extract

Mix up the ingredients in a blender and pour into popsicle molds. Freeze for three to four hours. When frozen run the molds under warm water to loosen the popsicles from the mold. Eat all as quickly as possible before they melt. :)

Shut up and eat popsicles with me.

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52 Healthy Habits: Meal Prep That Actually Fits Your Lifestyle

Welcome to the latest edition of 52 Healthy habits when each week we talk about a new healthy habit that can be developed and cultivated for an overall healthier lifestyle. I am a big believer in habits, because they are the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle. It's not about willpower or self-discipline (if it was, I'd be in big trouble). It's about developing small habits one at time, slowly over time until your healthy lifestyle is effortless.

It's not about how fast you start, it's how long you stay consistent over time. Too much too soon can lead to overwhelm, burnout and failure. Each week we go in depth on one simple new healthy habit. You can follow along and try my habits or do one that works for you and your lifestyle. The first step is awareness. What is one small thing you can do today that will take you one step closer to your goals? 

MEAL PREP

The reason I like meal prep is because it takes the guess work out of your meals. When you plan ahead with healthy meals that you enjoy, you're less likely to feel frazzled and order pizza or takeout after a long day. Strategy trumps willpower. Having a plan in place in advance will make all those meal decisions just a little bit easier. 

Meal prep can seem overwhelming at first if you've seen the pictures on Instagram or Facebook of 21 tupperware containers perfectly portioned with grilled chicken, broccoli and rice. That can be an effective way to plan your meals for the week, but realize that it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. If you're thinking there is no way you can plan 21 meals in advance or eat the same boring thing every day all week, then there is a meal prep plan that will work for you too.

The idea is to make meal prep work for your lifestyle and preferences. Don't try to force something that won't work for your lifestyle. You're probably not a professional bodybuilder or physique competitor, so you don't have to meal prep like one. If you hate chicken and broccoli, then meal prepping chicken and broccoli will never work for you. There are plenty of ways to meal prep the healthy foods you and your family will enjoy. Find what works for you. Start small. Build over time. 

This always makes me giggle:

Meal prepping is easy! pic.twitter.com/z6940P2g7T

— Doug The Pug (@itsdougthepug) March 13, 2017

MEAL PREP BREAKFAST IDEAS (THINK OUTSIDE THE DONUT BOX)

I know what it's like. You hit snooze one too many times, your kids won't put on their shoes, your husband can't find his briefcase (or tool bag), the news is reporting an accident on the highway you take to get to work and the kid's school bus is due in 10 minutes. Sounds about right. What about breakfast? Everyone could get a Pop Tart for the road, or with a little planning ahead, you can prepare a few healthy portable options that work within your crazy life. 

OVERNIGHT OATS

In small portable jars add 1/3 cup of raw (uncooked) raw oats, 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt. Put in the fridge overnight and let the oats soak up the liquids. In the morning, the topping options are endless, try berries, fruit, ground chia seeds, cinnamon and natural granola or nuts for some healthy crunch. 

EGG MUFFINS

Mix together whole eggs or a combo of whole eggs and egg whites (keep in mind that the yolks are healthy), chopped veggies (try tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onions, jalapenos, spinach, the possibilities are endless), shredded cheese, protein (turkey bacon or turkey sausage) salt and pepper. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour the egg/veggie mixture into the muffin cups until they are about 3/4 full (they will rise a bit in cooking). Pop it in the oven at 350 for 30-35 minutes until the eggs are firm. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. Wrap in a paper towel and microwave them when ready to eat. It's a perfect grab on the go meal. Pair with a banana for a well-rounded breakfast.

HARD BOILED EGGS

If prepping overnight oats or egg muffins still seems like too much, you can simply hard-boil some eggs in advance. A couple of hard-boiled eggs is the perfect portable breakfast on the go. I like to pair with a piece of fruit for a balanced breakfast.

