Online Run & Mindset Coaching

Weight Gain in Endurance Sports
A Raw Conversation About Ultras, Recovery, and Working With Your Body

A Raw Conversation About Ultras, Recovery, and Working With Your Body

Weight gain in endurance sports is rarely talked about. When it is, it’s often framed as a failure, a lack of discipline, or something to “fix” as quickly as possible. The truth is just a tiny bit more messy and way more real than we usually say.

This post isn’t about chasing leanness or getting down to “race weight”. It’s about understanding why weight gain happens in marathon and ultra training, how to approach weight loss safely when the timing is right, and how to stop fighting a body that’s actually trying to protect you.

I’m sharing a lot of my own experience and backing it up with some science for you so that we can all normalize weight gain, eating all the carbs and learning to love the body we have.

This Didn’t Start With Ultras

It Started over 15 Years Ago

Long before I ever ran ultras, my relationship with food was disordered.

I tracked everything I ate. I trained daily, often more than once a day. Some days, lunch was a bag of raw vegetables. Looking back and doing a rough estimate, I was likely eating around 800 calories per day while exercising heavily.

I was very small. And I got a lot of compliments. That little comment of “you’re looking great” or, “have you lost weight”, really matters here. Compliments reinforce behaviours, even harmful ones, especially when they’re tied to discipline, control, and worth.

Fifteen years later, I’m in a very different place. Before becoming a nutrition coach, I hired a dietitian during my second marathon build. I already knew a lot, but I needed support to rebuild trust with food and understand how fuelling actually supports performance.

What I learned went far beyond calories.

Anxiety affects appetite.
Training load affects hunger.
Recovery affects weight.
Stress affects everything.

Let’s Talk Science (Briefly)

Chronic underfueling can suppress hunger hormones, disrupt metabolic health, and increase injury risk.

This is why people with high anxiety or long histories of restriction may not reliably feel hunger cues.

Intuitive Eating Isn’t Always Straightforward

I learned intuitive eating, and for many people, it’s a powerful framework. But it’s not always simple.

When you live with anxiety, hunger cues can be blunted or delayed. You don’t always get a clear “I’m hungry” signal. That means “just listening to your body” can still lead to underfueling unless you’re paying attention intentionally.

For endurance athletes, especially those with a history of restriction, structure can be supportive, not restrictive.

A Season of Ultras and the Reality of Recovery

This past year, I ran five ultramarathons ranging from 44 km to 102 km. Early in the season, things felt balanced. I was strength training, eating consistent meals, and feeling strong.

As the season progressed, the demands increased. Longer runs, back-to-back races, and higher stress meant higher fueling needs. My carbohydrate intake increased, intentionally, because it had to.

I ran the Grizzly Ultra 50K in early October and PB’d my 50km time feeling strong. Then just three weeks later I ran The Dark 24 with a finishing distance of 102Km, my longest distance ever. Three weeks is not enough time to fully recover, rebalance training, and normalize intake. That phase is about recovery. And recovery requires food.

Even though my mileage dropped slightly between races, my intake stayed high to support tissue repair, glycogen restoration, and nervous system recovery. As you can imagine, weight gain followed. And no matter how much I expect it, it’s still always a shock.

After the 102km, hunger stayed elevated for weeks (that’s your body asking for recovery). Then Christmas arrived, which meant less structure, more stress, and more snacks. At the same time, I picked up a foot injury that reduced my training volume even further. My body was still eating like it was racing. My training no longer matched.

Quick Science Break

Post-ultra hunger is real and well documented.

Ultras disrupt hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, increase glycogen depletion, and elevate recovery needs for weeks, not days.

Enter the Off-Season

And a Different Goal

Now, in the new year, I’m working on losing the excess weight in a way that protects my health, performance, and mental well-being. This is not a diet. It’s a lifestyle adjustment.

Yes, I’m in a calorie deficit. No, it’s not extreme.

I’m using the app MacroFactor to track intake, not for control, but for data. It helps me ensure I’m eating enough protein, supporting micronutrients like iron, and maintaining performance while creating a small deficit.

I’m only 5’1” so my energy needs are different. My margin for error is smaller. Right now, I’m averaging roughly 1400–1800 calories per day, depending on training.

Protein, Done Correctly

Protein is my non-negotiable. For endurance athletes, protein needs are typically:

1.4–1.6 g per kg of body weight for baseline training

1.6–2.0 g per kg during heavy training, injury, or calorie deficit

For me my ideal protein intake is roughly 110–125 g of protein per day. I currently average around 100 g/day, which meets minimum endurance needs but sits slightly low for a deficit plus strength training. This is something I’m actively working on.

The Science, Simplified

Adequate protein during a calorie deficit helps preserve lean muscle, improve recovery, and prevent metabolic slowdown.

Strength Training and Metabolic Health

I’m currently lifting two to three days per week and running four to five days per week at lower volume.

Strength training is really important in this phase because I’m actively working to grow and maintain muscle mass. Strength training:

Supports metabolic health

Improves fuel utilization

Protects performance during weight loss

Muscle doesn’t magically burn fat, but it plays a key role in how efficiently your body uses energy.

Plant-Based, With Real Constraints

I’m a predominantly plant-based, ovo-vegetarian athlete. No meat. No dairy. Eggs are in. Soy is out due to an allergy. That means protein takes planning.

My intake comes from legumes, eggs, soy-free tofu, plant-based meat alternatives, and protein powder. I supplement with one to three scoops of protein powder daily, providing 20–60 g of protein, depending on the day.

Tracking helps me ensure I’m meeting my needs without guesswork.

Carbohydrates Are Fuel, Full Stop

Carbohydrates are not the enemy. I’m going to say this louder for those in the back: CARBOHYDRATES ARE NOT THE ENEMY!!

They convert to glycogen. Glycogen fuels endurance performance and brain function. Cutting carbs is not an option if you want to perform, recover, or think clearly.

I adjust carbohydrate intake based on training. Higher before long runs. Adequate every day.

Mid-Blog Science

Low glycogen availability increases injury risk, impairs recovery, and reduces training quality.

NEAT, The Invisible Player

NEAT, or non-exercise activity thermogenesis, includes all the small movements we don’t think about, walking around, chores, fidgeting.

When we’re in a calorie deficit, NEAT often drops unconsciously. That’s why daily movement still matters, even outside of structured workouts.

The Mental Side Still Shows Up

Yes, the thoughts still come.

“How did I let this happen?”

“I should know better.”

“I’m a coach.”

Weight gain affects confidence. Clothes fit differently. Running feels different. Sometimes slower.

For me, lighter often feels faster, but that’s not always true, especially in trail and ultra running. Being too lean before a major endurance event can hurt performance.

That’s why timing the weight-loss matters. This work belongs in the off-season, far from A-goal races. My next A race isn’t until July. So I’ve been very intentional about my timing here.

The Scienece Explained

Entering an endurance event in a calorie deficit or with low energy availability increases injury risk and reduces performance.

What I Want You to Take From This

Weight fluctuates. Daily. Seasonally. Across training cycles. Weight is not morality. Putting it in the most simple terms it is your gravitational pull to the earth. It is glycogen, water, hormones, stress, and context.

My non-negotiables are simple:

Protein stays high
Carbohydrates stay in
No extreme deficits
Performance and mental health matter

If weight loss is harming your mental health, it’s time to reassess. Sometimes your body settles at a weight where it performs best, even if it’s not the smallest it’s ever been. The goal isn’t fighting your body. It’s learning to work with it. If you need additional help, feel free to reach out to chat about if endurance nutrition coaching is right for you.