Any Runners around here?

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RatherBeInTheShire
RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello All!
I'm a long distance runner training for a half marathon in May. On my long runs I run 12 miles at a time. The reason I've avoided doing calorie tracking is because I can burn 1200-1500 calories alone on one run. It's hard for me to see how a program like this will compensate for that, or how I can still lose weight. Any one have any experience with this? What's worked for you?

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  • JPriceGA
    JPriceGA Posts: 508 Member
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    Search for the MFP Runner's Club - lots of support for distance runners there.
  • Thunderella05
    Thunderella05 Posts: 21
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    I've been a runner since I was 13!! I'm currently getting in shape and training for the Rochester Marathon in 2012 (gotta lose the left over weight from having my girls back to back)!! It's not easy, but it feels great!!
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    so I'm training for open swim, a triathlon and half marathon coming up.....I've lost 18 pounds by tracking my calories. So, I am given a base calorie allotment of 1200 calories. Then as I work out, I enter the exercises under the exercise tab and all those calories get added on. I eat all 1200 and ALL my exercise calories. I'm in training and need to replace the calories burned. I get enough of a deficit off of the beginning 1200 in the day that I keep losing. Today, I started with 1200 as usual, went for a hill training run and gained another 616 so - I will eat 1816 calories today ---- if I go swimming, I'll eat another 400 calories.

    I find this especially helpful because as the weight is coming off, my speeds are getting faster as my power to weight ratio is getting better.
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,071 Member
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    I'm up to 7 miles on my longer runs (Seattle Half Marathon in June). I kinda like seeing the huge calorie deficit :)
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
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    Thunderella..
    How do you do with the calorie tracking and the long runs? I get SO hungry after my long runs. Even today, I've barely eaten and i'm starving! That probably goes to show i'm eating too much, but I worry about what will happen on days I do 12 or 14 mile runs. I'll have to eat more than normal. I guess that's what I'm struggling with.
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    so I'm training for open swim, a triathlon and half marathon coming up.....I've lost 18 pounds by tracking my calories. So, I am given a base calorie allotment of 1200 calories. Then as I work out, I enter the exercises under the exercise tab and all those calories get added on. I eat all 1200 and ALL my exercise calories. I'm in training and need to replace the calories burned. I get enough of a deficit off of the beginning 1200 in the day that I keep losing. Today, I started with 1200 as usual, went for a hill training run and gained another 616 so - I will eat 1816 calories today ---- if I go swimming, I'll eat another 400 calories.

    I find this especially helpful because as the weight is coming off, my speeds are getting faster as my power to weight ratio is getting better.

    I forgot to mention that it stops me from over eating after training when I'm starving AND it keeps the "I earned this" sabotage out of the picture as well. Logging it just keeps my intake in check.
  • jeremymaritz
    jeremymaritz Posts: 70
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    Hey there...I'm currently doing 8-9 mile distance runs and training up for some halves at the end of the summer. It can never hurt to track your cals along with your fats and carbs, even if you burn a days worth of cals on one run. It's too easy to eat a bunch of garbage after your run because your body feels like an oven that just disintegrates every bite you put into it. :) Also, consistently checking the amount of carbs you're taking in before and after your runs is helping ensure you're maxxing out your glycogen stores correctly. Lots of useful information when you track, even if you're not shooting for losing a ton of weight.
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
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    Oohhh Ok. So they do add calories for the workouts? That's what I was wondering. I just joined today, so I wasn't sure how that worked.
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
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    Hey there...I'm currently doing 8-9 mile distance runs and training up for some halves at the end of the summer. It can never hurt to track your cals along with your fats and carbs, even if you burn a days worth of cals on one run. It's too easy to eat a bunch of garbage after your run because your body feels like an oven that just disintegrates every bite you put into it. :) Also, consistently checking the amount of carbs you're taking in before and after your runs is helping ensure you're maxxing out your glycogen stores correctly. Lots of useful information when you track, even if you're not shooting for losing a ton of weight.

    This is very true. After my long runs sometimes I make really poor food choices because I feel like like it's OKAY because I ran.. This is obviously why i'm not losing weight. I'm not gaining.. but I really would like to lose.
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    Thunderella..
    How do you do with the calorie tracking and the long runs? I get SO hungry after my long runs. Even today, I've barely eaten and i'm starving! That probably goes to show i'm eating too much, but I worry about what will happen on days I do 12 or 14 mile runs. I'll have to eat more than normal. I guess that's what I'm struggling with.

    you need to eat your exercise calories....if you start your day with 1200 allowed calories and you just went on a long run and burned 1200 calories, today you should be eating 2400 healthy calories....hope this helps
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
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    Search for the MFP Runner's Club - lots of support for distance runners there.

    Where do I find this on the site?? I can't seem to find it.
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
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    Get your mfp calorie goal...it will build in a deficit for you weight loss goals...then account for your runs and eat those calories too as mfp has already worked the deficit into your goal.....running allows you to eat a lot but there are still limits if you are going to lose weight
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
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    Thunderella..
    How do you do with the calorie tracking and the long runs? I get SO hungry after my long runs. Even today, I've barely eaten and i'm starving! That probably goes to show i'm eating too much, but I worry about what will happen on days I do 12 or 14 mile runs. I'll have to eat more than normal. I guess that's what I'm struggling with.

    you need to eat your exercise calories....if you start your day with 1200 allowed calories and you just went on a long run and burned 1200 calories, today you should be eating 2400 healthy calories....hope this helps

    This REALLY helps! That what I was concerned about!! It all makes sense now and I feel a LOT better about it! :)
  • Nailrep
    Nailrep Posts: 966 Member
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    I only run about 3 to 4 miles at a time so far. (Wanna do a 10k this year. ) So my tracking includes my runs, but I do not eat my exercise calories. If I was you (and I hope to get there!!) I would eat 1/2 the calories back. I know I didn't help much, but good luck!
  • vjles
    vjles Posts: 89 Member
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    Have you set your goals? Entered your weight, height, age, gender, etc., and how many pounds you want to lose each week?

    The program will automatically calculate your calories, however, if you do any exercise the calories you burn can be added to your days calories.

    Don't forget when you lose some weight go back and change your weight in your goals. The program will recalculate your daily calorie amount.

    Strangely enough, although I've been running for twenty years, this has encouraged me to run every day so that I can eat what I want and still lose weight. :-)

    Hope this helps your understanding of how it all works.

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