People losing weight with lots of cardio

BrainyBurro

Day 1: 9/4/13 150 pounds

egg white omelette (200 cal)
large salad with tuna (500-600 cal)
2 chocolate chip muffins (couldnt resist).. (400 cal)

ran 9.3 miles

I know With this much exercise, I should eat more today, but I feel great and energetic and I listen to my body when it tells me its hungry or not, so for today this is it!

Day 2: 9.5.13

Woke up feeling good, although dehydrated-- drank lots of water
Stepped on the scale and was pleasantly surprised by the number (I won't post it yet because I dont want to focus on the number-- I'll post later in a few days because I know most of this weight is water weight that came off.)

8 am-- bowl of cheerios with vanilla yogurt and blueberries (250 cal)
and egg white omelette (200 cal)

went to trader joe's and bought tons of fruits, veggies, and chicken instead of the normal crap I buy! hopefully this healthy eating this will continue.. fearing cravings (I binge eat junk food when I crave it)

happy thursday!

i can tell you already that you will be under your fats goal today.

there is no such thing as healthy or unhealthy eating. there is only eating enough to fuel your body and getting enough micro- and macro-nutrients.

cwolfman13

OPs "jourey" should end well....

tired of caring about people like this on MFP...good luck and I hope you have good medical insurance OP.

ashleyGW111

Day 1: 9/4/13 150 pounds

egg white omelette (200 cal)
large salad with tuna (500-600 cal)
2 chocolate chip muffins (couldnt resist).. (400 cal)

ran 9.3 miles

I know With this much exercise, I should eat more today, but I feel great and energetic and I listen to my body when it tells me its hungry or not, so for today this is it!

Day 2: 9.5.13

Woke up feeling good, although dehydrated-- drank lots of water
Stepped on the scale and was pleasantly surprised by the number (I won't post it yet because I dont want to focus on the number-- I'll post later in a few days because I know most of this weight is water weight that came off.)

8 am-- bowl of cheerios with vanilla yogurt and blueberries (250 cal)
and egg white omelette (200 cal)

went to trader joe's and bought tons of fruits, veggies, and chicken instead of the normal crap I buy! hopefully this healthy eating this will continue.. fearing cravings (I binge eat junk food when I crave it)

happy thursday!

i can tell you already that you will be under your fats goal today.

there is no such thing as healthy or unhealthy eating. there is only eating enough to fuel your body and getting enough micro- and macro-nutrients.

hi,

could you please elaborate? I would love to hear your advice about meeting a daily fats goal-- after all I've only had breakfast so far. I'm trying to balance my calories between protein and carbs, with a little bit of fat. Thanks!

ashleyGW111

I just want to know what you were eating to get fat, while running two hours a day?!?!

I wouldn't say the op is "fat" their BMI would be 24 I think? which is normal.

Good luck with your healthy eating OP.

THIS.

I am 145 lbs and I'm two inches shorter than OP. And my bf % is 22....

You can't look at height and weight and call someone "fat."

That being said, I was 174 lbs and almost 40% bf when I was running three times a week because I ate a lot. I had soy lattes from starbucks (extra sugar), I ate starbucks sammiches (those tiny things are like 400 calories each and I needed two for a meal!), and I relaxed after a stressful day with a 800 calorie burrito followed with some chips and guacamole. That added up over time.

I got down to 145 just by counting calories (1200 + exercise calories= which meant I was eating about 1500 calories a day!). I kept that caloric intake while adjusting exercise- started doing HIIT instead of steady state running for 20 minutes 3-4 x's a week. I got down to 135. Then I had to go on the candida diet and got down to 123, and probably under 19% bf. That's how I lost weight with lots of cardio.

I was skinny. But it wasn't good. I was tired and weak feeling.

So that's when I started strength training and upped my caloric intake to 1700-1900, with no credit for exercise. I'm up 20 lbs, but I also gained muscle in that time. Now my goal is to be 134 lbs and with my current LBM, that will be 16% bf. I think the best program includes cardio and resistance training. I realized I gained fat in that time, obviously I went up to 23% bf in that time. That was because, for me, tdee wasn't a good idea because life happened and I kept eating a TDEE based on working out 4 x's a week but I wasn't working out 4 x's a week. So I gained muscle and fat, but I'm ok with it. I'll just call it a "bulk"

Anyways, resistance training actually improved my running by strengthening my knee joints. It's worth taking a stab at and has a lot of other benefits, like raising metabolism, improving strength of muscles and bones, and it switches it up.

