Former d1 miler, how do I lose 20 pounds?

Try a partial keto diet. Eating certain foods in certain ratios stimulates body to metabolize fats along with sugars.

Look up some information about Weight Watchers Point System. The "point" of the Point System is to teach you to eat low sugar/higher Protein Foods by assigning lower point values to those foods. Many foods have zero points.

Although Weight Watchers has a stigma that it is for women, it is actually the perfect system for men because men get a lot more points per day so it is pretty easy not to go hungry. If you are running 35 miles a week or more, you could lose the excess 20 in 2 or 3 months.

1. Statistically speaking, almost no one loses a significant amount weight and keeps it off long-term. The odds are like 1/500 that you'll be able to lose 20 lbs and keep it off for years. This means you need to realistic and not to lose 20 lbs. Focus on getting healthier and fitter and the weight will be what it is. You can't turn back time and the body likes to keep weight on that it has gained. Be kind to your new body!

2. Focus on intuitive eating. Everyone on here talks about counting calories but I personally think that is unsustainable and tedious. Focus on foods that are satiating and make you feel good. You are almost certainly going to have re-learn your hunger cues...it will take some time. The Satiety index is worth glancing at...some food will make you more satieted than others. Try to eat some of those foods and have less junk food

3. Don't have an all or nothing attitude about your diet. Some days you'll eat terribly and some days you won't. Just because you had two donuts for breakfast doesn't mean you should just throw in the towel for the day and eat whatever you want.

4. Don't exercise while hungry. I've found it really hard to control my hunger if i workout hungry. Eating a granola bar right before you go out and fueling during workouts can make it easier to not come home starving and eat an entire frozen pizza.

5. Spend more on food. Satiating foods are a bit more expensive. It's just the way it is.

6. When you are hungry, eat a full meal! IMO it's better to eat until you are full at meals because it makes it easier to avoid snacking too much throughout the day.

7. Don't call yourself a fat pig. Most of America would kill to be just 20 lbs overweight. Be kind again.

You will find it easier than the average person to shed that weight but you will have to be patient and perhaps accept that the last 5 pounds may be a long time coming. I gained the same amount of weight after a bad injury and couldn't get my training above more than a few miles a week because of the excess weight (I also have mild arthritis). So I took a different approach and started losing the weight first. The key for me was light breakfast, exact same mid-sized lunch every day (a large chicken salad, without dressing in the first few months, later with the dressing), and early normal to large-sized dinner with no snacks beforehand and no dessert after. I completely cut out alcohol too in the early months. I was very hungry for the 1.5 hours before dinner, but I found that if I just stuck this part out, the rest was easy and I lost weight steadily. This made it easier to train. Once I was back to 55 miles a week, I eased up on the diet a little and gradually lost the remaining weight. Total time: 6 months, with about 2/3 of the weight loss in the first 3 months.

For me, it was not hard to commit because it was basically diet, or never run again. Really committing is the hard part here.

Good luck!

You cut out soda and make food one decision at a time. Instead of eating what and when you want......you say "will this food help me or hurt me." Every single time. So far I have lost 26 pounds in 4 months. Also, eat vegis at least once a day.

Understand that calories in calories out does not account for which foods spike your blood sugar. For one man rice is fine but potatoes spike the blood sugar. For another man its opposite.

I don't think 20 pounds is a huge amount. I started college weighing 110 (5'5 female scrawny high school body) and I graduated weighing 130. In between that time, I quit xc and track, drank a lot (as many college students do), and ate whatever I felt like it. Fast forward to now (14 years later) and I'm a healthy 115. I've been this weight for 8 years (outside of two pregnancies) because I exercise, drink in moderation, and eat relatively healthy (meaning I only eat out once/week, cook mostly healthy meals, and limit unhealthy snacking). So for me, it took exercise (running specifically) and drinking/ eating crap food far less.

When I first started running again (after taking a bunch of years off), it was discouraging and hard. My pace was nowhere near where it used to be and it was hard to finish even 3 miles. I stuck with it and the pounds started dropping a month or so later. It probably took 9 months to lose 15 pounds.

Now, at 35, I'm faster, healthier, and fitter than I ever was. YOU CAN DO IT!

Respectfully, you sound like a member of the Chair Force. War? and you gained 20 with limited walking/rucking/lifting opportunities?

Get out of here with War. Guys that actually see combat or work on the ground with civilians went to war. Being stationed in South Korea eating sushi and fast food doesn't count.

