Weight Loss Whilst Training

Whether your goal is better health, fitness, or reaching an optimal race weight, proper fueling is essential. Without enough nutrients, you risk illness, injury, and lost training time—and your performance will suffer.

Focus on Body Composition

• Think beyond the scale: Body composition reflects the proportion of fat, muscle, bone, and water. Improving composition matters more than just losing weight.

• Muscle vs. fat: Muscle is denser than fat. You may gain muscle and improve your performance without significant weight loss.

• Metabolism boost: More muscle increases your basal metabolic rate—calories burned at rest.

• Optimal weight is individual: Factors like genetics, age, gender, and sport influence your ideal body fat percentage. BMI charts aren’t useful for athletes.

Fuel Your Training

• Don’t under-eat: You must fuel adequately to train effectively. Calorie deficits while maintaining high training loads are not recommended.

• Professional guidance: Coaches can provide general nutrition advice, but a sports nutritionist is best for personalized meal plans.

Smart Weight Management

Focus on diet quality rather than restricting calories. Small changes can support weight loss while keeping energy levels high:

• Increase fiber with fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes.

• Avoid processed, refined, and calorie-dense foods.

• Hydrate properly, including electrolytes.

• Limit excessive meat and dairy.

• Time your meals to fuel your day and reduce evening intake.

Tip: Aim for gradual weight loss of 1–2 pounds per week for sustainable results.

Key Takeaways

• Prioritize nutrient-dense foods instead of strict dieting.

• Gradual changes lead to long-term, sustainable results.

• Fueling well supports both performance and healthy weight management.

For further exploration of this subject, consider referring to the book 'How Not To Diet', which provides an evidence-based analysis.

You can also find other relevant nutrition information in the MyProCoach help articles.

Nutrition in Training

What Nutrition Guidance Do You Offer?

How Much Should I Eat When Training? 

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