But if you hate resistance training, I would still say you aren't going to be happy with your training if you aren't fueling yourself enough for those runs.

Hi,

this is actually one of the main issues I wanted to discuss-- I've never tried doing any resistance training, or HIIT.

Ive only done cardio, lots of it. How would you recommend I start with weight training? The people at the gym lifting always intimidate me lol

jonnythan

Day 1: 9/4/13 150 pounds

egg white omelette (200 cal)
large salad with tuna (500-600 cal)
2 chocolate chip muffins (couldnt resist).. (400 cal)

ran 9.3 miles

I know With this much exercise, I should eat more today, but I feel great and energetic and I listen to my body when it tells me its hungry or not, so for today this is it!

Day 2: 9.5.13

Woke up feeling good, although dehydrated-- drank lots of water
Stepped on the scale and was pleasantly surprised by the number (I won't post it yet because I dont want to focus on the number-- I'll post later in a few days because I know most of this weight is water weight that came off.)

8 am-- bowl of cheerios with vanilla yogurt and blueberries (250 cal)
and egg white omelette (200 cal)

went to trader joe's and bought tons of fruits, veggies, and chicken instead of the normal crap I buy! hopefully this healthy eating this will continue.. fearing cravings (I binge eat junk food when I crave it)

happy thursday!

i can tell you already that you will be under your fats goal today.

there is no such thing as healthy or unhealthy eating. there is only eating enough to fuel your body and getting enough micro- and macro-nutrients.

hi,

could you please elaborate? I would love to hear your advice about meeting a daily fats goal-- after all I've only had breakfast so far. I'm trying to balance my calories between protein and carbs, with a little bit of fat. Thanks!

Fat is essential. It is filling, delicious, and very good for your body. Furthermore, it is literally essential for life. Adequate fat intake helps regulate mood, hormone levels, and a host of other things. Inadequate fat intake is to blame for all sorts of things, including a number of diseases. People who don't get enough fat tend to develop poor skin and hair, develop skin ulcers, feel fatigued, etc.

The science puts the optimum range for fat intake between 0.3 and 0.4 grams per lb of bodyweight, which for you translates to 45-60 grams of fat a day.

You're obviously not getting that much.

BrainyBurro

Day 1: 9/4/13 150 pounds

egg white omelette (200 cal)
large salad with tuna (500-600 cal)
2 chocolate chip muffins (couldnt resist).. (400 cal)

ran 9.3 miles

I know With this much exercise, I should eat more today, but I feel great and energetic and I listen to my body when it tells me its hungry or not, so for today this is it!

Day 2: 9.5.13

Woke up feeling good, although dehydrated-- drank lots of water
Stepped on the scale and was pleasantly surprised by the number (I won't post it yet because I dont want to focus on the number-- I'll post later in a few days because I know most of this weight is water weight that came off.)

8 am-- bowl of cheerios with vanilla yogurt and blueberries (250 cal)
and egg white omelette (200 cal)

went to trader joe's and bought tons of fruits, veggies, and chicken instead of the normal crap I buy! hopefully this healthy eating this will continue.. fearing cravings (I binge eat junk food when I crave it)

happy thursday!

i can tell you already that you will be under your fats goal today.

there is no such thing as healthy or unhealthy eating. there is only eating enough to fuel your body and getting enough micro- and macro-nutrients.

hi,

could you please elaborate? I would love to hear your advice about meeting a daily fats goal-- after all I've only had breakfast so far. I'm trying to balance my calories between protein and carbs, with a little bit of fat. Thanks!

fats are a daily minimum. you need fats for cell health and all sorts of other functions.

the simplest guideline is 0.35g per lb of bodyweight. that's about 53g per day you should strive to get. this is an average number and it may be a little higher than what you actually need, but if you hit this goal, you can be sure you're getting sufficient fats. obviously some fats you want to minimize (such as trans fats), but you do need dietary fats for overall health.

53g x 9 calories per gram = 477 calories.

so you can see, if you try 1100 calories as your intake goal, a big chunk needs to be in fats.

this is the real dilemma with 1200 calorie (GROSS) diets. it's hard to meet your daily macro and nutritional needs at that calorie level. you have to plan carefully to do so.

Stage14

I just want to know what you were eating to get fat, while running two hours a day?!?!

I wouldn't say the op is "fat" their BMI would be 24 I think? which is normal.

