For amateur runners, it is preferable to focus on training, recovery, and muscle strengthening rather than weight loss, as developing strength and letting the body naturally regulate its weight is more effective and healthy for making progress.

noli's read

This approach focused on strength and recovery rather than deprivation is widely validated by exercise science. A meta-analysis by Balsalobre-Fernández et al. (2016) demonstrates that muscle strengthening significantly improves running economy in long-distance runners, without requiring weight loss. Furthermore, the International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2023) warns against excessive caloric restriction, which can induce an energy deficit detrimental to health and overall performance. Observational studies on intuitive eating also confirm that listening to hunger cues promotes a stable weight and a healthy relationship with food. However, research in biomechanics slightly nuances this point by noting that the fat mass to lean mass ratio remains a factor in mechanical running economy, showing that body composition matters, even if gross weight on the scale is a misleading indicator.

the sources

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