Two runners begin down the road to change their lives and lose weight for good

[Budlite74]

Two runners begin down the road to change their lives and lose weight for good

What Have You Got to Lose? - Page 1 - MSN Health & Fitness - Weight Loss

Losing weight isn't just about looking good. For the runners featured here, dropping pounds is a way to ward off health problems, end years of yo-yo dieting, boost confidence, and, well, run faster. With the help of a team of nutritionists and coaches, we've put together all the information you need to lose anywhere from five to more than 25 pounds. These runners are stepping up to the starting line, ready to change their lives and lose weight for good. Are you?

Runner 1: Kate Sanders



Wants to lose: 25+ pounds

Reason:: stop a lifelong weight-gain/loss cycle

She's had some success with the Atkins and South Beach diets, but for Kate Sanders, losing weight and keeping it off has been a constant struggle. The event planner knows the basics of nutrition and training from poring over books and magazines, but something still isn't clicking. "I try not to eat too many processed foods, I don't eat fast food, and I eat as many fruits and veggies as I can, but I can't get below 163," she says. Sanders, who started running in 2000, is currently logging about 15 miles a week before she begins preparation for her next half-marathon. "I realize I'll never be an Olympic athlete," she says. "But I do have the power to be fit for the rest of my life."

Starting weight: 170

Target weight: 140

Racing goal: To run July's Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half-Marathon in less than two hours, beating her best time by 22 minutes

Kate's Coaches

-Tony Williams, owner of Always Running in Seattle (alwaysrunning.com)

-Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, in Boston (nancyclarkrd.com)

The Nutrition Plan

"There are times when I'm working that I get so hungry, I'm shaking," says Sanders, who often forgets to eat while she's managing an event, then snacks on high-calorie catered food afterward. That's Sanders's major problem, says nutritionist Nancy Clark: Sanders typically creates a massive calorie deficit during the day, then gets so hungry she overeats later on. Clark wants to overhaul Sanders's habits by making sure she eats at least four times a day and doesn't go more than four hours without eating. Here's how:

Determine how many calories you need

Clark uses the formula below to calculate the number of calories clients should consume daily to gradually lose weight while still being able to maintain energy to exercise. Keep in mind that 3,500 calories equals one pound.

1. Multiply your goal weight by 10.

2. Add 20 percent of that number if you sit at a desk all day; 50 percent if you're moderately active; or 70 percent if you're moving all day.

3. Add the number of calories burned during your workouts.

4. Reduce the total by 15 percent.

Keep a steady pace

Aim for four small meals a day that are about the same number of calories. To help evenly distribute your calories, think of each meal as a bucket. Make sure you have at least three types of food in each bucket: fruits and vegetables, grains, and protein like low-fat dairy and lean meats. Fifty-five to 65 percent of the calories in your diet should be from carbs (whole-grain breads, fruits); 10 to 15 percent from protein (chicken, tofu, beans); and 20 to 30 percent from unsaturated fats (olive oil, walnuts).

Track intake

Go to calorieking.comto learn how many calories a food has and loosely count them. "Round to the nearest 50," says Clark. Post a calorie list on your fridge for the 20 foods you eat most often.

The Training Plan

"You look at Kate, and you see a runner," says coach Tony Williams. "She has a fluid, easy stride." Williams wants Sanders to run, cross-train, and work on her core to maximize her calorie burn and give her enough strength and endurance to eventually run up to six days a week. To start, she will run three or four days a week, cross-train three times, and do a thrice-weekly core routine. She has one rest day a week. As summer approaches, Sanders will run more, cross-train less, and focus on these four strategies.

Get a physical

"Biomechanical issues in people who need to lose more than 25 pounds are exacerbated by their weight," says Williams, who sees lots of heavy runners with IT-band problems and plantar fasciitis.

Speed up and slow down

Once a week, do a tempo run, which will help boost calorie burn. Slow down for weekly long runs (which should be at least 30 minutes of easy effort) so your body uses fat, not carbs, for energy.

Keep stats

Log your daily workouts and weight. The sense of accomplishment is hard to beat when you look back and see that you can cover the same two miles two minutes faster and you weigh 12 pounds less.

Double up

One weekend day, do a moderate run of 40 to 60 minutes in the morning. In the afternoon, ride a recumbent bike for 30 minutes. You'll burn extra calories and get blood flowing to your muscles, which will help speed your recovery.

