Running and Calories

jjburger77

I ran 8 miles yesterday. I had a slice of bread with almond butter on it before I left, and when I got home had a protein shake. The day ended up being a really busy one, so I didn't necessarily focus on eating back any of the calories I burnt. Between MapMyFitness and Fitbit, I burnt around 2000 calories on the run, and I ate approximately 1300 calories for the day.

Here's the problem, I'm exhausted this morning. I have at least one more long run before my half-marathon on September 27th. Should I eat back at least half of these calories so I'm not feeling depleted the next day? I don't want to starve myself by eating too few calories. I'm not that kind of person.

Thanks in advance for your help.

PS. I have the Surge which reads heart rate during exercise, so I assume the calorie burn is accurate(ish)

jgnatca

You need to net at least 1200 calories. Today is going to be a replenish day. I'd eat back some of those calories you missed yesterday.

Next time you go on an eight mile run, take some gummy bears along for quick energy. All those calories will be consumed, trust me.

Char231023

Just curious how did you burn 2000 calories in an 8 mile run. I ran a little over 7 miles yesterday and only burned around 700 calories.

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jgnatca

My calories-to-kilometer ratio is about the same as yours, Char. I use Endomondo to calculate. But then again, I run very slowly.

jjburger77

Thanks, @jgnatca. I'll make sure to do that today.

@Char231023, honestly, I have no idea. I'm not a small girl or a big one at that. I'm still at the really high end of normal. More than half of my run was on an incline, so perhaps the hills gave me that little extra. My avg. heart rate was also 172 bpm, so I know it wasn't a low intensity run at all.

SufficientStamina

Char231023 wrote: »

Just curious how did you burn 2000 calories in an 8 mile run. I ran a little over 7 miles yesterday and only burned around 700 calories.

kami3006

It sounds at least doubled. Generally speaking, most burn around 100 per mile.

SufficientStamina

Were you running the whole time? The only way I can see you only burning 700 calories, would be either you were walking or your calorie counter is broke.

dawniemate

kami3006 wrote: »

It sounds at least doubled. Generally speaking, most burn around 100 per mile.

My runs usually work out at 100 calories per mile. ..I eat half back ☺

SueInAz

I am always more hungry the day after a long run than the day of, especially if I didn't eat half of my run calories. This happens fairly often to me because after a run I'm really not that hungry, I'm not the kind of person to stuff my face if I'm not hungry and because I know it'll even out in the end. Then again, I look at my calories more on a weekly basis than a daily one, anyway, so I'm comfortable with splitting my run calories between the day I run and the day after when I'll be more hungry. Since I only run every other day, it works out pretty well. Now, if I were more tired on the day after as a result, I'd probably be more careful to eat more calories the day of the long run.

rsclause

I am a runner too. I went way low on calories one time thinking oh yeah, big loss coming. I felt so bad I couldn't run the next day. After that I focused on trying to get a small deficit and eating back most of my exercise. I lost weight faster and felt better to.

jjburger77

I did think it was high so perhaps it doubled somehow. I tend to be skeptical on calorie burn anyways since I know it's not always accurate.

As for eating back, I will eat back half after my next long run. The last thing I want my body to do is to start breaking down. I've worked really hard to get it where it is now, and injuries and being sick is not part of my plan!

yesimpson

Surefitbabe wrote: »

Were you running the whole time? The only way I can see you only burning 700 calories, would be either you were walking or your calorie counter is broke.

My calorie burn for that distance is similar to @Char231023

I would be very suspicious of a 2000+ reading for a run of that distance, for nearly anyone, but especially for the OP who seems to be female, not overweight, and presumably not super tall.

OP you need to eat for your runs. If you've set MFP up to lose weight, then I would probably eat back all of the running calories (because through trial and error I know the app I use is reasonably accurate - I would not be eating back the 2,000 yours is telling you). You will still lose weight. Maintaining, I may not worry quite so much, but I would be wary of under eating as this will affect your training. Your body needs energy for the runs, and to recover from them to help you progress.

Good luck for your half.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

Surefitbabe wrote: »

Were you running the whole time? The only way I can see you only burning 700 calories, would be either you were walking or your calorie counter is broke.

It's the same as I burn, 100 calories per mile.

SueInAz

Surefitbabe wrote: »

Were you running the whole time? The only way I can see you only burning 700 calories, would be either you were walking or your calorie counter is broke.

You are obviously not a small female. I burn about 90-95 calories per mile running at an average pace of 5.4 MPH.

Char231023

jjburger77 wrote: »

Thanks, @jgnatca. I'll make sure to do that today.

