Any runners out there?

kitkat415

I hope this problem doesn't sound too crazy because honestly it has baffled me. I never had a weight problem until I started training for my first half marathon. I have run all my life, but up until this summer it has been mainly short distances (5 and 10 ks). I noticed throughout my half marathon training and after the race that I was gaining weight. I wasn't really counting calories and was probably (definitely) over eating because I felt entitled after running for hours.

For the past few weeks, I've been eating 1200 calories maximum and not eating my exercise calories. My problem now is that most of these boards say you should eat your excerise calories. I'm not running anywhere close to my half marathon training, but I'm still burning at least 1000 calories a day running. I find it hard to believe I should consume another 1000 calories because I think that's how I got in this mess in the first place. However, I am hungrier and weaker than I think I probably should be. I don't want to cut out exercise because running keeps me sane and balanced, but I'm worried I'm actually overexercising.Is it possible, that MFP is overestimating my exercise calories because my body is pretty used to this level of activity? Or is there some hidden culprit I'm missing?

Thank you for reading all this! Any help is appreciated!

jamie1888

You pretty much answered your own question! You are hungrier and weaker than you should be!! That means, you are NOT eating enough calories to fuel the exercise you are doing! If you are not comfortable eating all of your exercise calories, start with eating half (or some) of them and see if that's enough to fuel you and not inhibit your weight loss.

meggonkgonk

Yea you should (healthily) eat back your exercise cals. Eating your E-cals does not make you put on weight, since you have burned them off already. Just make sure to include things like energy gels you might be eating for running.

MichelleFirestone

If your eating 1200, and burning 1000, thats only 200 calories left. Your body is most likely in starvation mode, and storing it.

Change your setting to active. I wouldn't be surprised if you should really be eating like 1600-1800 calories. Plus your exercise calories.

jimmydeanbakker

You should be taking in at least 2,000 calories based on the amount of running you're doing.

pamp1emousse

I agree, you should definitely be eating more, especially if you're feeling weak.
I trained for a half marathon last year and at one point I was trying to lose weight at the same time, which I found really really hard. I'd get so exhausted. I don't know if you were a runner before you started training but I wasn't and personally I felt that I needed as much energy as I could get!
I'm not sure suddenly eating 1000 cals more a day would be very good for your body, but why don't you start to bump it up slowly by say, 200 a week until you're at a 500 cal/day deficit? If you're losing any more that 1lb a week your training may suffer.
GOOD LUCK! :flowerforyou:

JustBeckyV

I don't eat back what I burn when I run. I ran 10 miles on Sunday which is about 950 calories for me. I did allow myself a little more calories and protein to help rebuild my muscles!

rybo

Gotta eat more.
If you are tired & weaker you arent eating nearly enough.