Running Lean

By Patrick McGilvray

Education

What's Running Lean about?

Get leaner and get stronger so you can run faster and run longer than you ever thought possible.

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Running Lean episodes:

04.26.2024
226. What’s the Best Pacing Strategy?
We’re in the middle of the Spring racing season here in the US and a lot of runners ask me questions about pacing for their upcoming race. Should you start slow and then try to finish fast? Should you start fast and...
04.19.2024
225. Pushing Past Your Comfort Zone
One of the most powerful things you can do to improve your health and fitness is to regularly push past your comfort zone. This might seem obvious to you and pretty basic, but it’s an area where most people really struggle. The...
04.12.2024
224. How I Experienced Freedom from Alcohol
17 years ago I finally made the decision to give up drinking alcohol. This was not a decision that came quickly or easily, I had been drinking daily for many, many years. I got to a point where my life was not...
04.05.2024
223. The Problem with Eating Whatever You Want
There’s a lot of interesting food advice being given out these days by health and fitness “experts.” One in particular that has stood out to me lately goes something like, “Take a few days each week and go crazy! Eat whatever...
03.29.2024
222. How to Stop the Mindless Eating
Have you ever found yourself at the end of a sleeve of Oreos or at the bottom of a bag of potato chips and thought…did I really just eat all that? I know I have…and too many times to count! If so,...
03.22.2024
221. What Are You Willing to Sacrifice to Lose Weight?
If you’ve ever trained for a marathon then you know that sacrifices have to be made in order to achieve that goal. You have to put in a lot of hours on the weekends running in the cold. You have to give...
03.15.2024
220. Should You Lose Weight While Training for a Race?
A lot of runners are told not to lose weight while training for a race. There are many reasons why they are given this advice (which I cover in today’s episode), but I don’t necessarily agree with all of it. I believe...
03.08.2024
219. Being Boring Can Actually Be Good for You
If you’ve ever changed your eating habits or started exercising on the weekends instead of partying, and your friends have told you that you’re boring then this episode is for you. Every day I talk to people who want to lose...
03.01.2024
218. You Have to Change How You Think
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you probably already know that you have to change your diet. This is obvious and we all know this, but that’s where most people stop. They change their diet and they see...
02.23.2024
217. 5 Ways to Improve Your Endurance
Whether you are just getting into running or have been at it a while, you should be actively working on improving your endurance. While there are many methods out there that are designed to help you improve your endurance, there are...
02.16.2024
216. An Alternative Way To Fuel Long-Distance Running
As runners, we’ve been told over the last 40 years or so that the only way to fuel for running is with carbohydrates. Loads and loads of carbs. Eat lots of carbs every day, carb load the day before you run, carb...
02.09.2024
215. Lessons Learned from Vacation Eating
Recently I spent a week on vacation and decided to change my diet a bit. I made the decision to eat more freely, to enjoy some of the amazing local food, to eat dessert, bread, pastries, and generally be a bit...
02.02.2024
214. Replay: Why Running Doesn’t Work for Weight Loss
Being overweight is not something that’s not talked about very much (or at all) in the running community. There seems to be some stigma around being a runner and being overweight. Like you’re not running enough, or you’re somehow doing it...
01.26.2024
213. Supplements Every Runner Should be Taking
If you’re a runner and interested in getting the most out of your training, then you’ve probably tried a multitude of supplements. There are literally thousands upon thousands of health and wellness supplements on the market today and around 1,000 new...
01.19.2024
212. 3 Things You Should Stop Doing if You Want To Lose Weight
When it comes to eating right and losing weight, there is so much information out there that it can feel incredibly overwhelming. While I can’t address every misconception out there on the internet here in one podcast episode, I do want...
01.12.2024
211. Should You Be Tracking Your Food?
There are a lot of dieticians and weight loss coaches out there who preach the benefits of tracking your food. They suggest tracking every bite you eat, entering all of your food into an app each day, and then sticking to...
01.05.2024
210. Common Weight Loss Myths Debunked
It’s a new year and a time when a lot of people become ultra-focused on health, fitness, and losing weight. It’s also a time when a lot of people will try some new fad diet or a new exercise routine that...
12.29.2023
209. Replay: Stop Arguing for Your Limitations
There are basically two ways to approach any challenge. One way is to focus on all the reasons why you can’t do it. The other way is to focus on all the reasons why you can. I find it interesting that so many...
12.22.2023
208. Remembering Your Future
Most people spend a great deal of time thinking about the past. They ruminate over things they did that they regret doing. They replay situations over and over and wish they’d handled things differently. They focus all of their energy on past events...
12.15.2023
207. How To Get Back on Track
If you want to accomplish a big goal, the key to getting there is consistency. You have to take aligned action and continue to take it over and over and over until you eventually reach that goal. The problem is, that most...
12.08.2023
206. Random Thoughts about Weight Loss for Runners
Sometimes, I have a bunch of thoughts that I want to share with you here on the podcast and I’ll create an episode for each one of those random thoughts. This is a great way of taking a deep dive into...
12.01.2023
205. The Problem is You
Most people come up with all sorts of excuses, reasons, and stories for why they can’t accomplish something hard. You set out to lose weight so you change your diet but you eventually slip back into old habits and your new...
11.24.2023
204. Replay: 5 Tips to Avoid Gaining Weight This Holiday Season
It’s officially the Holiday Season and that means it’s time to gain a bunch of weight over the next 30 days and start the new year feeling like crap, right? I know it seems kinda crazy when I say that out...
11.17.2023
203. Making Sense of All the Conflicting Information
When it comes to diets and dietary advice, there is a lot of conflicting information out there. For every study that shows that one particular food is bad for you, there’s another study showing that it’s actually good for you. It is...
11.10.2023
202. Unraveling Unhealthy Thought Patterns
One of the toughest things about losing weight and keeping it off for good is developing a healthy relationship with food. I work with runners every day who admittedly have a very unhealthy relationship with food. They overeat, they are constantly making...
11.03.2023
