10 Strategies of Runners Who Lose Weight and Keep it Off

Running is definitely a powerful strategy to lose weight and keep it off, but you can’t rely on running alone to drop pounds or stay at your ideal weight by just running.

Runners who lose weight and maintain the weight loss make sure that they run on a consistent basis, but they also stick to some other tried-and-true strategies. Here are some exercise and eating tips for healthy weight loss and maintenance.

Strategy #1:  Do regular strength training.

The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn, even while resting. A pound of lean body mass burns 30 to 50 calories a day. And you don’t need to lift every day or use heavy weights to make a difference. Even doing resistance or weight training just twice a week will lead to results. And, ladies, don’t worry—regular strength training will make you look toned, not bulked-up.

Here are some ways to incorporate strength training into your routine:

• Take a class. Look for a total body conditioning strengthening or boot camp-style class at your gym or local YMCA. If you’ve never taken a class like that before, don’t be intimidated – they’re usually beginner-friendly and not too complicated.

• If you hate the gym, you can do bodyweight exercises such as lunges, squats, and planks at home or follow a routine on-line such as the Iron Strength workout.

• Don’t get discouraged. If you’re running and strength-training, you may not lose weight at first because you’re adding muscle. But you will lose inches because muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Make sure you’re tracking your measurements so you can notice and celebrate your progress.

Strategy #2:  Spread out your calories.

Runners who lose weight and keep it off typically eat several small meals and snacks throughout the day than to eat a huge breakfast, lunch, and dinner. By eating every three to four hours, you’ll help stabilize your blood sugar, fight off hunger pangs, and prevent yourself from binging in between meals and overeating when you sit down for a meal.

Eating mini meals will also help maintain your energy levels throughout the day, so you’re more likely to have more energy and be motivated to exercise.

Here are some smart snacking ideas:

• Keep healthy foods in your purse, briefcase, or desk. Dried fruit and nuts, oatmeal or low-fat granola bars are easy to stash and are perfect pick-me-ups when mid-morning hunger strikes.

• If you have a tendency to overeat when it comes to snacks, keep a convenient supply of snack-sized items. There are lots of 100-calorie snack packs of pretzels, crackers, and nuts available. Use them to satisfy your mid-morning or mid-afternoon munchies.

• Make homemade trail mix using unsalted, unsweetened nuts and dried fruits. Use it as a go-to snack for your mid-morning or mid-afternoon slump. 

• Get more on-the-go snack ideas.

Strategy #3:  Watch your portion sizes.

Don’t give into the misconception that you can eat whatever want in copious amounts, especially on days when you run long. Runners who lose weight and maintain their weight know that running doesn’t give them a license to eat whatever they want, whenever they want. They know that they need to watch their portion sizes, no matter what they’re eating and regardless of how much they’ve been running.

Here’s how to make sure your portions don’t get out of control:

• Eat slowly and stop eating before you get too full. Some people eat so quickly that they eat way past the point of feeling satisfied and take in too many unnecessary calories. Chew slowly – you’ll enjoy your food more and eat less.

• Order an appetizer portion or take half of your meal home when dining out, since typical restaurant portions are enormous.

• Get familiar with standard portion sizes, since many are actually smaller than you may think. For instance, one serving size of pasta or rice is about the size of a tennis ball. Three ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.

• Eat your fruits and veggies first. They’re low in calories and they’ll fill you up, so you’ll be less tempted to eat more of the higher-calorie foods.

• Eliminate distractions while you’re eating. You’re more likely to overeat if you’re doing something else and not paying attention to what or how much you’re eating. Don’t eat in front of the TV or the computer.

• Use smaller plates or try putting smaller amounts of food on your plate. If you put more food in front of you, you’ll eat it because it’s there.

Strategy #4: Don’t use food as a reward.

Many people overeat or eat the wrong kinds of foods when they’re bored, stressed, or want to reward themselves. But runners who lose weight and keep it off have learned that they shouldn’t use food as a reward or to make themselves feel better.

Of course, rewarding yourself for regular exercise is a great strategy to help establish a healthy habit and stay motivated. However, there are many non-food rewards, such as running gear, a relaxing sports massage, or pedicure, that you can use to celebrate a running achievement. Non-food rewards have a more lasting positive effect than food rewards because you won’t have those feelings of guilt after you’ve indulged.

