The Golden Rules of Weight Loss

Running keeps you fit, healthy, and happy, but to lose real weight, you also have to focus on what you eat.  Heed these key nutrition principles and slim down for good.

8 Ways to Scale Back

Runners know the miles they log on the pavement, trails, and the treadmill are great for keeping them fit and healthy. High on the list of the sport's many virtues? It is an amazing tool for weight control. But weight loss is a different story. Because you run, you may think you can eat whatever you want and still drop pounds. Unfortunately, that's not true. Running is only half of the equation. You have to look hard at what and how you eat, too.

Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, pinpoints eight crucial nutrition rules of weight loss in Run Your Butt Off!, a new Runner's World book for beginning runners who are coming to the sport to lose weight. (The book also includes a sensible beginner's training plan and tips for runners of all abilities from Runner's World coach Budd Coates, MS.) Bonci's advice can help any runner who wants to lose weight—whether it's five pounds or 25. She'll show you how to track your food intake, space meals to ward off hunger, and honestly reckon with the calories you consume in a day (brace yourself). These methods were tested by real runners who overhauled their eating habits and shed dozens of pounds over 12 weeks. And if they can do it, so can you.

Rule 1:  Take Really Good Notes

Writing down everything you eat may sound tedious, but it pays off: Studies have shown that people who log their food intake regularly keep more weight off than those who don't take notes. Bonci recommends recording everything you eat for at least one week (and then doing so again every few weeks after that), making sure to include important details, such as when, where, why, and how much you eat. "Reviewing these details will help you glean important information about your habits," says Bonci, "and highlight ways you can make healthier choices."

Make It Work
"My clients have different systems for keeping a food log," says Bonci. A notebook will do the trick, as will an Excel sheet, or storing details in your iPhone. Bonci suggests recording whether or not you're hungry when you eat and grading the day from 1 to 5 ("1" is a day with unhealthy food, and "5" is a superhealthy day). "This can be a reality check," says Bonci, "like, I'm not doing so badly after all, or My diet is worse than I thought."

Rule 2:  Measure What You Eat

Get out a cereal bowl. Fill it as you normally would with your favorite brand. Read the label to find out the serving size and the calories per serving. Look at what's in your bowl. Is it more than a serving? Less? Chances are it's more than you think. Pour it into a measuring cup to find out.

"We measure with our eyes," says Bonci, "and our eyes are terrible judges of portions." Case in point: A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found people serve themselves up to 53% more ice cream when simply given a larger scooper and bowl. And since research shows people eat about 92% of whatever is in front of them, it pays to know what an appropriate serving should look like. The only way to know that is to measure what you're eating.

Make It Work
While it may seem like a hassle at first, measuring out food can quickly become part of your daily routine. And after a few weeks of practice, you'll begin to train your eyes and brain to recognize what a serving should look like without having to actually measure. But first, you need the right tools to get started.

Keep equipment handy. Leave a set of measuring cups and spoons on your kitchen counter so you remember to use them.

Think convenience. Put a collapsible measuring cup in your favorite breakfast cereal so it's easy to measure during your morning rush.

Snack smart. Read the label on snack foods, and divide cookies, crackers, pretzels, and chips into individual servings. Store each in an airtight bag or container.

Make your mark. Read the label on block cheese to find out how many servings are in the package, then score the cheese appropriately.

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