375: Stop Dieting: Why “Eat Less, Move More” is Horrible Advice for Runners

Stop Dieting: Why “Eat Less, Move More” is Horrible Advice for Runners

We've all heard the advice "Eat Less, Move More" if you want to lose weight.  Turns out, this is terrible advice for runners. It can lead so many runners to underfueling and be counterproductive to the results that you're looking for. Runners need to understand how to properly fuel their bodies to enhance performance and overall health, especially as they age. Let's explore why this advice is flawed and provide better strategies for fueling your runs.

Why "Eat Less, Move More" Falls Short for Runners

The common advice to "Eat Less, Move More" seems logical on the surface—it suggests that eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity will lead to weight loss and improved health. However, this blanket statement is highly misleading for runners. Here's why:

Fueling Your Body is Crucial

Runners are not like the general population. Unlike sedentary individuals, runners have higher energy demands due to their active lifestyle. Therefore, the simplistic approach of eating less fails to meet the energy requirements of runners. This mismatch can lead to fatigue, decreased performance, and potential injuries.

The Fallacy of Calorie Restriction

Many runners mistakenly think that restricting calories will help them lose weight and improve performance. However, calorie restriction can lead to low energy availability (LEA) and even relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). These conditions can cause a cascade of negative effects including hormonal imbalances, decreased bone density, and loss of muscle mass.

Understanding Metabolism

To properly fuel your body, it’s essential to understand metabolism. Metabolism is your daily energy expenditure, which consists of three main components:

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The energy your body needs to maintain vital functions such as brain activity, heart function, and breathing.
2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The energy required to digest and process food.
3. Activity: The energy expended through physical activity, including exercise and daily movements.

When you don't consume enough calories to meet these demands, your body compensates by slowing down your metabolism, leading to energy conservation and fat storage.

Consequences of Under-fueling

Under-fueling can place your body in a stressed state, elevating cortisol (stress hormone) levels and disrupting other hormone levels (like ghrelin, leptin, and HGH), resulting in increased fat storage, particularly around the belly. Additionally, persistent under-fueling can lead to:

• Decreased performance and strength
• Elevated heart rate during exercise
• Increased likelihood of stress fractures
• Weakened immune system
• GI issues and insomnia

Popular Diets and Their Pitfalls

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) involves restricting eating to specific windows of time. Proponents for IF report that it helps improve insulin sensitivity, decrease blood sugar, improve cell autophagy, and improve overall metabolic health.  While it shows some of these benefits for sedentary, obese individuals or those with type 2 diabetes, it does not have the same effect for active people and can impair performance. Female athletes, in particular, may not experience the same benefits as males and might struggle with hormonal imbalances and increased appetite.  We get all of those benefits from exercise alone, and adding IF to the picture seems to reduce those benefits, not improve them.

Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet (keto) severely limits carbohydrate intake, which is critical for runners as carbs kickstart fat burning. Research shows that keto can result in increased muscle fatigue, decreased bone remodeling, and elevated cortisol levels. Women on keto diets may experience heightened muscle fatigue, bone issues, and fat storage due to elevated stress levels.

The Right Approach to Nutrition for Runners

Fueling for Performance

Instead of focusing on restricting calories, runners should prioritize fueling their bodies to meet their energy demands. This involves ensuring that your calorie intake matches your physical activity levels, particularly on days of intense training.

Add, Don’t Restrict

Rather than cutting out foods, focus on adding nutrient-dense options to your diet. Incorporate more protein, fruits, and vegetables into your meals. This helps meet your nutritional needs and reduces cravings for less nutritious options. Incorporate carbohydrates, especially before, during, and after your training.

Importance of Nutrient Timing

Eating before, during, and after exercise is crucial. Ensuring you have sufficient energy available during and immediately after workouts helps maintain performance and aids in recovery. Avoid fasted training as it can increase stress and negatively impact hormonal balance.

It’s time to move away from the detrimental mindset of "Eat Less, Move More" and embrace a more intelligent approach to fueling your body. Proper nutrition tailored to your activity level and personal needs is essential for sustaining performance and overall health.

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