Good luck with your healthy eating OP.

THIS.

I am 145 lbs and I'm two inches shorter than OP. And my bf % is 22....

You can't look at height and weight and call someone "fat."

That being said, I was 174 lbs and almost 40% bf when I was running three times a week because I ate a lot. I had soy lattes from starbucks (extra sugar), I ate starbucks sammiches (those tiny things are like 400 calories each and I needed two for a meal!), and I relaxed after a stressful day with a 800 calorie burrito followed with some chips and guacamole. That added up over time.

I got down to 145 just by counting calories (1200 + exercise calories= which meant I was eating about 1500 calories a day!). I kept that caloric intake while adjusting exercise- started doing HIIT instead of steady state running for 20 minutes 3-4 x's a week. I got down to 135. Then I had to go on the candida diet and got down to 123, and probably under 19% bf. That's how I lost weight with lots of cardio.

I was skinny. But it wasn't good. I was tired and weak feeling.

So that's when I started strength training and upped my caloric intake to 1700-1900, with no credit for exercise. I'm up 20 lbs, but I also gained muscle in that time. Now my goal is to be 134 lbs and with my current LBM, that will be 16% bf. I think the best program includes cardio and resistance training. I realized I gained fat in that time, obviously I went up to 23% bf in that time. That was because, for me, tdee wasn't a good idea because life happened and I kept eating a TDEE based on working out 4 x's a week but I wasn't working out 4 x's a week. So I gained muscle and fat, but I'm ok with it. I'll just call it a "bulk"

Anyways, resistance training actually improved my running by strengthening my knee joints. It's worth taking a stab at and has a lot of other benefits, like raising metabolism, improving strength of muscles and bones, and it switches it up.

But if you hate resistance training, I would still say you aren't going to be happy with your training if you aren't fueling yourself enough for those runs.

Hi,

this is actually one of the main issues I wanted to discuss-- I've never tried doing any resistance training, or HIIT.

Ive only done cardio, lots of it. How would you recommend I start with weight training? The people at the gym lifting always intimidate me lol

I would look into a good beginners lifting program. Starting Strength and New Rules of Lifting are both really popular. I just started New Rules of Lifting for Women a few weeks ago and love it. You'll be amazed at what strength training does for your body AND for your running, but you can't focus on the scale with it. Weight lifting is not designed for "weight" loss, but it is amazing for FAT loss.

cwolfman13

The science puts the optimum range for fat intake between 0.3 and 0.4 grams per lb of bodyweight, which for you translates to 45-60 grams of fat a day.

She doesn't even science brah...I asked her last night in one of her other theads involving VLCD and excessive exercise.

jonnythan

The science puts the optimum range for fat intake between 0.3 and 0.4 grams per lb of bodyweight, which for you translates to 45-60 grams of fat a day.

She doesn't even science brah...I asked her last night in one of her other theads involving VLCD and excessive exercise.

Clearly. I figured I'd toss the information out there anyway. Perhaps someone else reading will appreciate it.

Lleldiranne

I just want to know what you were eating to get fat, while running two hours a day?!?!

I wouldn't say the op is "fat" their BMI would be 24 I think? which is normal.

Good luck with your healthy eating OP.

thank you I wouldnt have made a third thread, but I was encouraged by the number of people actually interested in it, so here goes! You've been very kind good luck with your fitness journey too! Stay in touch

I haven't read all of this thread, and I missed the pyrotechnics of previous threads alluded to but …

You may also want to consider creating a group for this purpose. Those interested can join and share their workouts and their meal plans, and those who want to tell you you're doing it wrong are much less likely to get involved (look into privacy settings of groups, there are a lot of options). As group admin, you also have a lot more control of what posts are allowed and ability to delete those that are inappropriate.

I'm not judging what you're doing here … it's great to have like-minded support. And you probably want a public thread that points people to your group. But based on what it sounds like has happened, a group may better suit your goals for the forum.

:flowerforyou: Much success in your journey!!

ETA: OK, so I read this page, and it sounds like you are getting a lot of good, and polite advice, so maybe this is where you want to be rather than a group. Or perhaps you want both … Anyway, just throwing out the idea for you to consider.

kyleekay10

Fat is essential. It is filling, delicious, and very good for your body. Furthermore, it is literally essential for life. Adequate fat intake helps regulate mood, hormone levels, and a host of other things. Inadequate fat intake is to blame for all sorts of things, including a number of diseases. People who don't get enough fat tend to develop poor skin and hair, develop skin ulcers, feel fatigued, etc.

