Can I do a low carb diet to lose weight while running 20 to 30 miles a week?
I have been running, eating a healthy diet and drinking lots of water for over a month now and a I havent lost a pound. I have lost weight doing low carb before but I want to have the energy to train for a half marathon at the same time. Is it healthy to do low carb and distance running together?
November 13th, 2010 at 8:22 am
It depends on how hard you’re training. I wouldn’t go low carb though with a high energy workout like running. You can get great energy from fruit, which is also high in carbs but great for you. If you wanna lose weight though I’d suggest cross-training with swimming or biking a couple times a week. Running doesn’t burn nearly as many calories as it should for all of the effort involved.
November 13th, 2010 at 8:22 am
u need the carbs for the energy to run that much. if you havent lost weight and you run 20-30 miles a week i suggest you do some other work out, or you are at a good weight level already. consult a doctor or dietician.
November 13th, 2010 at 8:37 am
Seriously, if you are running that many miles a week and not dropping weight see a doctor. That is a lot of cardio not to have any impact on your weight after one month.
November 13th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Twenty to thirty miles a week isn’t a lot of miles to be losing weight. Depending on your weight, you burn approximately 100 calories at 150 lbs per mile. So you burn less than 100 per mile if you weight less, and more than if you weight more. When you look at the overall aspects of running, you see that you would only be burning between 2000-3000 calories per week. One pound is 3500 calories, so you can see what I am getting at.
What you have to do is to watch EVERYTHING that you eat. The truth is, if you are running a half, you have to have carbs. It is possible to do so, but it’s a bit harder than you’d imagine, because you basically need to train your body to be able to burn fat after you burn the carbs in your muscles. Fat does not produce the energy as well as carbs as you probably know.
As mentioned, you have to eat better carbs. Fruit and vegetables are obviously good choices for good carbs. Eat whole wheats instead of white. Being selective as to what you put into your body is the largest part.
I just ran my first marathon in April. So for 18 weeks, I ran a lot. I peaked at 40 miles at week 15. The funny thing is, I never lost a pound. Why? I didn’t watch what I ate. I saw carbs as being my best friend, and in the end I never lost a pound.
Just watch what you put in. Get healthy carbs. Don’t eat a lot of carbs late at night.
November 13th, 2010 at 9:40 am
If you are running especially, don’t go on a low-carb diet. Many people make the mistake of going on low-carb diets when what really matters is low-calorie diets. You can still have carbs…just make sure they’re healthy carbs, like an apple or other fruit & vegetables. Low carb and distance running don’t exactly go hand in hand, so I would just make sure to eat low-fat, low in sugar, and low in calorie foods. Good luck!
November 13th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I’m going to go against the popular answer here on this one.
I was on a low-carb diet while training for a half marathon. I lost a ton of weight, smashed my personal best time, and felt fantastic.
I then went on to train for a full marathon and on the advice of the “experts” added healthy carbs back into my diet. I never felt great while training and can honestly say I had more energy while I was low-carbing it.
I have since gone on to compete in Ironman triathlons and other long distance events. I have tried it both ways. For me, low-carbing worked well and I always felt good. Ask other low-carbers for their advice on this. Those who have never tried low-carb will always slam it because it doesn’t fit their conventions.
Honestly, I think everyone is different. I know I felt great while running more than 30 miles a week on a low-carb diet. I felt my energy levels were easy to keep constant and I always performed well. Others swear by eating more carbs and that’s great for them. Give it a shot, measure your progress and decide on your own terms. Good luck!