How to Lose 5KG in 10 Weeks and Get Faster

Matt breaks down how to safely lose 5kg+ during a marathon block — using calorie deficits on easy days and big carb windows around hard sessions — so you can train hard and run faster. Matt Fox / Sweat Elite Nutrition Coaching: https://sweatelite.co/coaching/nutrition/ Run + Nutrition Coaching: https://sweatelite.co/coaching/run-nutrition/ Nutrition Meal Plans: https://sweatelite.co/nutrition-meal-plans/ Personalised Training Plan: https://sweatelite.co/personalised-training-plan/ Coaching: https://www.sweatelitecoaching.com/matt-fox/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattinglisfox/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6248359 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SweatElite Sweat Elite: https://www.sweatelite.co/ Matt talks about how to lose five kilograms or more in the ten weeks leading into a marathon — while still training hard and aiming to run faster. He pushes back on the old idea that you should finish all weight loss before the marathon-specific block, and shares how he's used this approach five times himself, including a recent stretch where he dropped nearly fifteen kilos. Matt walks through the method in plain terms: stay in a calorie deficit most of the week, track burn with a watch or rough math, log food with AI photo counting, and then flip into big carbohydrate windows around your two hardest sessions so quality workouts don't suffer. He lands on roughly an eight-hundred-calorie deficit on easy days — enough, on paper, to lose about half a kilo a week and five kilos over ten weeks. Matt is clear this is not for everyone. If you've dealt with an eating disorder, RED-S, or low energy availability — or you're already below a healthy weight — he says turn the episode off. For listeners who can safely lose the weight, he also covers strength work, bone-health basics, and where coaching or a meal plan fits if you want more accountability. Timestamps 00:01 Content warning & who should skip 00:36 The goal 02:20 The only rule that matters 03:43 How to track burn 05:33 How to track intake 06:11 Weekly structure: deficit + carb windows 08:00 Hard-session fueling 11:03 Easy-day eating 13:19 GLP-1 note (personal, not recommended) 14:55 The math (why ~800/day) 16:16 Injury-risk buffers 17:45 Risk framing 19:10 Coaching / meal plans Content warning & who should skip Eating disorders, RED-S, LEA, and already-lean athletes should not follow this advice. Aimed at people who can safely lose ~5kg+ and want to run faster. The goal Lose 5kg+ in the ~10-week marathon-specific block; Matt's personal and coaching experience; pushback on "never diet in the marathon block." The only rule that matters Calorie deficit = burn more than you eat. Tracking makes it workable; perfection isn't required. How to track burn Garmin (or similar) preferred. Rough guide: ~2,000 kcal/day for many men (5–7k steps); ~1,700 for many women; easy running ~700 kcal/hour; hard running closer to ~1,100 kcal/hour. How to track intake Photo-log every meal/drink in ChatGPT (or similar AI); build one daily log; close enough beats exact. Weekly structure: deficit + carb windows Most of the week (~5.5 days): solid deficit (~800 kcal/day as a working target). Around 2 hard sessions (e.g. Wed + Sun): stop deficit counting ~12 hours before; load carbs heavily before, during, and a few hours after. Hard-session fueling Example carb load ~400g in the pre-session window; in-session carbs often 70–100g/hour for men (women slightly lower); prioritize white rice, potatoes, bread, pasta in those windows. Easy-day eating High-volume, low-calorie foods (fruit, veg, lean protein); flavored soda water as a hunger/dopamine hack; ask AI for satiating low-cal meal ideas. The math (why ~800/day) ~7,700 kcal deficit ≈ 1kg fat; ~3,800/week ≈ 0.5kg/week ≈ 5kg in 10 weeks. Surpluses in carb windows are expected; the weekly total still lands if easy days stay consistent. Injury-risk buffers Start strength (esp. squats) ~1 month before dieting; Vitamin K2 + calcium; prefer food calcium (eggs, milk, cheese). Don't stack diet + big training jump + new gym all at once. <h