MEAL PREP LUNCH IDEAS (THINK OUTSIDE JACK IN THE BOX)

Work is hectic. Your boss is tough, your co-workers are whiny, your clients are demanding and that deadline is looming. Who has time for lunch? While the vending machine, cafeteria line or fast food drive-through may seem like enticing options so you can scarf down some food and keep working, taking a step away from the computer to have a quick nourishing lunch can actually make you more productive in the afternoon. Packing a healthy lunch in advance will take the guess work out of healthy eating for lunch and get you back to kicking @ss at work a little faster. 

JAR SALADS

I wrote more extensively on mason jar salads, so check out my original post for more in-depth ideas. It's easy to prep multiple salads for the week that won't get soggy (I swear!). First cook enough lean meat for the week. I like to grill (or petition hubby to grill) a couple pounds of chicken on Sundays. Start with a large mason jar and pour a serving of healthy dressing in the bottom. Then add veggies, cooked meat (like grilled chicken) and top with spinach or other salad greens. When you're ready to eat, shake it up and pour it into a bowl. Ta-Da. Make five jars on Sunday and eat all week. Because the dressing is on the bottom of the jar, they don't get soggy. Pinky swear.

REGULAR SALADS

Some people just don't believe me when I tell them the mason jar salads don't get soggy. Some people don't want to take the time to make five salads all at once. That is just fine. It's not about what works for me, it's about what works for you. You can still meal prep your salads even if you don't make them all at once. The key is having the protein already cooked and ready to go. Grill two to three pounds of chicken at one time, refrigerate or freeze what you won't use right away. Each evening, chop vegetables and prep your salad for the next day. Bonus points for chopping all the vegetables for the week in advance and just throwing together the salad ingredients the night before. 

LEFTOVERS

The easiest way to meal prep for lunch is to make extra portions for dinner and pack your leftovers. It doesn't take much extra time to prepare a couple additional portions, so cook in bulk where possible. When planning your dinner, plan an extra portion or two for tomorrow's lunch. 

MEAL PREP DINNER IDEAS (THINK OUTSIDE THE PIZZA BOX)

It's been a long day. You're exhausted. The kids want pizza. Hubby wants pizza. Heck, you kind of want pizza. If you planned ahead you can have a quick healthy meal for the whole family and save the pizza party for a special occasion. 

The secret to effective dinner meal prep is to start with meal components: Cook the protein, some brown rice, potatoes or chop some veggies ahead of time. Come dinner time, this will make a huge difference in quickly getting dinner on the table. 

CROCK POT MEALS

I am a fan of crock pot meals because the crock pot does all the work while you're going about your day. It can be a simple as adding protein like chicken or turkey, then veggies, potatoes, and black beans, the possibilities are endless. Combine flavors to suit your preferences. We make a big pot full of healthy whole-food ingredients and eat it for dinner and lunch for a few days. If we have a lot left over and get tired of eating the same thing after a couple of days, we freeze it for a later time. 

CASSEROLES

Casseroles are a great way to make large portions of a healthy meal to freeze for later. I love this recipe from Slim Sanity for a Chicken and broccoli casserole. I know I kind of poo-poo'd chicken and broccoli in earlier in this post, but if you are going to do chicken and broccoli, this is the way to do it. I love how this recipe adds Greek yogurt and almond milk for a creamy healthy base. Search healthy casseroles on Pinterest for more ideas than you could ever execute. Make ahead of time and freeze for a quick healthy dinner for those hectic work evenings. (Note: evaluate the ingredients of any recipe that claims to be healthy. Look for whole foods ingredients. Just because it says healthy in the title, doesn't necessarily mean that it is healthy.)

HEALTHY MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES

If you are just too busy to do any real meal prep, another option for dinner is one of those meal delivery services. You could choose one that delivers the healthy meals ready to heat and eat or one that delivers all the ingredients in proper portions and the recipe for quick dinner with very little advanced prep needed. It may be a little more expensive than meal planning and shopping for groceries yourself, but it is worth the investment if you honestly can't find the time to meal prep.

I hope I gave you some ideas to start prepping healthy meals. Remember it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Start with breakfast, once that becomes a habit, move on to lunch. Once you decide you want to make healthier choices and do a little planning ahead, I think you will find that meal prep can become just another healthy habit in your lifestyle. 

Will you give it a try? Let me know how it goes. Have questions? I'd love to help. 

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