Protein After Running?

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Ral263
Ral263 Posts: 318 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm looking to lose 25 lbs that I gained in the past 10 months, and I've been really struggling. I don't eat red meat, grains, or dairy or any processed foods.

I always have a ton of protein in the morning after I run (typically 7.5 miles) and I'm wondering if I might be hindering my progress by doing that? I know it's recommended moreso after a lift (I lift in the evening) but I feel like I NEED protein after I run otherwise I'm starving really early on in the day.

I haven't been logging lately but you can look at my diary today to see what my intake is kind of like....so frustrated with why I haven't been losing at this point.

Replies

  • Kamalka
    Kamalka Posts: 164 Member
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    Hi,

    I don't eat red meat either. To me, the process you discribe is normal, especially for "long" running sessions (as we are not friend I can't see your diet and sport sessions but I sent you an invitation). If you wish to reduce the urge for food, an option is to reduce time & distance and opt for interval training (after warm up, you run 30sec top speed/30 sec low spped for 3 minutes and get back to moderate speed for some time and again 3 minutes 30/30)...
    Anyway proteins after sport sessions are essential to build muscle and burn fat...and definitely required if you lift in the evening. Don't forget that it does not only it cut your hanger but it is "good calories".

    Nevertheless and to answer your question: yes it increases the time required to lose 25 lbs. On the other hand, it reduce the time to decrease % bodyfat. To give you my example: I started 8 weeks ago with 213lbs and about 209 now but I would be at 205 if I was not taking all those proteins. I burned 12000 calories on sport in the last 2 weeks while eating 1700 cal instead of 2000 but I lost only 1lb....but I lost 3% body fat, so my shape is completely different. Something even worse: if I eat 30 g proteins, get on scale, run 20km (12 miles) ang go back to the scale, my weight inreases!

    My goal is to lose 7kg of fat (from 19% body fat to 12%). Even if I see nothing on the scale, I don't mind...I would rather gain 10 lbs and lose 1% of body fat than the inverse :) The process is slower but more sustainable

    All this to say...yeah running and proteins leave the scale steady but are good for the shape of the body.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Is the inclusion of post workout protein causing you to exceed your calorie goal?

    If yes: then yes it's slowing your efforts.
    If no: then no it's not.
  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
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    Protein for recovery is very good. It sounds like your eating almost directly after you finish, which is good too. Those first 30 minutes after a workout are crucial for recovery. If you take care of recovery then, it will lower your appetite for the rest of the day. If you hold off recovery, you'll be hungrier later. It also helps out a lot for your running tomorrow.

    I personally drink a big glass of chocolate milk after a 30-40 minute run.

    A couple articles:
    http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/The_role_of_protein_in_exercise_recovery (warning, written by someone at Gatoraide, but he cites other studies)
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20048505 (just the abstract)
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15212749
  • Kamalka
    Kamalka Posts: 164 Member
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    Is the inclusion of post workout protein causing you to exceed your calorie goal?

    If yes: then yes it's slowing your efforts.
    If no: then no it's not.

    Well the level of protein will impact the lean mody mass...at same total deficit (if those protein replace carbs or fat)

    Otherwise, are you sure you want to lose 25lb of fat? (seems a lot to me)

    I used this to define my goal:

    1. Current Weight x Current BF% = Current BF
    2. Current Weight - Current BF = Total Lean Body Mass
    3. Current Weight x Desired BF% + Lean Body Mass = Weight at desired BF%
    4. Current Weight - Weight at desired BF% = Amount of lbs need to be lost
    5. Calorie deficit (ex. 650 cal) x 7 (7 days a week) / 3500 (3500 calories in 1 lb of fat) = Lbs of fat loss per week
    6. Amount of lbs need to be lost / Lbs of fat loss per week = Time it takes to lose amount of fat (in weeks)
    7. Time it takes to lose amount of lbs needed to be lost (in weeks) / 4 = Time to lose fat (in months)

    In essence it says you want to kill 3500 cal X 25, so 87500 cal
  • skinnyitaliannn
    skinnyitaliannn Posts: 187
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    Is the inclusion of post workout protein causing you to exceed your calorie goal?

    If yes: then yes it's slowing your efforts.
    If no: then no it's not.

    basically ^

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