Nutrition and Weight Loss for Runners
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They are opposite because obviously if I'm eating too much to have a calorie deficit to lose weight then I need to cut those calories. So when I suggested cutting my calories then I get the response that that will be far too little. So which is it? If eating 1600-1800 calories a day, of which I burn off about 400-500 in exercise is too much for me to lose weight then what do I do? Eat less, no?
Now I understand what you were referring to.
Incurring a calorie deficit is generally accepted as a way to lose weight. It worked for you previously so I'd recommend that you try that approach again.
You stated that you felt "tired" but I'm not clear on what that means and, also, what you did about it.
Certainly, there's no sense in cutting calories if it leaves you exhausted but "tired" means very different things to different people. My thinking was that if you explained what "tired" meant, the cause of being "tired" might turn out to be something other than your caloric deficit.
Don't know…just asking questions. :-)
Tired in this case meant weak and jittery. Like how you feel when you need something to eat. But this was all quite a while ago now when I was feeling that way, like last November, and I was upping my miles from about less than 20 a week to close to 30. I'm now used to running the higher mileage so it probably won't be as much of an issue.
Anyways, I am going to switch from using the MFP method and eating back calories to a TDEE minus 20% method and see if that shakes things up. I know I definitely use the extra calories burned on the long runs as an excuse to eat whatever. I also reset my macros to 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat. I will do my best to hit those goals, however I'm not sure how to get enough protein into my diet. Even eating all the things that are high in protein, like eggs and greek yogurt and cottage cheese I am no where close to the goal. I don't eat a lot of meat, not a vegetarian it's just not something we eat everyday. Not sure what to do there but I'll figure it out.
I appreciate everyone's feedback in helping me sort this all out and I hope I'll have good news to report soon.0 -
I know I definitely use the extra calories burned on the long runs as an excuse to eat whatever.
This is why there is a weight loss support group for people who run multiple marathons a month.0 -
I know I definitely use the extra calories burned on the long runs as an excuse to eat whatever.
This is why there is a weight loss support group for people who run multiple marathons a month.
Can you please tell me which group this is? I'd be interested. I'm doing some marathon training and having a very hard time losing weight. I'm not gaining, but when I try to lose, I feel terrible.0 -
I think introducing strength training could really help you break out of your plateau. I wouldn't drastically reduce your calories if you felt tired and hungry from not eating enough. Also, have you re-calculated your calorie needs to reflect your new weight? It sucks, but the less you weigh, the fewer calories you can eat.
Ditto this
Running alone isn't going to do much. If you've hit a plateau, you need to change things up. Try some strength training - muscle burns fat. Also, I'd be wary of eating less - if you're not eating enough, your body is going to go into starvation mode and hang onto every. single. thing. you put into it.
More often than not, when I plateau, it's because I'm not eating enough.0 -
Sadly the Marathon Maniac Biggest Loser group on FB ended up shutting down. The last member I saw actively trying to loose weight hasn't logged in to MFP in 7 days.
Can you please tell me which group this is? I'd be interested. I'm doing some marathon training and having a very hard time losing weight. I'm not gaining, but when I try to lose, I feel terrible.0 -
Somewhat recent studies combined with data mining of old studies and patient records have pretty much crushed this notion. If you read some of the discussions on IF you will find links to several studies at NIH that refute the meal timing theories.When you eat can be as important as what you eat. Try and front load the majority of your carbs at breakfast and lunch with dinner being more protein heavy.
A couple of caveats to that...
There is a window, but it is over a day, in which you do need to consume the calories and nutrients. The calories can be in deficit for weight loss, of course.
Eating all your daily food in a short time can cause blood sugar issues if you are susceptible to them.
EDIT - I am not promoting IF, though I do 16:8 sometimes. IMO, the main reason to time your meals and macro input is to find the pattern that you personally can stick to and not go over goal. It is likely to be very different than what works for me.0 -
only think i will reiterate is adding weights to your routine. I completely know what you mean about feeling "tired". If i don't eat enough i can barely make it through 3 milees. For me running is more important than the weight loss. Ive been super strict about counting my cals and i've been doing consistent weights for the past 2 weeks and ive seen an improvement. Could be the weights, could be stricter tracking not sure.0
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I have my settings on MFP set to lose a half pound a week so the calorie deficit is built in then, no? Maybe I just need a greater deficit, perhaps if I set it to 2 pounds a week? But that's why I had changed it to lose less because I wasn't getting enough food to fuel my training.
"I wasn't getting enough food to fuel my training."
Why do you say that?
Because I was tired and hungry all the time.
hi, from my experience, eating sugary foods makes me tired and hungry, it seems we both share a sweet tooth from the few days I saw of your diary. Now that I'm eating "clean" or trying to, def I still eat sweets but when I manage to cut them out, I feel much more energized. Also, skipping meals is something my body can't handle. Maybe eating more balanced might help your overall energy levels. hope this helps!0 -
Open for me, I think you need to be friends. Besides skipping meals I don't see anything glaring in your diary. Are you getting an accurate estimate of calories burned from your workouts? Have you been doing any cross-training?
I don't know how accurate my calorie burn is since I don't have a HRM. But I do use an app on my phone for the running and the burn it gives me usually is in line with what MFP gives. But maybe since I've been running for a while I'm not burning as many calories as it says. For cross training right now I swim and that's about it.
If you can afford to, invest in an HRM it will give you a more accurate calorie burn. When I first started taking spinning classes, I would burn 500 calories/class pretty consistently. Now that I have gotten in much better shape, I have to work insanly hard just to get to 430 calories - same instructor, same gym, same time. I have dropped some weight, so that is part ofthe reduced burn, but I am pretty sure that the increased fitness has also greatly contributed.0
