The age-old question that we see all the time with clients or on social media is: when should I diet or how should I approach dieting or fat loss when I have performance training goals?
Today is going to be more of a conversation around when you should actually approach having a dieting season or a cut, or actually trying to pursue intentional weight loss.
Important Note: I know that these conversations aren’t for everyone. I know not everyone likes to talk about or is in a position to think about, or it’s healthy for them to pursue intentional weight loss. I want to make sure I have these conversations in a place where you can opt out if it isn’t for you.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with my platform, I tend to keep my content more focused on performance and training and athletic endeavors for performance-based goals. However, I have a PhD in exercise physiology and energy metabolism, and my dissertation and Master’s work is actually in fat metabolism.
I think there’s so much want and need for information around this that is credible, science-based, and helpful—and isn’t just the scammy stuff out there. I know for many people, you either are afraid to ask for this information or you’re seeking it out from predatory sources and not getting what you need.
Before we dive into this conversation, it’s important for those of you listening to really filter out if you are somebody who truly does need a phase of intentional weight loss or a dieting period, or if you’re somebody who needs something different entirely.
| Group | Profile | What You Actually Need |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1: May Not Need to Diet | Leaner end of spectrum, “skinny fat,” lack muscle tissue, don’t resistance train | Long period of NOT dieting, eating enough protein, training for strength/hypertrophy |
| Group 2: Chronic Dieters | Yo-yo dieting for years, constantly restricting | Learn normal eating patterns, improve food quality, increase protein, take a break from dieting |
| Group 3: Ready for Fat Loss | Not undereating, regular eating patterns, good mental clarity around goals | Strategic, timed deficit approach aligned with training cycles |
Key Point for Group 1: For so many people, specifically women or endurance athletes, they tend to err on the side of “I should be thinner, smaller, eat less, restrict” rather than “hey, I actually need to be eating more and focusing more on performance and/or lifting, gaining muscle, training for power and strength.” It’s going to be really hard for you to get that body type or look you’re looking for if you don’t have the structure and muscle built underneath.
The Golden Rule: Do NOT use a race as a diet plan. Your race training, your race event, whatever you’re training for—that is not your diet plan. That’s not the time to diet. That’s not the time to cut. You’re going to burn the candle at both ends.
Unless you’re kind of going through the motions and you’re training for something at a volume that you’re accustomed to and you’re not really increasing intensity or volume in response to a big training cycle, let’s not do this thing where we’re trying to cut while also training for a race.
For a lot of women, this might overstress your body and your hormones or backfire. And don’t start your diet immediately after you finish a race either—give yourself a few weeks to recover.
Option 1: During Your Off-Season
I think the best way to approach this is during your off-season where your training volume is lower, maybe your strength training is higher, you’re cross-training more, your overall hours, intensity, and volume are pulled back.
Use this as an intentional period of time to have a structured, “get in and get out” type deficit. This way you don’t have to spend an extended period of time across your entire year constantly in a deficit.
Off-Season Deficit Approach:
Once you’re through this phase, you’re more so maintaining your fitness—you’re not really trying to build anything. You’re using it as an off-season type goal.
Option 2: Body Recomposition Focus
The off-season or a period of time where you’re not intentionally training for a race or event is also a great time to focus on building muscle, improving body composition, and going all in on strength training over endurance training goals.
| Why Muscle Building Matters | What This Approach Involves |
|---|---|
| Muscle is the biggest contributor to resting energy metabolism | Maybe not a super steep deficit |
| Muscle is costly to have, build, recover, and maintain metabolically | Maintaining and building muscle while allowing body to recomp |
| Having muscle allows for better body recomposition | Sometimes a slight surplus or upper end of maintenance |
Timeline Disclaimer: This is going to be more of a 6-12 month goal. At least 3-6 months would be the minimum I would set for a recomposition approach.
Option 3: During Base Build or Maintenance Running Seasons
I really love this period for body recomposition or fat loss—during base build or maintenance running seasons.
Personal Example: I did a very small cut in the spring of 2023 (maybe 5-7 pounds) during a base build phase while building for my 50-mile training goal:
Why This Works: You are not increasing your intensity or your volume, so the variable that you’re adding more stress to your body with is the slight energy deficit. Because you are adapted to that volume and intensity you’re doing, and your training is relatively stable or maintained, your body isn’t having added or extra stress more than what it’s already adapted to.
| Deficit Type | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Aggressive deficits | Off-season only, as their own specific thing |
| Gradual deficits | Base build or maintenance phases—more sustainable approach with performance goals |
During Base Build/Maintenance Phase
This is a slower approach to a deficit or dieting, but I think it’s a more sustainable, gradual approach for those who want that with performance goals and aren’t opting for the “I’m taking a specific period of time to pull back from performance training goals.”
What This Looks Like:
When the Deficit Phase Ends
This ends when you shift gears into that performance focus—race training, peak phase, prep phase. This is the 2-3 months where you’re really intentionally dialed in and focused on building your mileage, volume, and intensity for that race goal before your taper.
During Peak Training:
Performance mindset: When you are trying to perform, you are eating to perform. You are switching that mindset once you’re through that deficit phase.
Low Energy Availability Risk
Low energy availability is something that is a huge risk, especially for females. We are a lot more sensitive to energy deficits than males, but men are not immune to this either.
Guidelines:
This Advice is NOT For:
If this describes you: You need to be focusing more on eating and potentially gaining weight or getting your menstrual cycle back, not on dieting.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Identify Your Category | Do you need to build muscle first? Learn normal eating? Or are you ready for intentional fat loss? |
| 2. Choose Your Timing | Off-season for aggressive deficits, base build for gradual recomp. NEVER during peak training or immediately post-race. |
| 3. Monitor Your Response | Track recovery quality, monitor performance in training, watch for signs of over-restriction, adjust intake based on training demands. |
If you have true fat loss goals or body recomposition goals:
Remember: when you have performance goals, you need to eat in a way that supports your performance goals. Be strategic and smart about when and how you approach intentional fat loss, and make sure you’re not putting your body in too much stress with deficits while also demanding high performance.
Resources to Support Your Goals:
When you’re eating to perform, you’re eating to perform. Be strategic about when you shift that mindset.
I’m Exercise Physiologist, sports nutritionist, weight lifter, and ultra runner. I am here to bring science to your training in a no-nonsense way. I have helped thousands of women crush big lifting goals, cross race finish lines, and even do both. I’m here to help you do the same!
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