201. Reversing Disease Through Nutrition and Exercise with Dr. Marvin Merrit
I recently sat down with Dr. Marvin Merrit and had an awesome conversation about what it means to be a healthy human being. In the world of health and fitness, there is a lot of information out there – it can...
10.27.2023
200. Mindset Principles Runners Need to Know
Today is a very special episode – number 200 – and I wanted to do something a little different to celebrate this milestone. I’ve had a look over the last 200 episodes and picked out the most important mindset principles runners...
10.20.2023
199. Strength, Power, and Hypertrophy for Runners
There’s a lot of confusing information out there about how runners should approach strength training. Some people say you should use very light weights and do a ton of reps so you don’t bulk up too much. Other people suggest lifting super...
10.13.2023
198. Increasing Your Emotional Tolerance
When it comes to running tough races, you eventually get to a point where it’s all mind over matter. Your legs hurt, you’re exhausted, and you just want to quit. This is when your emotional toughness game really has to be on...
10.06.2023
197. Why You Keep Going Back for More
Have you ever caught yourself eating something that you know is bad for you, but you do it anyway? Have you ever changed your eating patterns for a period of time and then found yourself going back to the junk food...
09.29.2023
196. What Not to Do When Life Gets Chaotic
No matter how hard we try to control all the circumstances of our lives, eventually, things get a little out of control. Your boss increases your workload, the kids are riddled with extracurricular activities (which means you are too), aging family...
09.22.2023
195. Taking Control of Your Food Choices
There have been some eye-opening discoveries recently around dietary advice doled out by influencers on social media. It turns out that the food and beverage industry has been paying registered dietitians to promote diet soda, sugar, and supplements on TikTok and...
09.15.2023
194. VO2 Max, Lactate Threshold, and Running Economy
There are a lot of metrics available to runners these days – pace, distance, time, V02 max, recovery advisor, race predictor, stress score, heart rate zones, lactate threshold, vertical oscillation, performance condition, and on and on… It can be confusing and...
09.08.2023
193. 5 Dieting Disasters Runners Need to Avoid
When it comes to losing weight, there are many, many approaches you can take – some of them will work while others definitely will not. Runners especially need to be mindful of their approach to weight loss because certain methods might...
09.01.2023
192. How Do I Break My Addiction to Sugar?
A LOT of people are addicted to, or have a troublesome relationship with, sugar. And a LOT of people I work with come to me because they want this problem solved once and for all. The problem is that most people don’t...
08.25.2023
191. Fit but Unhealthy?
Lots of runners look pretty healthy on the outside. They exercise a lot, maintain a decent weight, have low body fat percentage, low BMI, and generally look fit. But inside there could be a lot more going on that no one really...
08.18.2023
190. Carbs Are Not the Enemy
There’s a lot of confusion out there these days around carbs, especially in the endurance athlete community. Are carbs good? Are they bad? Do they have a place in our diet or should we avoid them altogether? I think you can probably...
08.11.2023
189. Shifting Your Locus of Control
If you are having a hard time sticking with a health and fitness routine, then you might want to have a look at your locus of control. Locus of control refers to where you believe your control lies – either outside...
08.04.2023
188. The Cycle of Unstoppable Motivation
Most people tend to be pretty motivated when they start something. You decide you want to lose weight so you change your diet, and for the first few weeks, maybe even a month or so, you are super motivated. You’re tracking your...
07.28.2023
187. Why Moderating Sugar is so Difficult
I think we all know that eating too much sugar is not good for you. Excess sugar consumption has been linked to all sorts of metabolic dysfunction like high blood pressure, excess weight gain, insulin resistance, and diabetes just to name...
07.21.2023
186. Demystifying Metabolism
I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on human metabolism and I’ve noticed a lot of inconsistencies in the data available. There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about metabolism, especially when it comes to losing weight. So today I...
07.14.2023
185. Why It’s So Hard to Stick to Your Food Plan
I work with a lot of runners who are awesome at sticking with their running plans. They get up early on Saturday mornings religiously, regardless of the weather outside. They do the required speed work every week, no matter what. They never miss...
07.07.2023
184. The Incredible Power of Focus
A lot of people set out to lose weight and then quit. They change their diet, start exercising, and then at some point just throw up their hands and give up. This was definitely me and it was probably you at some...
06.30.2023
183. Are You Addicted to Dopamine?
Over the last 100 years or so, we have become a society of pleasure-seekers and pain-avoiders. We do anything and everything to avoid what we perceive as painful and chase everything we deem pleasurable – even if it’s actually harmful to...
06.23.2023
182. A Better Approach to the Off-Season
If you’re anything like most runners, especially if you live in the US, this is most likely the off-season for you. You’ve completed your Spring races and you’re not quite into the next training cycle yet. Most runners approach this off-season as...
06.16.2023
181. Ultramarathon Redemption with Pete Caigan
Today I have a special treat for you, I’m sharing a candid conversation I recently had with Pete Caigan. Pete is one of my clients who has had a pretty remarkable transformation over the last 6 months or so. Before finding me,...
06.09.2023
180. What I Learned Running Solo for 12 Hours
Recently, I completed a self-supported, solo 12-hour run. I’ve always wanted to do a 12-hour event, but I could never really find a race that spoke to me. So, I decided to take things into my own hands and do it myself! In...
06.02.2023
179. Weight Loss Principles Every Runner Needs to Know Part 3: Mindset
Your mindset is one of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal. But most people do not spend any time at all working on improving their mindset. This is crazy to me because without the right mindset, losing weight and...
05.26.2023
178. Weight Loss Principles Every Runner Needs to Know Part 2: Exercise
Most people will agree that exercise should be included in any weight loss plan. Unfortunately, most people think that exercise should be the ONLY component of their weight loss plan. Eat less and move more, right? Isn’t that the mantra that’s been forced...
05.19.2023
177. Weight Loss Principles Every Runner Needs to Know Part 1: Nutrition
Nutrition is going to be the number one driver of your body composition. If you’re a runner and you want to lose weight, you have to get your nutrition game on point. The thinking that just running more is going to solve...