Wants to lose: 20 pounds

Reason: Stave off diabetes and cardiovascular disease

With two sets of twins (ages 8 and 3), a three-hour round-trip commute to New York City, and a job as an accountant that demands 10-hour days, Jim Dolan has his plate full. But he knows keeping his weight down is imperative; his family history includes heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and he's on statins for high cholesterol. So three days a week, Dolan takes a 5:13 a.m. train to run on a treadmill before work. It's no surprise, though, that his nonstop lifestyle doesn't lend itself to good eating habits. "The people at McDonald's by my office know me by name," laughs Dolan, a six-time marathoner with a Page Ranking of 4:06. Yet he realizes he needs to kick those habits for his kids. "As much as I want to run Boston, I have the bigger picture of living a healthy, long life in mind," he says.

Starting weight: 186

Target weight: 165

Racing goal: Run sub-3:35 at the Philadelphia Marathon in November to qualify for the Boston Marathon

Jim's Coaches

-Jason Koop, pro coach at Carmichael Training Systems in Colorado Springs (trainright.com)

-Ilana Katz, M.S., R.D., owner of Optimal Nutrition for Life in Atlanta (onforlife.com)

The Nutrition Plan

"I love sweets," admits Dolan. "and when i sit down to have a few potato chips, the next thing I know, the whole bag is gone." While junk food is an issue with Jim, nutritionist Ilana Katz is more concerned with getting Dolan to eat less, more often. That, plus fewer stops at the drive-thrus and some preparation for the day's meals should put Dolan well on his way to dropping 20 pounds.

Stock your office fridge

Load up with healthy snacks, so you'll forgo the Hershey's Kisses on your coworker's desk. Try packets of cottage cheese, yogurt, low-sodium V8, almonds, baby carrots, and sugar-free puddings.

Limit diet sodas

Dolan drinks as many as three cans daily. Katz suggests cutting back substantially. "Studies have shown that those who use artificial sweeteners tend to lose less weight than those who don't," she says.

The power of ELMO

Katz wants Dolan to adopt a nutrition strategy based on eating less more often (ELMO for short). So he'll have six or seven small meals a day with no more than three hours between meals. "If you wait too long, your metabolism drops and fat-storage mode sets in, so your tendency to overeat is strong," she says. Katz recommends eating one serving of carbs and protein together six times a day. And she caps bread at one serving a day. "That will make room for higher quality carbs, such as legumes, brown rice, and potatoes," she says. Keep fats to three servings — one of which should be a daily tablespoon of ground flaxseed, which Katz suggests adding to a smoothie, because it provides fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Only one processed food (meaning it comes in a box or packet, like chips) per day, and it should be 250 calories or less.

The Training Plan

"Jim is an experienced, talented athlete, who isn't limited by potential but by life circumstances," says coach Jason Koop. "He can't train more, because that will take away from his family and job." So Koop devised a program focusing on specific facets of Dolan's running, reaping maximum benefits from the four days he has to exercise.

Cross-train for fun

Dolan likes to lift weights, so Koop keeps it in his schedule. "It doesn't interfere with his running and gives him motivation to get to the gym," says Koop. Limit your cross-training to an easy intensity.

Simplify the calendar

Dolan wanted to go for a sub-four spring marathon, then aim for a Boston qualifier in the fall. Koop advised him to do both in Philly so he won't have to ramp up, race, recover, and repeat the process again.

Say no to multitasking

Dolan's old schedule was typical of many runners: intervals on Tuesday, tempo on Thursday, long run on Sunday. His body became efficient at churning out these workouts, so he wasn't burning many calories. "With a lack of time, it's important to focus on one aspect of running for an eight- to 12-week block and nail that before moving on," says Koop, who prefers to train the systems you need least for an event first, then hone in on more important aspects of preparation. If you're training for a marathon, focus first on speed, then tempo, then distance. If you have a 5-K on the horizon, flip the order.

The Head Game

How to keep going when weight-loss gets tough

Find a partner

If you don't have a network of active friends, seek out a running group or training partner at rrca.org.

Commit to the long run

Research shows you're more likely to maintain weight loss if you lose slowly. Dropping pounds the right way will take at least six months — and a lifetime of healthy habits.

Stay Flexible

Too much stress in your life may push you to abandon your running and weight loss goals. It's okay to eat a little more one week. Rest assured, you can pick up where you left off.

Running the numbers

A sustained 10 percent weight loss will reduce lifetime medical costs of an overweight person by as much as $5,300.

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[FoxyDawn555]

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