I would be cautious with any of the specific diet/calorie plans suggested here. It sucks to say this but losing weight is highly individual. The basic principals apply but it really depends on what foods cause inflammation, blood sugar spikes and cravings for you personally. You could get food allergy panels done or you could try an elimination diet where you only add back in certain food groups and see how they effect you. I think the only solid principals I could advise are to know what you are eating (aka cook your food at home) and avoid processed and pre-packaged foods. If you are eating clean meat, vegetables, fruit etc. you should be able to manage cravings/quantity more effectively. Also, the lowest hanging fruit in terms of weight loss is to cut out alcohol.

Now for my personal anecdote: I was 55lbs heavier than my college racing weight in December 2019. This was probably 20lbs of muscle and 35lbs of fat. I decided that I would train for a marathon to hold myself accountable to train for something that I couldn't fake. I got up to 60mpw with workouts and lost 18lbs by March 2020 without altering my diet. When Covid happened I went up to 80mpw (but painfully slow at first, like 8:30-9:00 pace). I did two sessions of hill sprints per week and tons of kettlebell work to supplement. I also cut out alcohol and only cooked at home. 6 weeks later (May 2020) I was back to 10lbs over my college weight (45 lbs lost in 6 months) and able to start training normally. I have maintained that weight ever since by running about 70mpw (average) and 2 workouts per week. I supplement with strength training. My diet has essentially gone back to what it was pre-covid and I haven't had problems yet.

Send your question to BYU's head coach. He has a lot of experience about this with people who have taken two years off from running.

Don’t forget to drink water. Being dehydrated and sleep deprived causes snacking and may lead to drinking unhealthy beverages more often that add “secret calories”

Fast on Wednesdays. Or, only eat between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. every day.

I was in a very similar boat to you 4 months ago. Actually a little creepy how much you sound like I did. I have lost 15 lbs since then, and also gained a fair bit of muscle. I have focused more on the weight lifting actually. I’m only running 10-15 mpw. After I lift I make sure I eat plenty, especially protein. But other than then, I’m just eating less. One cookie instead of 3, one bowl of cereal instead of 2, etc. I try to drink a big glass of water before I start eating to help fill me up. Calorie deficit is all that matters. I used to never let myself get hungry, but now I will wait a few hours after getting hungry before I eat. This was my first time being above my race weight, and I was surprised how easily the pounds came off.

Covid and a newborn really impacted my normal routine and I gained 40 pounds over 18 months. I have now lost 35 over the past 10, with five more to go in the next 6 to 8 weeks.

I didn't try to push it and gradually lost weight at about 3/4 of a pound per week. Everyone is different but at the end of the day it is almost 100% about calories in and calories out. Sure certain foods have fewer net calories per weight, (i.e. broccoli which not only has a lot of undigestible fiber but also takes a fair amount of energy to breakdown vs. orange juice which is extremely easily digested) such that eating more lower calorie foods that help you feel fuller can help but at the end of the day the it is about burning more calories than you take in.

Since you are a former athlete it should hopefully be relatively easy for you to start training again that is half the battle.

On the calorie intake side if you are a drinker giving up alcohol or switching from high calorie drinks like IPAs and mixed drinks in favor of vodka and soda or red wine can actually help you lose a half pound or more a week depending on how you drink.

A double IPA has 200 to 350 calories per 12 ounces and if you have 10 a week that's over a pound of calories. 10 glasses of red wine is ~1200-1400 calories. 10 vodka and sodas are less than 1000 calories.

Other easy changes are giving up bread with dinner, foregoing dessert or replacing dessert with an apple or other fruit. If you drink orange juice every day replacing with half oz / half sparkling water would save 700+ calories per week.

It it doesn't have to be dramatic changes that can help one lose weight over the long term.

Lift weights.

Once you are in good shape, you can do hard running workouts to burn calories. Until then, it is helpful to do some lifting to get those muscles burning. It will get you in better shape, and shave more calories than slow running. Win win.

I eliminated sugar, pizza, potato chips from my diet and that's kept my weight down.

+1. Any time I lift on top of normal training, my metabolism goes nuts. And I’m pretty old too (late 40s).

Just commit to being hungry.

Mild hunger is not that uncomfortable. It's way less uncomfortable than carrying around an extra 20 pounds.

Get bag of psyllium fiber and carry it around with you. Every time you feel hungry just a few spoonfuls.