Running and trying to lose weight

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beckygreene86
beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been running for a couple years now but decided last month to lose some weight. I am struggling. I'm doing fine with the decrease in calories but my running is taking a hit because of this. I find myself sluggish and at times lightheaded due to not enough fuel. I try to eat a protein/carb diet before my run but this past week has been awful. I usually run 4-6 miles a couple times a week and 10+ miles on Saturday. Right now a 5K is a lot. Looking for suggestions for meals that fuel my runs but still able to lose weight.
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Replies

  • tgilmore16
    tgilmore16 Posts: 8 Member
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    I run about the same amount as you. What works for me is about 4 oz of 100% orange juice and one slice of wheat bread toasted with cottage cheese and a spoon of preserves. I do have to give it about an hour to digest before starting the long run. I got this from The Racing Weight cookbook.
  • Lynnmi07
    Lynnmi07 Posts: 131 Member
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    Maybe try one of those energy gu gels before or mid run, they won't add too many extra calories. But, otherwise it sounds like maybe you really aren't doing well with the decrease in calories and need to increase them slightly or arleast on the days you run.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    How much weight per week are you trying to lose? How much did you cut your calories by?
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    I would like to lose about 1 lb a week. It puts my calorie intake at about 1280 calories a day. I'm usually around that. I will admit though, I don't add a lot of extra calories unless it is a day of my long run. I walk 35-45 minutes most days at a moderate pace but really don't even count those calories used. I've decided I will be adding enough calories to cover what my garmin watch says I used for my runs but I want those calories to be the best to help my running and with the weight loss.

    As for how many calories did I cut? I have no idea. I never counted calories before I started this. Eating healthy has never been in my vocabulary. My motto "I run so I can eat" lol
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,485 Member
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    Are you eating back at lest a portion of your exercise calories?
    MFP is set up so that you ad your exercise calories to your basic calories that have the required deficit (your 1280).
    So 1280+at least a percentage of your exercise calories.

    I personally would be bad tempered or napping all day if I didn't take in extra nutrition for exercise.

    Cheers, h.
  • thunder1982
    thunder1982 Posts: 280 Member
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    I personally cant eat before a run. Choc milk I have heard is great afterwards. When I did a 12.6km run I had one before and afterwards (skim milk) and no issues with dizzyness. I have on occasion experienced dizziness while running but I live in the tropics so its usually been a heat issue as opposed to a nutrition issue.
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    I feel pretty good unless I'm trying to run then I realize I need more intake. I want those calories to be good running fuel but also help with my weight loss desire. Any suggestions is appreciated.
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
    edited February 2016
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    tgilmore16 wrote: »
    I run about the same amount as you. What works for me is about 4 oz of 100% orange juice and one slice of wheat bread toasted with cottage cheese and a spoon of preserves. I do have to give it about an hour to digest before starting the long run. I got this from The Racing Weight cookbook.

    Thanks. My daughter likes to eat cottage cheese after her runs but I've never tried it. I'll give it a shot. I eat similar to the other items.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    You either need to eat back a portion of your exercise calories, or calculate your TDEE including your runs/workouts and subtract from there. You are not eating enough.
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    Lynnmi07 wrote: »
    Maybe try one of those energy gu gels before or mid run, they won't add too many extra calories. But, otherwise it sounds like maybe you really aren't doing well with the decrease in calories and need to increase them slightly or arleast on the days you run.
    Thanks for the suggestions.

  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    thunder1982 wrote: »
    I personally cant eat before a run. Choc milk I have heard is great afterwards. When I did a 12.6km run I had one before and afterwards (skim milk) and no issues with dizzyness. I have on occasion experienced dizziness while running but I live in the tropics so its usually been a heat issue as opposed to a nutrition issue.
    I've tried chocolate milk before and after runs and causes too much stomach issues. Not sure why. Occasionly have had some lactose issues but not consistently. Maybe with that and running is too much. The dizziness tends to be going up hills, little too much work for the lack of calories.
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    You either need to eat back a portion of your exercise calories, or calculate your TDEE including your runs/workouts and subtract from there. You are not eating enough.
    Looking for good suggestions that help my running but also help with weight loss.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    beckygreene83 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    You either need to eat back a portion of your exercise calories, or calculate your TDEE including your runs/workouts and subtract from there. You are not eating enough.
    Looking for good suggestions that help my running but also help with weight loss.