Here are some ways you can avoid using food as a reward:

• Make a list of non-food treats that you’d like, so you can refer it to when you’re ready to reward yourself for reaching a goal.

• When you find yourself heading to the fridge or the pantry, ask yourself why you’re eating. Is it because you think you “earned it”?  Or are you actually hungry? If it’s not because you’re hungry, try drinking a glass of water or doing another activity.

• Keep a food diary and track everything you put in your mouth. Once you start recording all your foods, you’ll think more about what you’re eating and why you’re eating it. Many runners track their foods in their training journals, so they have a record of their workouts and their foods in the same place.

Strategy #5: Make running a priority.

Runners who lose weight or maintain their weight make sure they run regularly – at least 3 or 4 times a week. They schedule runs into their week and make sure that they don’t give into the typical excuses and blow off their runs.

Runners who maintain a running habit put themselves first and know that running is important to their physical and mental health, so they make sure they find time to run. They know that there may be times when their motivation is lacking, but they have plenty of motivation strategies to push them through rough patches.

If you’re trying to run to lose weight, here’s how to make running a priority in your life:

• Schedule your runs.  At the start of a week, take a look at your schedule and book your runs as if they were appointments you need to keep. Having a run on the calendar will make you much more likely to get it much.

• Run in the morning. Morning runners are more consistent than those who run at other times of the day. When you run first thing in the morning, you won’t have to worry about forgoing your run because something else pops up or you’re too exhausted to run later in the day.

• Run with others. You’re more likely to stick with running if you’re getting social benefits from it. Find a local running club or recruit some friends or co-workers to run with you.

• Get some help. If you have kids and have little time to run, schedule your runs and get your spouse on board so you get help with some of the child-care responsibilities. Join a gym with childcare so you can work out while your kids have fun.

• Turn off the television. You can fit in a run just by giving up one 30-minute show. If you really can’t miss your shows, run on a treadmill while you watch them.

Related: Does Running Burn Belly Fat?

Strategy #6: Fill up with fiber.

Runners who lose weight and keep it off eat plenty of fiber, an essential part of any healthy diet. By eating lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grain foods, they fill up and feel less hungry throughout the day, without taking in tons of calories.

High-fiber foods are usually not very calorie-dense, so you get fewer calories for the same volume of food. They also involve more chewing, so your body has time to recognize you’re no longer hungry.

Here are some ways to add more fiber to your diet:

• Use whole-grain bread for sandwiches and add lots of vegetable fixings — lettuce, tomatoes, thinly-sliced cucumbers, and sprouts — for more fiber and nutrients.

• Toss some berries on top of your whole-grain cereal or on your yogurt.

• Keep cleaned baby carrots, celery sticks, and other vegetables in your refrigerator so you can grab them when you want a quick snack. If you’re bored with plain veggies, have them with some low-fat dressing or hummus.

• Eat whole fruit instead of drinking fruit juices. Even 100% fruit juices have little or no dietary fiber, whereas whole fruit is a good source of fiber.

• Choose a high-fiber cereal. Look for cereals with “bran” or “fiber” in the name. If you don’t want to give up your favorite cereal, add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to it.

• Add beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, baked tortilla chips and salsa.

• Keep a bowl of fruit on your kitchen table or desk to encourage you to eat fruit rather than running to the pantry or vending machine.

Strategy #7: Eat a healthy, filling breakfast.

Many people who don’t eat breakfast just don’t have time or they think that skipping a meal with help with their weight loss efforts. But this strategy can actually backfire because if you wait too long to eat, your body assumes you’re fasting and responds by slowing your metabolism.

In reality, you’re not going to lose weight any faster if you skip breakfast. In fact, it will probably just make you hungrier, which increases your temptation to overeat. A filling, healthy breakfast gets you fueled for the day and helps prevent you from binging.

In addition, you have a greater chance of burning off breakfast calories since you’re consuming them early in the day. A proper breakfast will also help you burn more calories during your runs because you’ll be properly fueled and have a more effective run.