What's Running Lean about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Running Lean episodes:

226. What’s the Best Pacing Strategy?

225. Pushing Past Your Comfort Zone

224. How I Experienced Freedom from Alcohol

223. The Problem with Eating Whatever You Want

222. How to Stop the Mindless Eating

221. What Are You Willing to Sacrifice to Lose Weight?

220. Should You Lose Weight While Training for a Race?

219. Being Boring Can Actually Be Good for You

218. You Have to Change How You Think

217. 5 Ways to Improve Your Endurance

216. An Alternative Way To Fuel Long-Distance Running

215. Lessons Learned from Vacation Eating

214. Replay: Why Running Doesn’t Work for Weight Loss

213. Supplements Every Runner Should be Taking

212. 3 Things You Should Stop Doing if You Want To Lose Weight

211. Should You Be Tracking Your Food?

210. Common Weight Loss Myths Debunked

209. Replay: Stop Arguing for Your Limitations

208. Remembering Your Future

207. How To Get Back on Track

206. Random Thoughts about Weight Loss for Runners

205. The Problem is You

204. Replay: 5 Tips to Avoid Gaining Weight This Holiday Season

203. Making Sense of All the Conflicting Information

202. Unraveling Unhealthy Thought Patterns

201. Reversing Disease Through Nutrition and Exercise with Dr. Marvin Merrit

200. Mindset Principles Runners Need to Know

199. Strength, Power, and Hypertrophy for Runners

198. Increasing Your Emotional Tolerance

197. Why You Keep Going Back for More

196. What Not to Do When Life Gets Chaotic

195. Taking Control of Your Food Choices

194. VO2 Max, Lactate Threshold, and Running Economy

193. 5 Dieting Disasters Runners Need to Avoid

192. How Do I Break My Addiction to Sugar?

191. Fit but Unhealthy?

190. Carbs Are Not the Enemy

189. Shifting Your Locus of Control

188. The Cycle of Unstoppable Motivation

187. Why Moderating Sugar is so Difficult

186. Demystifying Metabolism

185. Why It’s So Hard to Stick to Your Food Plan

184. The Incredible Power of Focus

183. Are You Addicted to Dopamine?

182. A Better Approach to the Off-Season

181. Ultramarathon Redemption with Pete Caigan

180. What I Learned Running Solo for 12 Hours

179. Weight Loss Principles Every Runner Needs to Know Part 3: Mindset

178. Weight Loss Principles Every Runner Needs to Know Part 2: Exercise

177. Weight Loss Principles Every Runner Needs to Know Part 1: Nutrition