training to run a 5K

MrsDangerousCurves

Your advice please....My hubby wants me to run a 5k with him when he gets back. So I'm going start training this weekend. Now, how do I train and NOT lose any more weight? I'm doing a pretty good job of maintaining. Do I eat back the calories that I burn? I don't want to get any smaller than I am now. Thanks for the help. Sorry for the stupid question but I'm clueless....

eldamiano

5k. You will be looking to lose around 250-400 calories depending on your speed so it is not a massive amount to make up hit your goal.

You shouldnt need to do masses of training unless you are trying to be competitive. 5k is quite a nice distance.

MrsDangerousCurves

I haven't ran in years, thus the training. LOL I need to work up to running the whole distance. No competition at all. Just doing it for the fun of it

MeanderingMammal

Do I eat back the calories that I burn?

Yes. For a 5K I'd generally burn about 400 KCals.

All the best

eldamiano

Oh yeah, if you do want to track your calories, I would a phone app such as Runkeeper or Mapmyrun. Will give you a bit more accuracy than just putting the time and speed into MFP because MFP doesnt take into account the elevation and the exact pace/speed you are going at.

ThickMcRunFast

If you want to maintain, then yes, track your calories and eat them back. Your burn will depend on a lot of things. A rule of thumb is 100 calories per mile, but in practice that may be quite different (mine is more like 90 cals/miles).

A good equation for net calories burnt while running (that is, calories burnt over what you would burn just standing and being alive for that time) is 0.63 x your weight x miles ran.