[Seth Keena]

Hi Sean,

Thanks for writing in. I applaud you for asking!

I will go as far to say that in my experience working with overweight athletes, the positive results (injury avoidance, pace, sense of wellness, etc) gained from getting more aerobically fit and stronger can be realized from weight loss (done in a healthy manner!) for less actual time spent training. Carrying mass that does not aid in locomotion is going to have a consequence to the system. With running in particular, our mass is being dynamically accelerated and decelerated for thousands of repetitions and this makes ‘swing weight’ especially nontrivial. But there is obviously a lower limit to this ideal and adjusting weight need be done with care. Loosing weight and training are not easy things to do coincidentally. I suggest having your Resting Metabolic Rate measured, sweat examined, and know your calorie demands quite well before attempting a diet with deficit, esp while training, if you’re considering doing that. Don’t rush things.

Hope this helps,

-Seth