Uncontrollable hunger from running

I'll just say that the mentioned uncontrollable post-run hunger has made me gain about 13 lbs while actively training and running 70km a week.
Then again, I was terrible with portions and calorie estimates and thought that if you run as much as I do you can binge on anything you wish. . :noway:

For a post.- run meal I suggest a smoothie, oatmeal with berries on top, almonds, glass of chocolate milk (it's actually a great recovery drink) etc.

And you wonder why you have gained 13 pounds? Just looking at that post run meal has me SMH.

I've run for about 25 years, and I get being incredibly hungry after longer efforts. For the most part, we've earned it but you do need to be careful about over doing it.

I'm pretty sure the poster meant to pick from that list of post run snacks, not eat them all.

OP, it may be a matter of what you're eating rather than how much. Protein, fiber and healthy fats can help to keep you full longer. I actually find a combination of the three is best. Like a chicken sandwich with some avocado - yum! If you're going by the MFP defaults, as active as you are, it would be idea to exceed that protein goal. The standard recommendation is 0.8 grams per 1 pound of body weight. Or if you know your BF%, 1 gram per pound of LBM (lean body mass).

Also, as someone else said, your ravenous feeling could be slated by an increase in water. Sometimes the body mixes the signals so when you feel hunger, you may just be a little dehydrated.

Best of luck!

Running is not good for weight loss. I have a much harder time losing body fat when my mileage is up than when I'm barely running at all. When you're running you have to fuel the running. The body's acceptable calorie deficit seems to be smaller. Eat the calories you burn from running and create your deficit from your NEAT.

So my advice is eat all your exercise calories when you're running. At least BMR + exercise calories daily.

I have experienced the opposite. Running has helped me lose, helped me out of plateaus, and is great cardio for a healthy heart. I think about an extra 75 - 100 calories per mile extra would help though for sure.

Maybe some sort of pre or post work out shake or snack that will help replenish what your body needs and fast.

It has been proven that drinking water does nothing to satisfy hunger. It could be a placebo effect. Liquids leave your stomach very fast..

Im also kind of opposite. Running supresses my appetite. I try not to eat before a run, sometimes if i get up late or im slow to get out i end up feeling starving. After a 30min run those hunger pangs are gone!

Im also kind of opposite. Running supresses my appetite. I try not to eat before a run, sometimes if i get up late or im slow to get out i end up feeling starving. After a 30min run those hunger pangs are gone!

I'm exactly the same: I've just come back from an 18 mile run and I couldn't dream of eating anything (I just struggled to get through half a graze box), which has left my calorie count stupidly low for the day.

Running for me switches off any snack-attacks I get, and I really have to pre-plan long-run days as if I had my way I'd eat nothing at all for the rest of the day. But, it's not all bad, it's quite handy on days where we have a more calorie dense tea: a good 10k prior to that, and I tend to feel a heck of a lot more satisfied from a smaller amount of food.

I'm just like you. When the mileage gets high I struggle to eat enough. I do my long training runs early Saturday mornings and a lot of those days I'm still in the red for calories at 8pm. I have to force feed myself or eat peanut butter by the spoonful. Which isn't so bad.

I'm pretty sure the poster meant to pick from that list of post run snacks, not eat them all.

Yes, thank you. I thought it was obvious, but I'll remember for the next time that some people require "or" between each listing.

I find eating a banana after run makes me feel full, also porridge, whole wheat bagel or yogurt. I've had to use self talk, telling myself running is not a licence to eat more. If I lose 1000 cals and then eat 2000 then what's the point? It makes you want to make good choices. I also wait after run, go for a swim etc just to teach my body it's not about stuffing myself after.

One of the reasons studies have found that it's diet, not exercise, that makes us lose weight is exactly what you're talking about. We eat a lot when we exercise because we're hungry.

I assume you're eating back your running calories.

You might try eating a bit before you run - not immediately before, but before - just so you have some reserves. I've found after I lost most of my pudge that I have fewer reserves and need to keep my blood sugar up.

I have started running most days for up to an hour, and now find that I need to eat more calories than before. Well, I am also even hungrier now, and find myself over eating for the past couple days! It's all healthy stuff, I just find that I get so ravenous. Also, I think it might be in my mind sometimes, because I see that I have more calories and go a little crazy with my new freedom. Any tips?

You are burning more calories than you are consuming and no, you will not go into starvation mode.

Just ensure you eat good nutritious food.

Unfortunately, if you are trying to lose weight (ie not maintaining), even if you do tons of running, you still cannot just eat and eat and eat, you would still need to be in a deficit, this is how weightloss works.