Macros for runners?

Bulldogs1717

Hello

I'm curious about how you all structure your macros who are runners? I am really struggling with post-workout fatigue, and feel maybe it's a nutrition thing. I have always run about 20-30 miles/week and strength train 2 days/week. But lately I'm really struggling to recover from my workouts, or I feel drained and exhausted and not performing at my usual level (speed, energy, focus, all struggling). I typically take in about 1200-1500 calories/day for a 5'2 female, and and try to put a focus on protein and have incorporated BCAAs after workouts, etc. But I still feel exhausted and just not bouncing back very well.

Do any of you with a similar workout routine have any tips for macros, timing of meals, etc that might help? I'm not sure what to do.

Thanks!

Kim

cwolfman13

carbs

sijomial

Throw away the BCAAs - complete waste of time, if you are short of protein then have whey protein (which contains 25% BCAA anyway...)

First get your calorie level right as the total amount of food eaten is more important than timing, then get your carbs right, it's your carbs that give you energy for exercise.

Have you recently started to try and lose weight?

deannalfisher

1200-1500 sounds too low for your weekly activity level

lorrpb

what is your current macro split?

The_Enginerd

deannalfisher wrote: »

1200-1500 sounds too low for your weekly activity level

I second this. It sounds like you are eating at a pretty significant deficit. What weight loss rate are you targeting/achieving? Tweaking your macros isn't going to help much if the calories aren't there.

TavistockToad

The_Enginerd wrote: »

deannalfisher wrote: »

1200-1500 sounds too low for your weekly activity level

I second this. It sounds like you are eating at a pretty significant deficit. What weight loss rate are you targeting/achieving? Tweaking your macros isn't going to help much if the calories aren't there.

I third it!

Presumably you're trying to lose weight? What are your stats?

My macros are 45 carbs/30fat/25 protein and I usually exceed my carbs the day before and day of my long run (currently half marathon training) I also eat at maintenance the day before my long run and eat every single running calorie back

erickirb

Are you eating in a deficit? most likely that is why. training while in a deficit often leads to being tired, as your body is trying to recover and using energy for that

janejellyroll

How large is your deficit?

I don't train well when my deficit is too large. If you are confident that you're eating enough, what are your current macros? When I don't get enough carbohydrates, I can also see it in my running.

DX2JX2

At that mileage, macros shouldn't make a ton of difference. You either need more calories, or you need to give yourself a rest week or two where you cut your volume in half.

Remember that running fatigue is largely cumulative. Giving yourself a good rest once in a while does wonders for your performance. How long since you've had a cut back week?

Bulldogs1717

Thank you for all the feedback. I am eating about 30% carb/40% protein/30% fat split right now, but maybe it's the overall number of calories that isn't enough for athletic performance. I am about 5'2, weigh 118. I want to lose about 5 lbs, so not a ton and maybe this is just where my body wants me to stay.....but ideally want to gain muscle, lose fat....shape up my body composition essentially and just see if some tweaks with being more mindful of what I eat helps me feel better overall.

What is an ideal deficit target range for weight loss with high activity levels? I don't want to go too overboard here, but would like to thing I can still do my races, etc and also lose weight. It sounds like I'm just tackling that goal the wrong way.....

As far as rest- I take 1 full rest day a week where I don't do anything, and maybe I could do a few more "lighter" workouts here and there when I'm not actively training for a race.

Thank you again for all the feedback and any ideas you have based on this information.

deannalfisher

When you say you strength train - what are you doing?

In my experience (2x Ironman, multiple marathons) that had more effect on my body comp than just focusing on weight ever did

I also found when I gradually increased calories my workout quality improved and I recovered better rather than being in a state a stress (causing cortisol etc to build up)

TavistockToad

Bulldogs1717 wrote: »

Thank you for all the feedback. I am eating about 30% carb/40% protein/30% fat split right now, but maybe it's the overall number of calories that isn't enough for athletic performance. I am about 5'2, weigh 118. I want to lose about 5 lbs, so not a ton and maybe this is just where my body wants me to stay.....but ideally want to gain muscle, lose fat....shape up my body composition essentially and just see if some tweaks with being more mindful of what I eat helps me feel better overall.

What is an ideal deficit target range for weight loss with high activity levels? I don't want to go too overboard here, but would like to thing I can still do my races, etc and also lose weight. It sounds like I'm just tackling that goal the wrong way.....

As far as rest- I take 1 full rest day a week where I don't do anything, and maybe I could do a few more "lighter" workouts here and there when I'm not actively training for a race.

Thank you again for all the feedback and any ideas you have based on this information.

How large of a deficit is net 1500 cals for you?

I'd swap10% of your protein for carbs personally.

You might want to look at recomp instead of losing scale weight?

erickirb

Bulldogs1717 wrote: »

Thank you for all the feedback. I am eating about 30% carb/40% protein/30% fat split right now, but maybe it's the overall number of calories that isn't enough for athletic performance. I am about 5'2, weigh 118. I want to lose about 5 lbs, so not a ton and maybe this is just where my body wants me to stay.....but ideally want to gain muscle, lose fat....shape up my body composition essentially and just see if some tweaks with being more mindful of what I eat helps me feel better overall.

What is an ideal deficit target range for weight loss with high activity levels? I don't want to go too overboard here, but would like to thing I can still do my races, etc and also lose weight. It sounds like I'm just tackling that goal the wrong way.....

As far as rest- I take 1 full rest day a week where I don't do anything, and maybe I could do a few more "lighter" workouts here and there when I'm not actively training for a race.

Thank you again for all the feedback and any ideas you have based on this information.

A daily deficit of 250 cals is all you should be aiming for with so little to lose (0.5lb/week weight loss goal). I agree too that you should up your carbs by 10% and lower protein. Can even start with a 5% increase to carbs.

firef1y72

TavistockToad wrote: »

The_Enginerd wrote: »

deannalfisher wrote: »

1200-1500 sounds too low for your weekly activity level

I second this. It sounds like you are eating at a pretty significant deficit. What weight loss rate are you targeting/achieving? Tweaking your macros isn't going to help much if the calories aren't there.

I third it!

Presumably you're trying to lose weight? What are your stats?

My macros are 45 carbs/30fat/25 protein and I usually exceed my carbs the day before and day of my long run (currently half marathon training) I also eat at maintenance the day before my long run and eat every single running calorie back

I fourth it. I run about the same mileage and up until the last week (tapering so.much lower mileage) I was eating 2000-3000 Calories a day. I wouldn't log the day of a long run or the day after, the day before and day after i normally eat nearer the 3000, carb heavy (usually wholemeal pasta because I love pasta bake the day before) the day before and protein heavy the day after. Tbh long run day is probably pretty carb heavy too, I tend to crave crisps and bread straight after.

DX2JX2

With your stats, you need something like 1500 calories a day net of exercise calories to maintain. Assuming that you run 4 miles per day on average, this would say that you should be eating close to 1800-1900 calories per day to keep your weight steady.

Worrying about macros is majoring in the minors for you right now. Up your calories regardless of the source and that will likely set you straight. Once you find the right calorie level, then you can start playing with your macros to figure out what works best for you. Personally, I don't formally sweat my macros but I do know what types of foods work/don't work for me workout-wise.