Hello,

I'm totally new to dieting at all, as I've never struggled with my weight. I wouldn't say I'm struggling now either, but could use some advice.

Typically, I'm around 130 pounds, but right now I'm more at 140. Fitness isn't an issue...I trained for months and completed a marathon 2 months ago (in under 5 hours, so I'm not walking) and for the past several years, I've run 2-3 half marathons a year (typically in 2 hours, a 9:15 pace, so again, not walking), with other short distances thrown in there. Through the marathon training, however, I gained close to 10 pounds! I thought running would make me smaller (well it did make my butt non-existent...)! Maybe I should also mention that up until September, I had been a vegetarian for more than a year, but with the intense training, I felt that I needed to incorporate some meat into my diet, mostly chicken and turkey. I continue to eat meat(feel it's healthier for me now) but I'm a conscious eater and care greatly where my food comes from and how it's processed. I rarely eat red meat. I should mention, that although I've gained weight, I'm still a size 4, even at 140 pounds. Saying I'm a size 4 on a weight loss forum, does make me feel ridiculous.

I haven't been running since the marathon (marathon training is hard on the body!) but I have been working out a few times a week and watching what I eat. I have tried to eat around 1400 calories a day, sometimes a bit more if I'm working out. If I'm working out at all, I cannot go below this calorie allotment, event with this, I'm hungry...I've used an online program to keep track, so I'm confident my count is accurate. The scale hasn't budged. I know it sounds ridiculous to those who have to lose more, but I'm the heaviest I've ever been and it's frustrating that the scale isn't budging.

I'm wondering if I should cut my calories to around 1200 a day and cut out exercise for a few weeks? Kind of tackle 1 thing at a time? I cannot work out and only eat 1200 calories a day, this I know. I would feel horrible. Maybe this will jump start losing?

With regards to my weight goal, I wouldn't mind getting below 130, but I don't know if that's possible for me. I'm pretty athletically built, but petite, and at 130, I don't look heavy.

Any advice from athletes who have gained and had to lose again? Or simply some advice for someone who has never tried to lose? What should I be focusing on?

Thanks

I would highly recommend going and posting this at Runners World. Gaining weight while training for a marthon is extremely common, especially if you weren't a calorie counter to begin with. You likely ate more that you thought during your training. Additionally, if you're still a size 4 it may have all been muscle.

If you really want to lose weight you need to be focusing on your diet and how many cals you are consuming. If you are still running and exercising a lot you need to get enough cals to fuel your body but stay in a deficit to lose weight. If you're still running a lot and strength training I wouldn't go down to 1200, I'd try just hanging around 1400-1600 and making sure those are quality foods. You may even need to eat more than that. I am taller than you but I run 4x a week and strength train 2xs a week and eat around 1600-1700 to lose weight.