Here are some quick and healthy breakfast ideas:

• Scoop 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese into a cantaloupe or honeydew half.

• Yogurt is the perfect on-the-go breakfast. Top with granola or chopped nuts for added crunch and nutrition.

• Look for cereal/energy bars that have at least 3 to 5 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein. KIND, Clif, Kashi GoLean, and TruSoy are all good options. Pair it with a banana for a quick but healthy on-the-go breakfast.

• Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on toast, bagels, or English muffins. Top with banana slices.

• Fix a quick breakfast smoothie. Blend 1/2 cup each of plain low-fat yogurt and orange juice with 1/2 banana and some frozen berries.

• Top a bagel with non-fat cream cheese and thin apple or pear slices.

Strategy #8:  Avoid nighttime eating.

Snacking late at night can sabotage your healthy eating plans, but runners who lose weight and keep it off have learned how to put the the brakes on the late-night munchies.

Here are some strategies for getting your nocturnal eating habits under control:

• Have a cup of tea. Get in the habit of enjoying a cup of decaffeinated tea at night. Sip it slowly to keep your hands busy.

• Distract yourself. Most cravings last about 10 minutes so, if you can distract yourself for that amount of time, you can avoid giving into it. When you notice a nighttime craving, do some squats and lunges, give yourself a manicure, take the dog for a walk, make a phone call, or do a chore, like ironing. Before you know it, you’re in the middle of something, and your night craving has passed.

• Brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth is a signal to yourself that eating and drinking is done for the day. When your mouth is minty-fresh, you’ll probably want to keep it that way and be less likely to raid the pantry or fridge.

• Go to bed earlier. If you’re tired, you’ll find yourself feeling hungry and craving carbs and sugar. It’s also harder to fight cravings when you’re exhausted. Make sure you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night (see strategy below).  

Strategy #9: Get enough sleep.

Although it’s sometimes overlooked as a critical aspect of weight loss, proper sleep can help lose weight and keep it off. Sleep is especially important to athletes because of the demands that they put on their bodies.

In addition, lack of sleep can lead to more unhealthy habits. When you’re tired, you’re more likely to get stressed and give into temptation to eat unhealthy foods. You also may not have the energy to exercise and prepare healthy meals.

Try these tips to improve your sleep habits:

• Aim for 7-8 quality hours of sleep a night — the right amount for most adults. If that is very far off from your current amount of sleep, try to increase your sleep time in small increments, like 5 to 10 minutes each week.

• Make sure your bedroom is sleep-inducing. Replace your mattress, pillows, sheets, and blankets if they’re not comfortable. Use blackout shades to keep the room as dark as possible.

• Avoid caffeine after 2:00 p.m., so there’s time for the effects to wear off. Stay hydrated with water instead of having coffee, tea or soda in the afternoon.

• While you shouldn’t go to bed hungry, try to avoid eating a big meal right before bedtime. A full belly can keep you awake. Finish eating 2 to 3 hours before you hit the hay.

• Establish a relaxing, soothing bedtime routine, such as soaking in a warm bath and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.

• Try not to run or do other exercise too close to bedtime. Although regular exercise does help you sleep better, it’s ideal to complete your workouts a couple of hours before you go to bed.

Strategy #10:  Add more movement to your day.

Runners who maintain their weight know that all activity, not just running, is important to overall health. Any extra movement will help you burn more calories and keep you motivated to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits.

Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day, even on days when you’re not going for a run or hitting the gym. Using a fitness tracker or app may boost your motivation to move more throughout the day.

Here are some ways you can add more movement to your day:

• Make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator.

• Park at the far end of the lot when shopping.

• Do squats or lunges in the kitchen as you’re cooking.

• Get a fitness tracker so you’re more motivated to add more steps each day.

• Take the dog for a longer walk than you usually do.

• If you sit in front of a computer all day, get up periodically to do some stretches or exercises.

More Weight Loss Advice for Runners

• How to Start Running When Overweight
• How Runners Can Break a Weight Loss Plateau
• How to Burn More Calories Running

About the author: Christine Luff is a certified RRCA running coach, and certified as a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and a weight management specialist by the American Council on Exercise. Her book, Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, is available on Amazon.