The science puts the optimum range for fat intake between 0.3 and 0.4 grams per lb of bodyweight, which for you translates to 45-60 grams of fat a day.

You're obviously not getting that much.

^ This. Also OP, I hope you saw the guidelines I posted towards the bottom of page 5 of this thread. You can definitely get your necessary fats in if you adhere to those guidelines. Quoted again below, in case you missed it:

Better start then yesterday at least. How many calories do you burn on an average run, btw?

Just some information for you based on your stats. This is based on your personal stats + assumption that you have 7-21 hours of strenuous exercise each week (I assumed you run for ~2 hrs/day).

-Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): 1517

-Daily calories to maintain weight (TDEE): 2883

-Daily calories for a 25% reduction from TDEE (The most aggressive you can go): 2162

What this means for you:

-Your body *needs* at least 1,517 calories a day. And that's if you were 100% sedentary. To meet the bare minimum for survival, you'd need to eat another 1,067 calories today.

-To do this "right", you need to eat 2,162 calories a day. That means you'd need another 1,712 calories today.

Simply providing this for you as a guideline. As I said earlier, I will give you the benefit of the doubt for now, and see if you actually make progress towards eating enough to fuel your body.

Edited to remove excess quotes.

ashleyGW111

I just want to know what you were eating to get fat, while running two hours a day?!?!

I wouldn't say the op is "fat" their BMI would be 24 I think? which is normal.

Good luck with your healthy eating OP.

thank you I wouldnt have made a third thread, but I was encouraged by the number of people actually interested in it, so here goes! You've been very kind good luck with your fitness journey too! Stay in touch

I haven't read all of this thread, and I missed the pyrotechnics of previous threads alluded to but …

You may also want to consider creating a group for this purpose. Those interested can join and share their workouts and their meal plans, and those who want to tell you you're doing it wrong are much less likely to get involved (look into privacy settings of groups, there are a lot of options). As group admin, you also have a lot more control of what posts are allowed and ability to delete those that are inappropriate.

I'm not judging what you're doing here … it's great to have like-minded support. And you probably want a public thread that points people to your group. But based on what it sounds like has happened, a group may better suit your goals for the forum.

:flowerforyou: Much success in your journey!!

ETA: OK, so I read this page, and it sounds like you are getting a lot of good, and polite advice, so maybe this is where you want to be rather than a group. Or perhaps you want both … Anyway, just throwing out the idea for you to consider.

exactly!! the positive support and genuine interest on this thread is really encouraging. Some people are giving great advice and asking questions too, which is exactly what I want

ashleyGW111

Marathon runners/ long distance cardio people--

This has been the case for about 2 years now, but on days when I have my long runs (10+ miles) I have trouble falling asleep at night (regardless of diet, whether I eat a lot, a little, healthy or unhealthy) -- is this the case for any of you?

ashleyGW111

Some great, solid info here:

Nutrition tips for long-distance runners

10. Get fueled. Long-distance runners are at risk of having low bone density, stress fractures and irregular periods. It is important that they provide their body with enough energy to perform at its best and prevent unwanted injuries. Runners can simply calculate their caloric needs by following this guideline (they also should consult a registered dietitian for a tailored nutrition plan):

30 - 60 minutes of activity a day requires 16-18 calories per pound
1 - 1.5 hours of activity a day requires 19-21 calories per pound
1.5 - 2 hours of activity a day requires 22-24 calories per pound
2 - 3 hours of activity a day requires 25-30 or more calories per pound

9. Plan fiber intake wisely. Fiber is a wonderful thing, but choosing foods lower in fiber the night before and the morning of the race is a smart idea. Foods like high-fiber cereals, grains, granola bars, fruits and vegetables could lead to uncomfortable intestinal distress and cramping come race day.

8. Monitor sweat loss. Runners should weigh themselves before and after long runs. For every pound they lose during the run, they will need to replace it with 16 ounces of water. For example, if they know they always lose 3 pounds (48 ounces) over the course of four hours, they will need to drink 6 ounces of water every 30 minutes during the race.

7. Prepare for various weather conditions. Heat will increase sweat rate and lead to a higher loss of salt. Sweat is the body's way of eliminating generated heat. In colder temperatures, runners will require more calories to help maintain their core body temperature. Hydration needs also may increase in cold weather if inappropriate clothing is worn.

