Runners - Advice Please

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ameliaannakin
ameliaannakin Posts: 344 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Shout out to the running community of MFP - I'd like some advice please.

Since I have started running, especially doing long distances, I have lost quite a bit of weight and I now feel I'm too skinny. I have a problem with eating back all of my exercise calories, especially on long run days, without eating rubbish like chocolate. I feel like I need to eat the right foods and snacks, with lots of protein and carbs, but I'm finding it hard to get the balance right. I wondered if anyone had any tips or good recipes for how to do this?

Thanks in advance,

Amelia
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Replies

  • prioritizinghealth
    prioritizinghealth Posts: 43 Member
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    I don't really have any advice with recipes or anything, but I'd like to say I admire you for noticing that your body is possibly getting too thin! It takes courage to notice something like that :)

    But um maybe whole wheat pasta? Haha
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Nuts
    Avocado
    Fresh crusty bread spread with butter or soft cheese.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    full fat everything, cook in olive oil

    Other than that, I usually make a weekly calorie goal instead of a daily when in training. Its hard to make up 2,000 calories from a 20-mile run in one day, so I'll spread it around during the week.
  • jalvarado559
    jalvarado559 Posts: 2 Member
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    Mike Phelps eats 8000 calories when training........
    eat smart and I second prioritizinghealth's comment .
  • Zaria_Athena
    Zaria_Athena Posts: 56 Member
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    Switch to some full fat products
    Avocados
    Nuts
    Nut butters
    Quinoa
    Homemade quinoa bars (like granola bars but with quinoa)
    kashi go lean cereal
    Eggs
    Smoothie with protein powder
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
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    If you don't like to eat back your exercise calories after your work out, plan them out ahead of time and spread them out in your regular meals.

    Slightly increase your normal portion sizes, add things like avocados, nuts and nut butters and cook in a little extra oil, have a piece of fruit for dessert. Do one or all of those things depending on how many calories you need to add.

    I find that times when I eat larger meals during the day (instead of saving my calories for night time snacks) my runs are a lot easier.

    ETA: I believe that fruit is the best way to increase carb intake. I've found that grains are very calorie dense and filling and I never eat them alone, so when I eat more of them I eat less protein.
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
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    Agree with the others; try and eat more for all your meals. Chocolate milk is a great post-run snack.
  • eating4me
    eating4me Posts: 239 Member
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    Hummus, with whole grain bread or crackers, will give you a good amount of protein, carbs, and calories, and it's yummy! Trail mix -- make your own -- a little bit of that goes a long way, and will add a significant amount of the nutrients you're looking for! If you're really struggling with getting something in (you just don't have the appetite) protein shakes are always a good standby. Good luck! (And congratulations on catching yourself, before you become too thin, and begin to suffer ill-health!)
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    There are the old standards; nuts, using oil when cooking, etc. Eat larger portions. Or you could eat chocolate here and there.

    Spreading your calories out over the week is a good idea, too.

    I don't know if you already do, but you may want to consider incorporating strength training into your routine, if you aren't happy with your physique (feeling it's a smidge skinnier than you'd like). Strength training will help with your running as well. If you have been running long distances, not eating enough, and not strength training, you've probably lost some lean muscle mass. That could account for feeling that you look "too skinny". If you work on getting some of that back, you'll probably feel better and be happier with your appearance.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    There are the old standards; nuts, using oil when cooking, etc. Eat larger portions. Or you could eat chocolate here and there.

    Spreading your calories out over the week is a good idea, too.

    I don't know if you already do, but you may want to consider incorporating strength training into your routine, if you aren't happy with your physique (feeling it's a smidge skinnier than you'd like). Strength training will help with your running as well. If you have been running long distances, not eating enough, and not strength training, you've probably lost some lean muscle mass. That could account for feeling that you look "too skinny". If you work on getting some of that back, you'll probably feel better and be happier with your appearance.

    This. Especially the strength training.

    I spread my calories over the two days.

    Everyone has pretty much advised you of good ways to get calories but I wanted to add - there is nothing wrong with having some chocolate. If you are getting most of your calories from nutrient dense sources, its ok to get some from "rubbish" food. There is no bad food.
  • 5n0wbal1
    5n0wbal1 Posts: 429 Member
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    You probably already know this part, but when I was a runner in the military, our NCOs advised us that what we ate before a run was important, too. They always recommended eating something like pasta the night before a long run, or something else like it that's carb-heavy.
  • Seaduck79
    Seaduck79 Posts: 35 Member
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    First, let's establish whether you indeed ARE too skinny. Elite male distance runners weigh about 2 lbs. for every inch of height, females a bit less because of having smaller frames. So if you're 5' tall, 110-120 lbs is a good weight.

    I agree with the strength training tips, and while normally I would weigh my additional food to be heavier in protein, you might try adding some more carbs so that your body doesn't continue to try to consume stored fat (which there apparently isn't much left of - good job!).
  • nomoredoughnuts
    nomoredoughnuts Posts: 130 Member
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    Protein shakes are always good after exercise especially if you can't eat back your calories. Also nuts and their butters are amazing as well as coconut and sunflower seeds because they are fatty but healthy.
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
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    As others have mentioned, try more calorie dense foods like nuts and nut butter! I can easily eat 3 tbsp peanut butter on a sandwich, and with bread and jelly thats easily 450 cals.

    Full fat cheese, dairy, avocado if you like.....
  • ameliaannakin
    ameliaannakin Posts: 344 Member
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    Thanks for all your advice guys :). I have heard milk is good so I think I'm going to try chocolate milk after exercise. I am also going to try and eat more nuts and things like that and look into protein shakes!
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
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    Almonds are my go to snack :) you could make a trail mix it would be tasty and healthy
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    My son plays college football and is always trying to put on weight.
    He eats a lot of pastas and breads to replace his workout burn and is not afraid of red meat.
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
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    Try and get healthy fats in - avocado, nuts, seeds. Those foods are full of energy and nutrition. You really can't go wrong.

    If you've been using low fat or no fat dairy products, try going back to 2% milk and yogurt with some fat in it.

    My favourite smoothie is:

    1 scoop vanilla protein powder
    1 cup almond milk (can use dairy for more cals)
    1 cup frozen berries or other frozen fruit (peach, mango, banana etc.)
    1 handful baby spinach
    2 tbsp chia seeds or ground flax seeds

    It'll come in at 300-350 calories, which if you're looking for a clean boost on a really active day, should do the trick for you. If you only add a handful of spinach, you won't be able to detect the taste - I promise.
  • gemk
    gemk Posts: 22 Member
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    Lots of good fats e.g nuts and why not try making a homemade healthy tomato pasta sauce with lots of veg in and add it to some whole wheat pasta xx
  • jsidel126
    jsidel126 Posts: 694 Member
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    I tend to run later in the day. I don't typically eat all of my exercise calories back that day. The next day I feel I need to eat more than my normal allotted calories. I put some calories from the non run day back on the run day when I didn't eat all my calories. I still keep my calorie consumption to under my daily amount. Otherwise I would go over my calorie allotment on my non running days and be under on my running days....

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