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MyFitnessPal Community

Post exercise eat a thon... Help new to running

tssomerville6113

I am new to running. Today i ran and within 30 minutes of me finishing my workout i was starving and eat 3 slices of pizza. That is more than i eat for dinner most nights. Can anyone explain why i was starving after my work out ... i burned 400 calories and eat back 600? Help i am trying to lose weight but it doesnt help if i am starving after a workout... i usually don't get starving if i run at night but felt amazing this morning and prefer to do a morning run.

Replies

SueInAz

Exercising will always make you more hungry. That's just the way it is. I don't usually find that I'm hungry within such a short time after my morning 5K run, though, and I run as soon as I get up and don't eating anything beforehand.

Now that you know what happens after you run during the day, make a plan and have better food choices on hand so you don't go over the calories you just finished burning. I'll often just have a protein shake after my runs or just my normal breakfast.

mrssawka2024

Did you eat before your run? I cannot run in the AM without a little something in my stomach or I will come home and eat everything in sight.

Also, how did you get your 400 calorie burn? That is alot for a 30 minute run. On average, the burn is 100 calories per mile depending on your weight.

Erica262

Eat something high in protein (like Greek yogurt) within 30 minutes after your run. I'm always starving if I don't eat soon after. Also... Are you actually hungry or just thirsty? Make sure you're hydrating. If it's crazy hot out, go with half water, half sports drink or coconut water to replenish electrolytes.

tssomerville6113

I did not eat before my run, just a glass of water. I ran 3.25 miles with about a half mile cool down at 11 mile pace i current weight about 144.

jaga13

tssomerville6113 wrote: »

I am new to running. Today i ran and within 30 minutes of me finishing my workout i was starving and eat 3 slices of pizza. That is more than i eat for dinner most nights. Can anyone explain why i was starving after my work out ... i burned 400 calories and eat back 600? Help i am trying to lose weight but it doesnt help if i am starving after a workout... i usually don't get starving if i run at night but felt amazing this morning and prefer to do a morning run.

Are you saying that you ran in the morning, then 30 minutes later were starving (so you ate 3 slices of pizza)? If so, you were probably starving because it was time to eat breakfast (or whatever, your first meal of the day). Plan accordingly. I run on an empty stomach in the morning, but I've already planned/prepped my breakfast so I can immediately eat (about 300 calories) and move on with my day.

If you are saying you ran at night...or some other time of day....look back at what you ate throughout the day. Were you due to eat dinner (or another meal/snack)? You probably were legitimately hungry but didn't plan well. Next time, pre-plan, even pre-log, what you are going to eat after your run.

PS--400 calories in 30 minutes sounds highly exaggerated. And sadly 3 slices of pizza is more likely 750 calories, not 600. Be careful...I started running years ago and never lost weight. I now believe it was because I (unknowingly) ate back all my exercise calories and more. Now that I weigh and track all my food, this is no longer a problem.

mrssawka2024

I would definitely suggest eating something small before you run. I run 2-4 miles every day and I eat a piece of toast with fruit, or a hard boiled egg with a glass of almond milk before I go out.

At 5'1" and 128 pounds I am lucky to burn 200 calories at 3 miles. I use a Garmin Forerunner 220 running watch that has my stats plugged in to it, and based on experience, the calories burned are pretty accurate. So be sure to estimate your burn correctly.

I think the hardest thing about running, or any exercise, is not getting sucked into the "burn 'em, eat 'em" mentality.

blgerig

I would suggest a small snack before and/or after your run. You might have to play around to see what helps you feel full.

mbaker566

try eating something filling but less caloric, like a salad with lots of veggies and some egg or other protein so you stay full longer

I can't eat before I run, but I've started guzzling a bit of milk.

and it's not bad to eat 600 cal of pizza if you didn't eat over your caloric allotment...that's the trick

brendak76

I can relate. I gain weight training for marathons and any race because of extreme hunger. For me, I believe the stress of running on my body messed with my cortisol levels too much. I could never "catch" the hunger no matter what I ate before, during, or after runs. I switched to lower impact workouts and lots more walking and it's helped immensely.

snowflakesav

I don't think feeling hungry is common for most runners. Getting dehydrated and needing a bit more salt or electrolytes in summer is.

There is a chance that what you are experiencing is actually bonking.

There is a point where people burn up all the stored glycogen in their muscles. Running slower can help you burn a higher ratio of fat to glycogen and you would be less likely to experience this starving/bonking feeling.

tssomerville6113

Thank you. i will try having a small snack before my work out and maybe try to push myself less...

mbaker566

I love reading whatever @snowflakesav says. I always feel smarter after

bpotts44

You think she bonked in 30 minutes? Seriously? Its not bad advice to run slow, but highly doubtful she bonked just because she said she was hungry.

SueInAz

bpotts44 wrote: »

You think she bonked in 30 minutes? Seriously? Its not bad advice to run slow, but highly doubtful she bonked just because she said she was hungry.

This was my first thought, too. I can do 6 miles (about an hour) without having eaten since dinner the night before and not bonk.

I also don't believe the OP actually burned 400 calories with her stats (144 pounds, 27 years) over 3.25 miles. OP, watch over-estimations of your calorie burn. It can ruin what little deficit you can create without much weight left to lose. At 130-135 pounds I burn 280 calories on a 5K (3.1 mile) run at about your pace (11 MPH). Your calorie burn is probably closer to 300 calories given your slightly higher mass and that you're relatively new to running.

cwolfman13

I'm always hungry after a good ride, a run, or lifting...i think it's pretty normal...maybe make better choices than 3 slices of pizza are in order though.

i usually ride or run during my lunch break at work...so i eat lunch when I get back...I brown bag it pretty much every day so I always have something highly nutritious to feed that fitness without breaking the calorie bank.

charlieandcarol

Bonking has a whole other meaning in Australia.......

rachelbouc

Yes, this will happen. On Sundays I do a 3 hour bike ride. I couldn't imagine doing it on an empty stomach. I even stop half way and need to eat something to help with my energy levels. I time it so that when I get home I'm eating a meal instead of mindlessly filling my mouth with something to satisfy the calorie void in my body.

Mapalicious

When I come home from a run, I immediately have a glass of water, or a glass of water with an Emergen-C packet in it for vitamins and electrolytes. Then I get busy making my breakfast that I have everyday (not pizza...a greek-yogurt & berry smoothie w/ extra soy protein added).

Exercise like running/biking etc usually makes me LESS hungry in general, but if you are thirsty or just deprived of calories you are going to feel hunger. Stick a tiny bit of sugar and water in your body (Emergen-C, for example, has like 20 or 25 calories in it) and you should be good to get over that hump. Or like..a handful of blueberries, or a little apricot or something.

Just remember your body is freaking out that you're about to die in the savannah. But your brain knows you're not. So listen to your body (and feed it) but also listen to your brain (and feed it well, and gently).

snowflakesav

bpotts44 wrote: »

You think she bonked in 30 minutes? Seriously? Its not bad advice to run slow, but highly doubtful she bonked just because she said she was hungry.

She has been dieting. the assumption I am making based on experience is that she has very low glycogen stores because of dieting. This happens to me if I don't have enough in the tank to support anerobic training. I agree that a properly fueled and trained runner should be able to run two or three hours at an easy aerobic pace without bonking.

kendib

I have the same experience during the summer months. I usually drink a glass of water and then a small glass of orange juice. The little bit of orange juice gives me just the little boost I need until the meal is ready to be eaten.