Nutrition Diet: How to Gain Weight as a Runner?

October 20, 2025 •

3 min read

For some runners, logging high mileage can lead to a significant calorie deficit, making weight gain feel impossible. This guide will explain how to gain weight as a runner healthfully by focusing on nutrient-dense foods, proper timing, and strategic training to build muscle and increase body mass effectively.

Quick Summary

This article explains how runners can achieve healthy weight gain by consistently consuming more calories than they burn. It covers maximizing intake with nutrient-dense foods, balancing macronutrients, optimizing meal timings around runs, and incorporating strength training to build muscle mass effectively.

Key Points

Sustain a Calorie Surplus: To gain weight, a runner must consistently consume 300-500 more calories than they burn each day, factoring in their high-mileage training.
Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods: Focus on calorie-dense, whole foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, and whole-fat dairy, not junk food, to fuel training and recovery effectively.
Balance Macronutrients: Ensure a balanced intake of carbohydrates for fuel, protein for muscle repair, and healthy fats for concentrated calories.
Integrate Strength Training: Add 2-3 strength training sessions per week to build muscle mass, improve running efficiency, and prevent injuries, as running alone is not optimal for significant muscle growth.
Optimize Meal Timing: Eat smaller, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day and be sure to refuel with carbs and protein within an hour after a run to maximize recovery and promote muscle growth.
Leverage Calorie-Dense Snacks: Use high-calorie, portable snacks like trail mix, dried fruit, and protein shakes to easily increase your daily energy intake.
Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds and make adjustments to your diet and training plan as needed to achieve your weight gain goals effectively and safely.

Overcoming the High-Mileage Metabolism

Running is a high-energy sport, and endurance training can create a substantial calorie deficit, which can make gaining weight challenging. To gain weight healthily, you must consistently consume more calories than your body burns. This requires a structured plan and smart food choices.

The Calorie Surplus Equation

To gain weight, you need to consume more calories than your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). A good starting point for healthy weight gain, primarily as muscle, is an extra 300 to 500 calories per day. More aggressive calorie surpluses may increase fat gain. Tracking your intake and estimating your TDEE are key steps in planning for a calorie surplus.

Optimizing Macronutrients for a Runner's Weight Gain

A balanced intake of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats is crucial for gaining weight that benefits your running and overall health. Focus on complex carbohydrates in every meal and snack to replenish glycogen and maintain energy during runs. Including whole-grain bread, oats, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes, as well as calorie-dense dried fruits, is recommended.

Adequate protein is needed to repair muscle fibers damaged during running. Aim for 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, spread across meals, including lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, beans, lentils, and nuts. Consuming protein within 30-60 minutes after running aids recovery.

Healthy fats provide concentrated calories and support hormone regulation and vitamin absorption. Incorporate nut butters, avocado, and oils like olive or avocado oil into your diet.

The Role of Strength Training

Combining running with strength training is essential for building muscle mass and promoting healthy weight gain, as running alone is not the most effective for this. Strength training helps build muscle, prevent injuries, and improve running performance.

Example Strength Training Routine for Runners (2x per week):

Lower Body: Barbell squats, Romanian deadlifts, lunges (3 sets of 8-12 reps).
Core: Planks, bird-dogs, Russian twists (3 sets of 30-60 seconds).
Explosive Power: Box jumps, jumping split squats (3 sets of 5-8 reps).

Comparison: Choosing Foods for Calorie Density

Selecting calorie-dense foods helps increase intake more easily. Small substitutions can significantly impact reaching your daily calorie goals.


Food Category	Lower Calorie Option	Higher Calorie Option	Calorie-Boosting Additions
Dairy	Skim Milk (80 kcal/cup)	Whole Milk (149 kcal/cup)	Whole milk cottage cheese, Greek yogurt with honey
Fruit	Fresh Grapes (104 kcal/cup)	Raisins (493 kcal/cup)	Dried fruits (apricots, dates, etc.)
Nut Butter	1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter (95 kcal)	2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter (191 kcal)	Mix into smoothies, oatmeal, or on toast
Grains	1/2 cup Cooked Oatmeal	1 cup Cooked Oatmeal + Nut Butter, Seeds, Dried Fruit	Add nuts, seeds, nut butter, and honey

Practical Strategies and Meal Timing

Consistency and timing are crucial. Eating smaller, frequent meals and snacks helps maintain energy levels and provides continuous nutrients. Incorporate substantial breakfasts, calorie-dense mid-morning/afternoon snacks, and a carbs/protein combination post-run. A protein-rich snack before bed can also support muscle recovery. For more detailed guidance, see {Link: Diet For Runners In Training wp.sba.gov.sa}.

Conclusion

To gain weight as a runner, combine a strategic diet with strength training. Focus on a consistent calorie surplus from nutrient-dense foods, balance your macronutrients, and incorporate resistance exercises to build muscle without negatively affecting your running performance. Healthy weight gain takes time and consistency.

Sources

UCSF Health: Winning Sports Nutrition: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/winning-sports-nutrition
Memorial Hermann: Healthy Weight Gain Strategies: https://memorialhermann.org/services/specialties/rockets-sports-medicine-institute/sports-nutrition/healthy-weight-gain-strategies

Frequently Asked Questions

Not necessarily. Gaining healthy muscle mass through strength training can improve running economy and power. The goal is to gain muscle, not excessive fat, which could hinder performance.

A combination of carbohydrates and protein is ideal. Options include chocolate milk, a smoothie with protein powder and fruit, or a sandwich with whole-grain bread and lean meat.

Eating smaller, more frequent meals and snacks (every 2-4 hours) helps maintain energy and provides nutrients for recovery and growth, especially with a high metabolism.

You don't necessarily need to reduce running volume, but you must increase calorie intake to match and exceed expenditure. Focusing on high-intensity running and strength training is more effective for muscle gain than long-distance running.

Gaining healthy weight through muscle mass is better for runners as it improves performance. Excessive fat gain can negatively impact running. Combining a calorie surplus with strength training supports muscle building.

Nutrient-dense liquid options include homemade smoothies with nut butter, whole milk, and oats; whole milk; and meal replacement shakes. These are helpful if solid food is too filling.

Incorporate nuts, seeds, and nut butters into snacks and meals. Drizzle olive or avocado oil over food or add avocado slices to meals.