You Won’t Lose Weight from Running If You Are Skipping These Steps

You’ve probably heard how running a marathon can help speed up weight loss, and you want to try it out. Perhaps, it worked for a friend, and you think it will work for you too.

Well, this is where most people get it wrong. Marathoning is no joke. Sure, I did a half-marathon during my weight loss journey, but it took a toll on me few months later.

I didn’t know how to fuel myself properly. I was 6 miles in when my body felt spent, yet I still had another 7 miles ahead of me. That’s when my mental strength fell apart. The distance to the finish line felt like it was ten years away.

I became edgy- checking my watch every minute, and I doubted my chances of finishing the race. Coupled with the fact that I wasn’t eating nearly enough calories before I entered the race, and by the 10th mile, my eyes started shutting down.

I could barely see the tracks ahead. I was almost crawling my way to the finish line and hated running at that moment.

I wish I knew what I am about to share with you now when I did my first half-marathon. It would have saved me from hitting a plateau and regaining weight after I reached my goal of losing 40 pounds.

If you are planning on signing up for your first marathon, this article will help you avoid making some of my mistakes and aid your smooth running.

Start building momentum with a small race

The most important step you can take when prepping for your first marathon is to ensure your body can tackle the distance.

It is best to start with 5 kilometers, 10 kilometers, and then half marathons to prepare you physically and mentally for longer distances.

Putting in time on your feet will help you build that base that you need to continue tacking on more and more mileage.

Another good test is to make sure you can run comfortably for an hour. This will make marathon training way less harrowing; you’ve built up a baseline level of endurance and speed, and your body will already be used to the increased weekly mileage, sore limbs, and often insatiable appetite.

Boost your inner mental power

Most runners often forget the psychological part of training. But you have to think of your mind as a muscle.

Just as you need to build strength in your hamstrings, calves, and core, you also need to train your mind to prepare for the challenges and discomfort you will face.

Self-confidence is an aspect of feeling mentally healthy. Getting comfortable in smaller races will make you more confident as you compete in the race.

Check your body energy

Before you begin your race, check your weight before and after a run to make sure you haven’t lost more than 2% body fat. Some runners feel dizzy or nauseous when they run on an empty stomach.

Your body needs stored energy if you are going to complete the race. To fill your body with energy, you can eat a light meal high in carbs 30 minutes before your morning workout.

During your run, you’ll need to eat gels or chews packed with a mix of slow-burning and fast-burning carbs so you can get a quick boost of energy and replenish your carb supply needed later.

It’s also important to check your urine to assess your hydration status. You can tell if you are dehydrated by the color of your urine, usually dark yellow.

Tip: Drink two 8-ounce glasses of water or energy drink two hours before the run starts so that the fluids are absorbed into your system.

Give your body enough dose of post-run time to recover

During your rest days, try to get plenty of rest and sleep. Eat well-balanced meals. Allow your muscles to recover from the workouts to prevent mental fatigue.

Injury is the greatest enemy of any marathon runner, and the best defense against injury is rest and recovery.

You may want to reduce your total mileage by 50% in the two or three weeks before the full marathon to get your body back on track before the event.

Similar to the concept behind taking rest days, lowering the mileage and difficulty of your runs can help your body feel capable of peak performance on race day.

Consider eating a post-run snack of carbohydrates and protein within 40 minutes of your run to help your body rebuild its muscles.

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About author

Jessey Anthony is a motivational speaker, fitness coach and relationship expert who helps people become confident in themselves in any challenges they face in life. Sign up to my newsletter & more cool stuff.

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