6. Getting carbs on the run. When exercising for longer than one hour, 30-60 grams of carbohydrates should be consumed every hour. Carbohydrates can be consumed during a marathon in many different forms including: gels, jelly beans, sports drinks, sports bars or a combination of these products.

5. Monitor urine. One great indicator for assessing hydration status is the color of urine. The clearer the color, the more hydrated a runner is.

4. Get adequate protein. Protein consumption is important for increasing lean muscle mass and aiding in muscle repair. Endurance athletes require between 1.2 to 1.4 g/kg/day. A maximum of no more than 1 gram of protein per pound should be consumed in a day.

3. Don't forget to carbo load. Athletic performance can be improved if a runner maximizes muscle glycogen stores prior to a marathon. Some carbohydrate loading plans start six days before a race. However, it will help maintain a high-intensity run for a longer period of time even if a runner begins a high-carbohydrate diet the day before the race.

2. Drink fluids. Water is the most important nutrient. Losing as little as 2 percent of body weight leads to impaired athletic performance. Runners can follow these fluid-replacement guidelines to stay hydrated:
Before Exercise: Two hours prior to exercise consume 16-20 ounces of water and 10-20 minutes prior to exercise consume 7-10 ounces of water.
During Exercise: Every 15-20 minutes consume 6-8 ounces of water. If you are exercising for longer than one hour, consuming a sports drink with 4-8 percent of carbohydrates will provide energy to working muscles.
After Exercise: For every pound lost during exercise, 24 ounces of fluid should be consumed to aid in hydration maintenance.

1. Practice, Practice, Practice. It is important to practice a nutrition and hydration schedule ahead of the marathon. Race day is not the time to try out new foods and beverages. If runners don't practice a food and hydration pattern before race day, they won't know how their body will react and their performance may suffer.

Source Loyola University Health System

Most, you probably know, but some of the baselines should be useful in figuring out a healthy day to day plan to ensure you keep up your performance and endurance, that your body can repair itself, and you can cut down the weight.

very helpful!! thank you!

jonnythan

Marathon runners/ long distance cardio people--

This has been the case for about 2 years now, but on days when I have my long runs (10+ miles) I have trouble falling asleep at night (regardless of diet, whether I eat a lot, a little, healthy or unhealthy) -- is this the case for any of you?

This is stress. It's literally because you're not eating enough. Sleep is a time of regeneration and tissue repair; when you are starved, hormone levels are out of whack and your body is desperate for the raw materials it needs to rebuild itself - protein and fat for tissue repair and carbs for energy and glycogen replenishment. It doesn't have these, so it remains in a stressful state with heightened leptin levels and other stress hormones.

MireyGal76

OP... I'm curious... the "diary" you posted yesterday was posted part way through the day. Did you stick to that in the end?

Why would you post today's "diary" part way through the day - why not wait until the day is done and then you can give a clear picture of what you ate. As it stands, it looks like you "logged" breakfast in this thread. In some ways it makes the "net zero" argument more prevalent.

What was lunch like? What's for dinner? Will you snack?

Are you feeling hungry at all?

I tend to consume about 2000 cals a day. On the days when I run or box (sometimes it's the next day) I am ravenous and it is impossible for me to be happy with the same 2000 calories. I HAVE to eat back the cals or I am miserably hungry.

Does your body still signal you with hunger cues?
Are you full when you stop eating?

If you are willing to share your diary here, why not open your diary on your profile?

ashleyGW111

Marathon runners/ long distance cardio people--

This has been the case for about 2 years now, but on days when I have my long runs (10+ miles) I have trouble falling asleep at night (regardless of diet, whether I eat a lot, a little, healthy or unhealthy) -- is this the case for any of you?

This is stress. It's literally because you're not eating enough. Sleep is a time of regeneration and tissue repair; when you are starved, hormone levels are out of whack and your body is desperate for the raw materials it needs to rebuild itself - protein and fat for tissue repair and carbs for energy and glycogen replenishment. It doesn't have these, so it remains in a stressful state with heightened leptin levels and other stress hormones.

you obviously didn't read my comment, or you did and you don't understand English. I love how you find something wrong in EVERY single thing I post, but like I said-- Ive only begu\n to restrict my calories YESTERDAY. this sleep issue has been going on for TWO YEARS even when I was consuming 3000 calories a day. YOURE not a marathon runner, STOP being a know it all. GOODBYE.

Alex

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