After more than 4,000 rosy-cheeked, fit runners crossed the NYC marathon’s finish line on Sunday, it’s no surprise that New Year’s resolutions may come a little earlier this year.If you want to rev up a stale workout routine, lace up.

But, if major weight loss is your prime motivator, training to run a grueling 26.2 miles race may not get you there.

Depending on your activity, current weight, and energy output, you may need to increase your intake, or maintain the status quo, to fuel your muscles. For athletes looking to trim a few pounds, a 10-20 percent cut back on total usual intake (with fat no less than 15 percent), is doable, but any more than that can be dangerous.

First off, you should get an idea of how many calories you actually burn while you run. Though we’re all for cardiovascular activity to promote a healthy heart, body and mind, it may not give you as much of an energy deficit as you think.

FAT

Fat is needed for its essential fatty acids, fat soluble vitamin (A, D, E, K) absorption and energy stores. Fat should comprise 20 to 35 percent of your total caloric intake and come from primarily unsaturated fat sources. If you skimp too much on meals or snacks in the hope of burning more calories, your muscles will draw fuel from your lean body tissue and fat stores leading to compromised body functions (endocrine, immune and musculoskeletal) and the sensation of “hitting the wall” (as fat is called upon for energy to replace lost glycogen), slowing you down or bringing you to a stop.

CARBS

Carbs are your main energy source. Whatever your past relationship with carbohydrates, in training, they should make up 50 to 65 percent of total energy intake, if you’re going to hit the pavement hard. It’s at the higher end of the Food Guide Pyramid, but it doesn’t allow for many low quality calorically-dense passes. Spreading them over the course of three meals (and two snacks) that are balanced with some protein and a little fat is the way to plate it.

Depending on your needs, carby snacks can range from 100 to 300 calories and should be low in fat and dairy and may include some fiber, when training.  Good choices include trail mix, fruit, a handful of pretzels, PB&J on graham crackers, a glass of low fat chocolate milk or a sports drink.

Some meal suggestions:

If you’re an early morning runner: Sandwich one whole egg and one or two egg whites on a whole wheat English muffin and add some berries on the side.

For lunch time gym-goers: Have a whole wheat wrap with turkey or tuna fish and 1/4 of an avocado and salad.

Late night sweaters: Go for a baked chicken breast, a sweet potato and a bowl of reduced sodium vegetable soup.

PROTEIN

Protein does a good job of building strength and repairing sore muscles, but overdoing it won’t make the ache go away any faster, in fact, it’ll just lead to dehydration. The current Recommended Daily Allowance for protein is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight. (Take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms.) But, if you’re going to be clocking serious miles, aim for an increase of 1.2 to 1.4 g per kilogram of body weight per day.

FLUIDS

It is important to monitor fluid intake throughout the day to balance fluid (sweat) losses and prevent dehydration especially when training. Drink before, during and after exercise–about 16 to 20 oz. an hour. Though sports drinks offer electrolytes and ward off dehydration, when it comes to weight control, they may do more damage than good.  If you are concerned about your weight, stick mostly with water.

We love our beachside pina coladas, especially when paired with a hard-hitting sandy run. Hop on a plane, train or automobile to take a sweat-cation, so you’ll get off from work, not from being fit.

Plane

Bikini Bootcamp, Tulum, Mexico

This six-day “Bikini Bootcamp” may sound tough, but it has some softie elements to it. Sure you’ll do your share of Vinyasa yoga and circuit training, but you’ll also take a drumming lesson, get two massages, a Mayan clay treatment, work on that novel and eat the catch-of-the-day, with fresh-squeezed pineapple juice, every day.

August 29-September 4 and September 13-19. $2,135. www.amansala.com.

Save $250 per person when signing up with your mom, daughter and/or sis.

Train

Bollywood Dance Retreat at Omege, Rhinebeck, NY

After riding along the Hudson River for about 90 minutes on Amtrak, you’ll take a quick cab to the green (in color and sustainability) 32-year-old Omega Institute. Wellness retreats fostering personal and social change rotate each week. But on August 14-16 Hemalayaa, creator of “The Bollywood Dance Workout” teaches the moves that make the movies.

