Why You’re Gaining Fat and Losing Muscle Despite Marathon Running (And How DYOFITX Can Save You)

Mareeswaran P
Jul 3
3 min read

🏃‍♀️ Why You’re Gaining Fat and Losing Muscle Despite Marathon Running (And How DYOFITX Can Save You)

If you’ve been running marathons regularly, clocking long hours of cardio, and adding intense workouts like DYOFITX—but still noticing that your body fat is increasing and your muscle percentage is dropping—you’re not alone.

This is a very common but misunderstood condition faced by

. Let’s break it down simply and show you the solution.

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Why It’s Happening to You

Chronic Cardio Stress is Backfiring

Long-duration endurance exercises like marathon running elevate your cortisol levels for extended periods.

Cortisol is your body’s stress hormone.

When it stays high for too long:

Your body starts burning muscle for energy.
Your body begins storing fat, especially around the belly.
Your body slows down recovery.

Your Body is in a “Survival Mode”

When you run a lot without adequate rest and nutrition:

Your body thinks it’s constantly under threat.
It holds on to fat to “protect” itself.
It breaks down muscle because it’s easy to convert to fuel.

You’re Likely Eating Too Little for Your Activity Level

Most runners underestimate how much they need to eat to recover:

Too little protein → muscle can’t rebuild.
Not enough carbs → energy crashes.
Constant calorie deficit → metabolic slowdown.

Your Hormones May Be Out of Sync

Over-training and under-recovery can lead to:

Menstrual irregularities
Thyroid issues
Reduced muscle retention

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How DYOFITX Can Help You Get Back on Track

The DYOFITX system is designed exactly for people like you: high performers who need balance, not just more work.

Here’s how DYOFITX works to reverse what’s happening:

🔹 Q1 – Reset (SMR & Joint Preparation)

What It Does: Releases tight muscles from overuse, especially hips, calves, hamstrings.
Why You Need It: Long-distance running often creates chronic tightness and poor joint function.
Result: Your joints move better, your muscles recover faster, and your body gets out of “stress mode.”

🔹 Q2 – Prime (Dynamic Mobility & Activation)

What It Does: Activates the glutes and core muscles that get “switched off” by too much running.
Why You Need It: Distance runners often become quad-dominant and lose glute support → leading to poor posture, muscle loss, and inefficient movement.
Result: You start moving with better balance and muscle engagement.

🔹 Q3 – Perform (Strength & Functional Workouts)

What It Does: Builds muscle with controlled strength training and balanced endurance formats like circuits, EMOMs, and AMRAPs.
Why You Need It: Your body needs load-based muscle building to prevent breakdown from all the cardio.
Result: You’ll rebuild lost muscle, improve your metabolism, and burn fat more efficiently.

🔹 Q4 – Recover (Stretching, Yoga & Breathwork)

What It Does: Calms your nervous system and reduces cortisol with deep breathing, yoga, and mobility.
Why You Need It: Recovery is often skipped by runners. This step brings your body back to “rest and rebuild” mode.
Result: Your body finally gets the signal to stop breaking down muscle and start repairing.

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Why DYOFITX Is Different from Other Workout Systems

It focuses equally on mobility, strength, and recovery—not just burning calories.
It integrates cortisol-balancing techniques to prevent fat storage from stress.
It is fully customizable to your fitness level, running load, and recovery needs.

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What You Need to Do Next

Reduce Long-Distance Runs: You don’t have to quit marathons but cut down unnecessary cardio volume.
Prioritize Strength Training: Aim for at least 3 sessions per week with progressive loading.
Focus on Nutrition: Ensure you’re getting enough calories and at least 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
Invest in Recovery: Sleep, breathwork, mobility, and active rest days are essential.