@Char231023, honestly, I have no idea. I'm not a small girl or a big one at that. I'm still at the really high end of normal. More than half of my run was on an incline, so perhaps the hills gave me that little extra. My avg. heart rate was also 172 bpm, so I know it wasn't a low intensity run at all.

I was just curious, I am 130lbs and run with an incline of about 1.5 at average 6.5 so that might make a difference. I also agree with everyone one here you need to fuel your runs.

Surefitbabe wrote: »

Were you running the whole time? The only way I can see you only burning 700 calories, would be either you were walking or your calorie counter is broke.

Yes I was running the whole time average about 6.5 mph.

jjburger77

I looked at MapMyFitness, and even though I swear I recently changed my weight in the app, it was set to 50 pounds higher. I've lost 75 altogether. I'm thinking that perhaps this may have been the cause for MapMyFitness, and since it reads into Fitbit and MFP, it made everything read incorrectly.

I updated it, so I will see if the calories seem a little more accurate during my next run.

And yes, I do run the whole time. I probably won't during the actual half-marathon, but we'll see. *fingers crossed

Hiker_Rob

Personally, i will fuel up the 1 or 2 days before a long run and then after my run (usually run in the morning) I will eat small but frequent higher carb snacks through the day and then have a healthy dinner. I have never woken up fatigued after a good run the day before, sometimes the muscles are a little tired but not fatigued.

Stoshew71

Doubtful you burned 2000 calories on an 8 mile run.

Besides that, any run that lasts more than 90 minutes will burn up a lot of glycogen (your stored sugar in muscles and liver). You will need that glycogen to power any future workouts and your half marathon. Part of recovery is restoring glycogen levels and eating protein for muscle recovery. You will want to eat a good amount of quality carbohydrates and protein immediately (within an hour) after any long run to speed up the recovery process.

mwyvr

jjburger77 wrote: »

I looked at MapMyFitness, and even though I swear I recently changed my weight in the app, it was set to 50 pounds higher. I've lost 75 altogether.

Weight will certainly cause calorie estimation to be off, however unless your 50 pounds higher puts you much much more than 180 pounds, it's still unlikely that you burned 2,000 calories for an 8 mile run. At my 180 lbs an 8 mile / 13km run burns through ~ 930 calories if the course is relatively flat (under 300 feet gain) and ~ 1000-1150 if I'm running in the mountains (1200 feet gain).

Pace... doesn't matter much when it comes to calorie burn, provided you are running not walking. A faster pace means you are more efficient at moving your mass over a certain distance.

Apps like MapMy..., Strava, etc tend to over-exaggerate calorie burn. For example Strava inflates my running calorie estimate by anywhere from 20 - 40%.

It's too bad. I'd like to eat those extra calories. LOL

MeanderingMammal

jjburger77 wrote: »

PS. I have the Surge which reads heart rate during exercise, so I assume the calorie burn is accurate(ish)

I'm seeing quite a lot of fairly negative comment on the GPS accuracy on the Surge.

Calorie expenditure is largely a function of bodymass and distance. That said, I'm not sure that would account for over double what I'd anticipate for an 8 miler.

Also noted the comments about your data configuration, that won't help.

Either use the Surge GPS or a Phone with MapMyFitness. If you're sending two competing estimates to MFP it'll confuse the issue.

MeanderingMammal

jjburger77 wrote: »

...
As for eating back, I will eat back half after my next long run.

and injuries and being sick is not part of my plan!

So why not fuel yourself properly?

jjburger77

I ate plenty leading up to Saturday. I was just thrown with what I saw with the calorie burn. I'm sure it's user error which I'll be able to confirm on my next run, tomorrow.

I also focused on eating today and felt better after a hearty breakfast and snack. My energy didn't feel depleted during my Monday Tacfit class. I think all of your suggestions will help going forward. I'm not against proper nutrition because being healthy is important to me. I would never purposely starve myself for the sake of staying below a certain amount.

@mwyvr, I have about a total of 100 pounds to lose with 25-30 left. The extra 50 put me well into the 200s.

MysticRealm

I went 10 miles a couple weeks back and MapMyRun gave me 1440 cals burnt which I assume is at least a bit of an exaggeration. I'm about 140 pounds.
Fitbit (synced with MFP) gave me 795 extra exercise cals (I'm set at lightly active)
I can definitely feel starved day of and sometimes day after if I haven't eaten enough.

7lenny7

I just ran 8 miles tonight. At 225 pounds and using the MET values to calculate calories burned, I burned about 1440 calories. One of the benefits of being a big guy is burning more calories than smaller folks!

To burn 2000 calories in 8 miles of running, you'd have to weigh about 310 pounds.