You’ll cool down with organic, vegetarian fare, kayak in the lake and have access to such soothing treatments like “Heart of the Lotus”.

August 14, 15, 16 $325, 877.944.2002 eomega.org

Automobiles

New Life Hiking Spa, Killington, VT

At New Life Hiking Spa, you can put your “walk-up” jokes to rest and actually trek three to eight mile trails. You’ll ease into the routine as you practice Chi Kung (breathing techniques) in the a.m., followed by hiking, water workouts, yoga and Pilates.

Masseuses are on site to in case the stretching sessions don’t suffice.

2-4 day mini vacation $229-$249 per person, (866)-298-5433, http://www.newlifehikingspa.com/

Book by August 15 and get $25 off every three-night stay or $175 off per person for an 11-night Weight Loss Retreat.

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JUST BREATHE

From down dogging in Union Square to running around in circles in Prospect Park, we’re taking advantage of the (finally) dried skies, no matter the frizz factor. Still, we’re not gonna put up with yellow stains or suffocating fabrics. SDC’s resident fashionista, Jessica Lerew, investigated breathable workout options that span the Skinny Steal VS. Dip Deeper price spectrum and all the sports in between, so we’ll never have to question keeping our arms up while we hula-hoop.

Cruising downhill with the wind whipping against our faces is just fan-tastic until we come to an abrupt stop at the foot of Central Park’s monstrous Harlem Hill. You’ll keep going when you’re wearing one of these shirts which have you covered (but not too much).

SKINNY: $60 Hot orange, but as cool as our favorite empire waist shirts that give us ample room to move no matter what we eat, the wide front straps on Schrader by Terry’s cycling shirt have an integrated support bra, but gives way just beneath the chest all the way to the hip.

$94.99

DIP: $94.99
Indie Bike’s sweetheart Giordana’s Shaped Racerback isn’t just flattering—the flexi straps also keep our arms unrestricted. Composed mostly of comfy Supplex material, the added mesh panel behind two rear pockets keeps the sun’s rays from beating sweat circles into our backs.

$39

YOGA

Sure we could be Zen enough to overcome any sweltering moments while holding an extended Warrior Three, but on broiling days like today, we don’t think we have to try.

SKINNY: $39 Neon green and composed of company’s kid sister fabric, Luon Light, Lululemon Athletica’s Cool Racerback will certainly draw attention, but only for its color and fit, not any wet marks, because this lightweight material is both chafe resistant and perspiration protected.

$60

DIP: $60 Omala’s Bamboo Double Layer Cami gives you support with a built in shelf and an alternate colored waist band, without sacrificing the breathability since the soft bamboo fiber sucks out moisture.

HIKE

Trekking through the woods always give us the false impression of a verdant lush green filled afternoon–not muggy terrain. These tops keep such illusions alive.

$20

SKINNY: $20 The North Face W Velocitee Crew’s fabric sweeps sweat to the shirt’s outer layer, away from plain sight and the set-in sleeves give some bonus protection from wayward twigs and (ick) bugs.

$40

DIP: $40

Patagonia’s Women Shade Running shirt’s off-set shoulder seams reduce chafing under your backpack , cute gathers add shape without bulk and the material wicks moisture and dries fast. When you do you get hot, you won’t get burned, because this guy protects you with 30 UPF. Oh, and you’ll give it back to nature when you recycle it through the Common Threads Recycling Program.

RUN

We wait all year to ditch the treadmill and then get all whiney when it’s too hot. We need a new excuse.

$14.99

SKINNY: $14.99 The fact that Under Armour’s Women’s Action Racer Back is part of their HeatGear line kind of threw us off. But once we experienced its ability to improve airflow and mobility, prevent boo boos with its side seams and control odor, we realized we couldn’t care less what they call it.

$48

DIP: $48

With adiStar Shimmel’s complicated technology like ClMACOOL (to keep you dry) and FORMOTION (to support your muscles) and a high impact bra to keep you comfy, we’d be suspicious of this shirt’s true job if it weren’t for the signature stripes.