What should my diet look like during training?

Jedi_Jewel

I was hoping the experienced runners out there could help me out with this one. I am in week 2 of an 18 week marathon training program. In January I will run my very first marathon. My New Years resolution this past January was to quit smoking, which I did cold turkey. Running was key to my success in ditching the cancer sticks.

I also needed to lose weight. I am halfway to my goal weight right now. I am hoping to shed the extra pounds during my training. Right now, I allow myself 1500 calories per day. After exercise, I make sure I net at least 1200. Saturday I ran 6 miles, burning about 800 calories. It was hard to catch back up to 1200. I am worried that when I get to longer distances, it will be even tougher. My concern is that I want to give my body the fuel it needs without overdoing it. How should I tackle what feels like a balancing act. And what foods would you recommend I incorporate into my diet to make up for the lost calories?? Should I alter my daily caloric intake?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

ATclassof2021

I am 40 days out from the Marine Corps Marathon......and hope to run it in under 4 hrs. Take a look at my meal log and it will give you an idea of what I eat. I have completed 3 full marathons and over 18 half marathons.

You will need to eat back most of your calories....you just will not have the energy if you don’t. As you get further down the road you will find it sometimes harder to eat them all back. Example, ran 20 miles on Saturday....burnt 2700 calories, I need to eat 2000 to maintain where I am, I eat around 1500 to lose a few lbs slowly. With this all said I needed to eat 4000+ calories on Saturday......didn’t happen.

Another thing, not only should you run but lifting will help as well with your running. As a min you should work your core.

You will need good shoes and they should be fitted by a running store and replaced every 350-500 miles....they wear out.

Lastly, you need to consume while you are running during the long runs....you need to practice eating gels or whatever you plan to have with you or what will be available on the course. Runners World online has a lot of great advice.

If you want more info or advice, drop me a line and I will help all I can.

scottb81

As your mileage increases your body will crash if you don't eat enough. I recommend you eat the exercise calories and don't exceed around a 500 calorie a day deficit. That will still allow you to lose aroung a pound a week. Also, eat at least 55% carbs. It doesn't really matter what kind of carbs as they all do the same thing.

For reference, I run a lot and eat normally between 3000 to 4000 a day and am maintaining at 170 lbs.

RunnerInVT

I've been eating more low glycemic foods and I have been running better with more energy. Also add protein shakes. You guys eating 3000 calories!! Must be nice.

PatsyFitzpatrick

As your mileage increases your body will crash if you don't eat enough. I recommend you eat the exercise calories and don't exceed around a 500 calorie a day deficit. That will still allow you to lose aroung a pound a week. Also, eat at least 55% carbs. It doesn't really matter what kind of carbs as they all do the same thing.

For reference, I run a lot and eat normally between 3000 to 4000 a day and am maintaining at 170 lbs.

Really? How is this possible 3000 to 4000 calories a day? How many minutes do you run a day? Respectfully I do not understand this.

scottb81

I average around 12 miles a day. Maintenance is at 2000 calories for 170 lbs sedentary male plus an extra 1500 or so calories per day running. Long run days burn over 2000. One day a week I run only 4 or 5 miles and burn around 500 to 600 and either eat less or go slightly over for the day.

FoxyMcDeadlift

Really? How is this possible 3000 to 4000 calories a day? How many minutes do you run a day? Respectfully I do not understand this.

I was eating this amount EASY during marathon training, my maintenance without running at the moment is about 3100, im cutting at 2500, and if i throw in cardio, i will eat 3000kcal and still cut.

OP, eat your calories, when you're eating this much food, you can take a nice relaxed approach to food groups, that doesnt mean eat anything, but quick sugars are good, slow releasing carbs are very good, and obviously dont neglect your protein, you should have enough calories to get all your essentials in, and still have leftover calories for delicious cheesecake.

Heres a good spreedsheet to calculate TDEE. http://interzone.kicks-*kitten*.net/Calculating_calories.xls

Jedi_Jewel

I appreciate you all taking the time to give me your advice. Thank you so much!! This is an exciting new journey for me!

mlb929

I highly recommend the book racing weight, ithaca some super information and understanding the diet for a runner.

Jedi_Jewel

I highly recommend the book racing weight, ithaca some super information and understanding the diet for a runner.

Thanks! I'll look into that!

jturnerx

Really? How is this possible 3000 to 4000 calories a day? How many minutes do you run a day?

I was going to say - they are guys?

