Weight Loss

by Mariah G.
(Colorado)

I've hit a major plateau within my season. I'm starting to improve but I really want to drop some weight because I think it would be healthier. I'm running around 24 minutes now - and want to get under 23.

I weigh 135 lbs currently and am 5'5. How can I lose weight while training - it's never made me lose weight before?

Answer by Dominique:
Hi Mariah,
Thanks for your question about your running training and weight loss.

I think your weight is quite normal. If you want to lose some weight and you have never lost weight before while training, you may have to shake things up a bit. If you keep doing what you are doing, you are going to keep on getting what you get now.

The best ways to combine your running and weight loss is to regularly exercise and have some running days in which you do some intense running (intervals, tempo runs) and some running days where you go long and slow. You can see more about this on my page about running for weight loss.

Another idea is to critically look at how your diet is composed. My wife has got the same issue like you (it seems): exercises regularly but can't change her weight. She changed her diet six days ago to a diet that has about the same calories, but contains way more protein and way less carbs than she used to take in.

The composition is now about forty percent carbs, forty percent protein, twenty percent fat.
She hasn't really been hungry this week, but after one week she has lost 1.5 kgs (think thats about 3 pounds in US weight)).

Do a Google search for CSIRO total wellbeing diet and you will find some more info about this one.

Hope this gives you some new ideas and inspiration.
Best of luck.
Kind regards,
Dominique