Marathon training and weight loss
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I don't really do any protein powder at all. Should I start?0
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I can't imagine wasting my calorie allowance on powdered shakes if I could have some delicious meat or chocolate milk instead. Especially when I'm restricting calories!0
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I have a protein shake after any reasonably hard workout. My diet is pretty carb-heavy, so I struggle to hit my protein macros and every little helps. I agree with litsy3 that chocolate milk is pretty much just as good, but my shake is a little easier to mix and has that little bit more protein (and it's not too expensive, either). I can't imagine eating meat after a hard workout, though!
My rule on drinking calories is, "Only drink them if you're about to use them", and that applies to pre-workout fuelling and recovery.0 -
I know for me, and many of my running friends who are 170-190lbs, getting 170-200g of protien is difficult without supplementing a shake or two during heavy marathon training. I'm burning a minimum of 1000 calories a morning on an 8 mile run, sometimes closer to 2000 when i'm doing middle distance 14-15 milers. I have a really hard time eating anything after a morning session. Drinking some of them in the form of a protien shake helps with not only hydration but getting that much needing protien. Matt Fitzgerald's race weight cookbook has several recovery drinks that all use protien powders, fruit, electrolyte tablets, etc. I'll generally get 400-500 calories with one of those immediately after the workout then about and hour later finally be able to eat something solid for breakfast.
If you can meet your protien goal without shakes it's obviously best, but i've found shakes give me more latitude with the rest of my diet since I can get 75g for less than 400 calories.0 -
I'm maintaining in the low to mid 160s, with maintenance calories of 3000 to 3400 depending on where I am in the training cycle. I eat back fewer calories than Garmin says I burn, because I can't handle a super wide variance in consumption between a long run day and a rest day; so my base calories have some of the running built in. I ignore MFP's calculation of how much I should eat and manage the calories to make my weight trend sideways. The scale will tell me if I've made a mistake in one direction or the other.
I find that I'm satisfied with 150g of protein in a day, and I don't worry if it goes to 170 or 190. I don't think I've ever seen it hit 200g. I don't do protein shakes. My go-to sources of lean protein are baked chicken breast, low fat cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt. I also have more eggs in my diet than the common weight loss advice would allow, but in addition to the protein the eggs give me some fat grams when I might otherwise come in too low on fat. But fat doesn't do anything for satiety, and protein does.
My understanding of protein shakes is that they're useful for people who need to hit very high protein targets while restricting total calories. I've tried them, and not found them particularly satiating; so I don't do them as long as I can get enough protein from real food.1 -
rightoncommander wrote: »I have a protein shake after any reasonably hard workout. My diet is pretty carb-heavy, so I struggle to hit my protein macros and every little helps. I agree with litsy3 that chocolate milk is pretty much just as good, but my shake is a little easier to mix and has that little bit more protein (and it's not too expensive, either). I can't imagine eating meat after a hard workout, though!
My rule on drinking calories is, "Only drink them if you're about to use them", and that applies to pre-workout fuelling and recovery.
Well, I meant the meat was more in my diet in general for my protein goal, not straight after the workout. But I would happily eat a full Scottish breakfast straight after a 20-mile run.
I only aim for about 90g of protein per day, being small, so I can see that it's easier for me.
My rule on drinking calories is 'only if it's actually delicious'. I happily drink wine and gin though, which have no nutritional value but seem worthwhile to me.1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
I don't really have a protein goal. I know I get more than enough throughout the day but I don't really keep track of if I hit a certain number of grams of protein. Never have really.0 -
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In terms of protein, a meta-analysis of studies points to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of LEAN body mass (LBM) being sufficient. Most folks go for 1 g/lb of LBM, which isn't harmful but not really necessary unless you are already lean and cutting weight. Plus, with protein being satiating, some find it helpful. Going for 1g/lb of weight is another common shortcut, but not necessary. Not harmful, but not necessary, and I wouldn't bother with protein shakes to try to get to that amount. The 0.8 gram/lb of LBM already has a safety factor.
For me, at 150 lbs and ~10% body fat, this would be around 108 grams/day. I get 130 pretty easily without any protein shakes/bars. Having concentrated on weight training for a couple of years before I started getting serious with running, I was already used to eating a pretty high protein diet.2 -
When I finish my marathon on 2 October I'm going to eat 3000 calories of whatever I feel like (probably roast beef, roast potatoes, and a bucket of red wine) if I can fit that much in! Even though I won't have burnt that much.....
My 1st Half Marathon is on October 1st, and I've got gourmet donuts planned for the morning after. We're talking s'mores, key lime, blackberry lemonade, etc... I figure if my son, husband, and I all get 2 different donuts each, we can split them into thirds and can then taste 6 different delicious donuts.0 -
BeeerRunner wrote: »When I finish my marathon on 2 October I'm going to eat 3000 calories of whatever I feel like (probably roast beef, roast potatoes, and a bucket of red wine) if I can fit that much in! Even though I won't have burnt that much.....
My 1st Half Marathon is on October 1st, and I've got gourmet donuts planned for the morning after. We're talking s'mores, key lime, blackberry lemonade, etc... I figure if my son, husband, and I all get 2 different donuts each, we can split them into thirds and can then taste 6 different delicious donuts.
Are they doing the half marathon too? Because if not I think you should get to eat all the donuts.2 -
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Puts our Krispy Kreme challenge into perspective.1
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BeeerRunner wrote: »When I finish my marathon on 2 October I'm going to eat 3000 calories of whatever I feel like (probably roast beef, roast potatoes, and a bucket of red wine) if I can fit that much in! Even though I won't have burnt that much.....
My 1st Half Marathon is on October 1st, and I've got gourmet donuts planned for the morning after. We're talking s'mores, key lime, blackberry lemonade, etc... I figure if my son, husband, and I all get 2 different donuts each, we can split them into thirds and can then taste 6 different delicious donuts.
2 doughnuts for a half marathon.... I'd need wine and a chinese takeaway to make it worth my while... :laugh:1 -
7.5 donuts!!! I love you @5512bf !! Lol!
@TavistockToad My birthday is also that weekend so I plan on eating some good food, cake, and drinking afterwards as well! But as long as I dance to burn off some more calories, I'll bet I can make the 7.5 donuts work!! Lol!
@litsy3 The family isn't running so maybe I'll toss them a few donut holes. Maybe...
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