As a 115lb 49 year old woman my sedentary cals would be ~1400 and if I ran 12 miles a day (which I don’t) that would be about ~1000 cals so only a whopping 2400/day for me. That’s like one meal at the Cheesecake Factory. I'd have to run almost a marathon a day to be in that ballpark. Sucks to be small. Well, not really, but you get the picture.

redredy9

Hello.

I am 6 weeks out from my marathon (week 11 of a 16 week training program)

I am female and weight 158.

I am eating @2000 calories a day or close to it. Long run days sometimes 2400. This was calculated by (active) TDEE - 25%.

I have lost a total of only 1 pound in the last month. I have been running 5 days a week and my long runs have gone up to 18 miles.

What am I doing wrong? Should I eat more? Eat even less? Or go back to base + eating back my exercise calories?

I look smaller and am fitting into a smaller size but I would like to lose about 10 more pounds. Even 5 would be better than 1 per month!

andrea9873

Heres a good spreedsheet to calculate TDEE. http://interzone.kicks-*kitten*.net/Calculating_calories.xls

Did you create this spreadsheet? Is this tailored specifically for you or can anyone use it? if so do you have a user guide? or definition list? What do you mean by Fast Break? is that the same as what we call in the states as breakfast?

According to this sheet on training days I should eat 60% of my calories post-wo? what if I'm working out in the AM? or afternoon.

Also I'm not familiar with the terminology being used. What does "Cut (@ 15%) and Build(@ 15%)" mean? After plugging my numbers, somewhat... it tells me that my BMR is 1368, Maintenance 1778 and Cut (@ 15%) is 1511. I currently am aiming for 1530-1630 cals on training days. 1230-1330 on non workout days which is really just one day per week.

thanks for this worksheet...i'm sure once I understand it fully it will be a good tool to use.

ejwme

Hello.

I am 6 weeks out from my marathon (week 11 of a 16 week training program)

I am female and weight 158.

I am eating @2000 calories a day or close to it. Long run days sometimes 2400. This was calculated by (active) TDEE - 25%.

I have lost a total of only 1 pound in the last month. I have been running 5 days a week and my long runs have gone up to 18 miles.

What am I doing wrong? Should I eat more? Eat even less? Or go back to base + eating back my exercise calories?

I look smaller and am fitting into a smaller size but I would like to lose about 10 more pounds. Even 5 would be better than 1 per month!

I encountered almost the same issue - I wasn't eating enough for the half marathon I'm currently training for. I'd shift to eating base + exercise. Be sure to track your exercise honestly, the closer you can get to accurate, the better off you'll be. When I started eating my exercise calories (130-175% of what I had been eating) I dropped two pounds a week after that, and I'm finally getting faster.

If you don't eat what you burn, you will not get faster, you'll feel tired, you might get sick more often, feel drained, rest days won't be enough rest, and if you're trying to lose (me) or gain (my husband) weight the scale will stubbornly stick. Sadly it took both of us (my husband and I) way too long to learn this..

redredy9

Hello.

I am 6 weeks out from my marathon (week 11 of a 16 week training program)

I am female and weight 158.

I am eating @2000 calories a day or close to it. Long run days sometimes 2400. This was calculated by (active) TDEE - 25%.

I have lost a total of only 1 pound in the last month. I have been running 5 days a week and my long runs have gone up to 18 miles.

What am I doing wrong? Should I eat more? Eat even less? Or go back to base + eating back my exercise calories?

I look smaller and am fitting into a smaller size but I would like to lose about 10 more pounds. Even 5 would be better than 1 per month!

I encountered almost the same issue - I wasn't eating enough for the half marathon I'm currently training for. I'd shift to eating base + exercise. Be sure to track your exercise honestly, the closer you can get to accurate, the better off you'll be. When I started eating my exercise calories (130-175% of what I had been eating) I dropped two pounds a week after that, and I'm finally getting faster.

If you don't eat what you burn, you will not get faster, you'll feel tired, you might get sick more often, feel drained, rest days won't be enough rest, and if you're trying to lose (me) or gain (my husband) weight the scale will stubbornly stick. Sadly it took both of us (my husband and I) way too long to learn this..

Yeah - I initially switched because I was having a really hard time eating enough on workout days and a really hard time not eating too much on non-work out days.

I finally logged a 2.5 pound drop so I am at 8.6 pounds lost in 11 weeks. I feel much better about that! Faster would be nice too though..... but I am averaging .75 pounds a week.


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