Eating Over Your Calories After Long Runs

TinaDay1114

I'm training for my first 1/2 marathon, and am up to about 8 miles on my 1x/week long runs. I'm having trouble staying within the 1,290 calories/day + exercise calories on the rest days in between my long and short runs (3-4.5 miles at a time, 3 days in a row). I just want to graze all day, and have ended up going over by 500 calories or so, especially on the rest days.

Isn't it normal to want tons of fuel during this training time...?? Or am I just deluding myself into thinking I can eat like a horse because I'm running like this...?

asl713

Are you logging your exercise and getting extra calories?

Be sure to track all of your runs in my fitness pal. It will give you extra calories

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Maybe instead try zigzagging by week? I know that when I have a huge burn day (like I did on Saturday) in excess of 1000 calories I just want to stuff my face for the next couple of days. II indulge to an extent. It's been tough for me to figure out what I can eat on those days and still stay in range.

PBmaria

That's a problem with long distance runners: we tend to over eat to compensate on long run days.

Just keep it under control by carbing up since it also helps for a faster recovery!

Also, have fun training!

LorinaLynn

As close as you are to your goal, should you really only have 1290 as your calorie limit? Maybe your limit is just plain too low for you now.

I upped mine from 1350 or so to 1500 when I got about 5# from my original goal.

borkjr

I'm training for a full right now, and understand the difficulty in eating a lot less on rest-days, and then eating a lot more on long-run days.

I actually try and get into the gym and do some time on the eliptical, bike, etc on some of my rest days, so I can balance out my calories. I also don't end up eating all of my calories back on long runs (tough to do after a 14 mile run) - but I end up even for the week since I go over on the shorter-run days.

Jhensley2011

I'm no doctor but I've been told that the part of the your brain that controls hunger also controls thirst. This is why so many people overeat...because they get the two confused. Just make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day to compensate for your exercise. If you are still hungry, then eat and try to make it healthy choices. However, a little splurge now and then doesn't hurt. Just make sure you aren't doing it all the time. Hope this helps :-)

TinaDay1114

As close as you are to your goal, should you really only have 1290 as your calorie limit? Maybe your limit is just plain too low for you now.

I upped mine from 1350 or so to 1500 when I got about 5# from my original goal.

Lorina, did you up your cals manually, or did you drop your amount to lose per week and let MFP do the calculations?

BerryH

You do have to be careful - I actually got to and remained at my heaviest ever while training for a Marathon. Now I do try to stay inside my daily calories - if I've fuelled properly on heavy training days I'm not extra hungry the next day. If you can't eat it all on your long run days, why not split it over the next couple of days?

I'd also second LorinaLynn's recommendations about upping your calories when you get close to your goal.Try changing your target to 1/2lb a week.

LilRedRooster

I up my intake on my long run days, because 1290 wasn't enough for me to make it through my long runs with the energy I needed. On my long runs, I aim for 1700-1800 net, because otherwise, I feel like I'm starving, and my body isn't recovering as well. For my runs that end up 11 miles and up, I actually end up aiming for closer to 2000. I just make sure that those calories are healthy, from nuts, yogurt, and other options like that, and really focus on getting a lot of protein, so the muscles recover better.

Actually, I've also upped my calories on off-days from 1290 to around 1600, because I've found that with cross-training and shorter runs, I can't make it through and feel like I've got enough kick to have a good workout. I've still lost the weight pretty steadily.

LorinaLynn

As close as you are to your goal, should you really only have 1290 as your calorie limit? Maybe your limit is just plain too low for you now.

I upped mine from 1350 or so to 1500 when I got about 5# from my original goal.

Lorina, did you up your cals manually, or did you drop your amount to lose per week and let MFP do the calculations?

Little of both. Initially, I just changed my goal to .5#, but later, I tweaked it to have a bit more protein, too, and to keep it at 1500.

MinnieInMaine

I'm not training for a marathon, just trying to up my running endurance...but figured I'd chime in anyway. After running 2.5 miles yesterday morning, I was more tired than hungry and didn't quite eat all my exercise calories - but boy am I hungry today!!!

When I was on Weight Watchers, they would let us use our earned activity points any time during the same week. I sort of wish MFP had the same "banking" capability so that if you don't use all your exercise calories on the same day, you can have a little extra the next day if you need them.