C25k help

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Delldgm
Delldgm Posts: 27 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi
I'm on wk 2 of c25k and I have my Calories set to 1400 plus eat back exercise calories which usually means between 1600-1800 cals a day, was doing ok with this, losing fairly slowly but loosing, I now find that even with the 300 or so cals to eat back from running that I spend the day absolutely starving on the days I run. I always struggle not to eat/snack at night but now I am really snarky cranky pants irrational hungry, should I up my cals more or try to ride it out, cranky snarky irrational mum is not good with 5 kids and hubby away during the week, I really want to stick with the running, to help increase the weight loss but but need to be rational/happy for the kids more.

Any suggestions, I have a long way to go on my weight loss journey (my diary is open)

Replies

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    I looked at your diary and it looks pretty good. Try drinking more water. Also, you may try a 100 calorie protein shake right after your run (or protein bar with big cup of water.) This helps me last until my next meal without getting cranky. The only other thing is maybe eat a low-fat cheese instead of full-fat or try lower calorie versions of foods you are already eating and cut back on dessert. It takes your body time to adjust to a new diet and exercise plan. Be patient and if you are still hungry after a week, increase your calories by 50-100 on running days to see if that helps.
  • thisaintagame
    thisaintagame Posts: 33
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    Let me first say i am not a science/health guru type person. This is an in my case kind of deal. I have a similar issue. I do ok in the morning and lunch and i will eat a mid afternoon snack but after thats its a "Nom nom nom give me mooooore foooood!! Nom nom nom!" Soooo to keep my "monster" in check i have upped my protein levels after reading many many threads on similar issues. My family has a very limited budget for groceries so it is often frozen veggies and beans and fresh fruit for us in addition to "cheap" foods like pasta and hotdogs. I typically stay in range for cals but my protein was always drastically low (like 3 percent on here). So i started using a whey protein powder to SUPPLEMENT ( not replace!!) my breakfast or lunch. It keeps me full longer and helps with the "give me more" issues i dealt with later in the day.
  • Delldgm
    Delldgm Posts: 27 Member
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    Thanks for such quick replies,

    I am having my breakfast protein shake after my run, and started snaking on the jerky to increase the protein (lots of threads seem to say this). I am slowly trying to increase my water, I average about 6 cups a day, when I started I didn't drink more than 1-2 cups of anything a day, so as you can imagine my body is in total shock with 6 cups and really doesn't want to leave the bathroom lol. I am aiming for 8-10 by end of July.

    I wasn't this hungry with yoga and walking the same 300 cals to at back a day. Is it just part of the running thing?
  • thisaintagame
    thisaintagame Posts: 33
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    It *could* be that you are building muscle which requires more protein. I have seen folks doing a ratio of 40carbs/40protein/20 fat. Def read up on it. Be careful with the jerky....its often high sodium unless you make your own
  • 02ruth
    02ruth Posts: 4
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    When I started running I was coming in the door and eating everything in sight, but I think my body gradually got used to it (over months) and now I run much further and eat much less! I definitely recommend having a drink of water before a run and big glass of water soon after a run, as I think part of the problem was that I was dehydrated, but thought I was hungry.
  • geekgirl_2012
    geekgirl_2012 Posts: 40 Member
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    My disclaimer... I haven't looked at all of your details; I'm not a doctor; I'm not a sports trainer. But, it just makes sense to me that if you are hungry, your body is telling you it NEEDS food. This needs to be a lifestyle that you can live every day. You need to start listening to your body. If you *think* your body is saying that you need to eat a pound of candy... there's some re-training involved. If you've recently started burning more calories and you are starving for food... any food... good food, then give your body good food. It will respond.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    I wasn't this hungry with yoga and walking the same 300 cals to at back a day. Is it just part of the running thing?

    Yes, get used to it. After my run I start with a ping (2 cups) of chocolate almond milk.

    Next I usually raid the fridge of any cold cuts or other meat. The meat cravings are so intense that I actually gave up being a vegetarian after 15 years.

    Then I will dive into the fruit drawer. apples, grapes, anything.

    I keep a stash of ready made protein shakes, that don't need to be refrigerated for emergencies too.

    I usually eat 3/4 cup of oatmeal most days too. Just to have some yummy carbs.

    Ok, then if its a long run(8-14 miles), burger king or mcdonalds are on my radar too!

    After all that I'll eat my normal daily calories. A lot of time I'll have enough at the end of the day for a craft beer or some ice cream.


    PS, you should give up on calling it your weight loss journey and involving running in weight loss (they are not the same :flowerforyou: ). If anything running is a journey because you are going places. Weight loss is a lifestyle change. Keep running because it makes you awesome!! :drinker:
  • tackie8383
    tackie8383 Posts: 59 Member
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    I do think sometimes running just makes you hungrier. I would be careful about increasing your calories too much because honestly, couch to 5k isn't THAT much running, especially in the beginning.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    Quick looks at your diary. Do you have rest days? C25k is only 3 days a week.
  • ze_hombre
    ze_hombre Posts: 377 Member
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    As someone who finished C25K and am now on a path for half marathon, what you are experiencing is normal. Your body is having to build up the muscle for the runs. What I did to during C25K was add a protein shake in the mix. I started with Muscle Milk or EAS Myoplex. Both worked great but the taste is...well...acquired. EAS wasn't so bad, but Muscle Milk took some getting used. You need to add extra fat and protein into your regimen when starting a new exercise program, at least at first, so your body can build up the muscle needed.
  • Delldgm
    Delldgm Posts: 27 Member
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    Wow what wonderful responses I'm getting tonight, and just reading and typing has stopped me raiding the fridge ( ok so I sent my daughter to get me some radishes) lol.

    I have been having rest from c25k but doing other exercise those days, although was thinking of c25k 5 days instead of 3 and just keeping it the same as that week, just because I prefer this exercise than the yoga and walking ( it takes so much longer to burn the same amount of calories lol) the c25k fits nicely into the morning routine, I have 30 mins between waking and having to deal with kids, any longer and I have to find somewhere else in the day, getting up earlier isn't an option I'm running with the sunset most mornings already ( I must say nice way to run looking at all the pretty colours,

    I must admit my starving cravings are salty meaty based which is very unusual for me I really don't eat much savory snack, I'm a sweet tooth. But at the moment I just wanna eat meat. Sent 3 lambs to the butcher this week I fact now I can't wait to get them back Friday. Hmmmm meat.

    Well I must say again the sharing here tonight really did help me not eat, normally I knit and I was so cranky pants hungry that was just annoying me so thank you again guys for all your words of wisdom and distracting me.

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