    Good thing I gave you one. MFP gives you a deficit already. When you burn extra calories, you need to eat them back. It is the NEAT method.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
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    beckygreene83 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    You either need to eat back a portion of your exercise calories, or calculate your TDEE including your runs/workouts and subtract from there. You are not eating enough.
    Looking for good suggestions that help my running but also help with weight loss.

    It's actually a pretty good suggestion, I manually set mine based on TDEE though I do a little eat back when I have extra exertion on a day. Steady loss since just after Christmas.
  • Nikki10129
    Nikki10129 Posts: 292 Member
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    1280 calories while working out that much is not enough. If you want to improve your running you need to lower your expectations on how fast you want to lose weight. You can't maintain a good running regime while trying to aggressively lose weight. I'm 5' and 1200 calories is not enough to fuel me most days, you need to up your calories (it would probably benefit you to calculate your TDEE).
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    chandanista wrote: »
    beckygreene83 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    You either need to eat back a portion of your exercise calories, or calculate your TDEE including your runs/workouts and subtract from there. You are not eating enough.
    Looking for good suggestions that help my running but also help with weight loss.

    It's actually a pretty good suggestion, I manually set mine based on TDEE though I do a little eat back when I have extra exertion on a day. Steady loss since just after Christmas.

    I agree the suggestion is good. I'm looking for food suggestions that would help me with increasing my calories to fuel my run but will help with continued weight loss. I don't have lots to lose but I need to get it down or will have too many to lose.
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    Nikki10129 wrote: »
    1280 calories while working out that much is not enough. If you want to improve your running you need to lower your expectations on how fast you want to lose weight. You can't maintain a good running regime while trying to aggressively lose weight. I'm 5' and 1200 calories is not enough to fuel me most days, you need to up your calories (it would probably benefit you to calculate your TDEE).

    You are right, I can't maintain the running. Left my daughter to run on her own the past few times. Looking for food suggestions that are great for helping my running as well as help with continued weight loss.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    beckygreene83 wrote: »
    Nikki10129 wrote: »
    1280 calories while working out that much is not enough. If you want to improve your running you need to lower your expectations on how fast you want to lose weight. You can't maintain a good running regime while trying to aggressively lose weight. I'm 5' and 1200 calories is not enough to fuel me most days, you need to up your calories (it would probably benefit you to calculate your TDEE).

    You are right, I can't maintain the running. Left my daughter to run on her own the past few times. Looking for food suggestions that are great for helping my running as well as help with continued weight loss.

    As far as weight loss goes, any foods are fine. I mean, as long as you are in a deficit and meeting your macro and micronutrient goals. As far as foods that better fuel you for runs...that's up to you. I don't do cardio so maybe other runners can suggest something for this.
  • Nikki10129
    Nikki10129 Posts: 292 Member
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    Banana's are great post run, and if you need a few extra calories slapping on some peanut butter never hurt anybody. As for pre-run, I can't eat anything heavy right before or it comes right back up, just the general, fuel up on some carbs before a big run, pasta, rice, toast and peanut butter.
  • beckygreene86
    beckygreene86 Posts: 27 Member
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    Nikki10129 wrote: »
    Banana's are great post run, and if you need a few extra calories slapping on some peanut butter never hurt anybody. As for pre-run, I can't eat anything heavy right before or it comes right back up, just the general, fuel up on some carbs before a big run, pasta, rice, toast and peanut butter.

    Banana and peanut butter is definitely one of my favorite that I have before my runs. I try to eat protein and carbs about an hour before I go run then additional carbs right before. On a long run I will usually have an apple or orange with me to keep me going.

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