Runners and calories!

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lisarenee_x3
lisarenee_x3 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I am new to MFP, I've had my account for a while, but I've just really started using it. I was following Atkins (low-carb) prior to running, and that is how I lost most of my weight - Atkins and walking. I began Couch to 5K, and now I am running. I have not run my first 5K yet, though. My question is this: Do I still need to follow low-carb or start counting calories? I feel like I'm not getting enough by doing low-carb. Anyone out there that runs - do you follow a certain diet, do you low-carb, what do you do?

Thanks!

Replies

  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Alot depends on how long you run and at what intensity. If you're running relatively slow, then low carb should be fine as you should be using mostly fat for that intensity. But if you plan on doing longer bouts of high intensity, you might "bonk" once your glycogen storage runs out.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    I don't know if I'd call myself a "runner". It is my primary cardio, and I run ~15-20mi a week, starting to get "serious" about it as I find myself in love with it. For me, I could not, would not eat low-carb. I just can NOT find energy to fuel my runs without carbs. I follow IIFYM macros. For me, that means at minimum 150g carbs/day, and that's a rest day number, much more for active days.

    I'm pretty flexible in that number, though, as long as I'm satiated, feel that I'm "fueled" properly, and am around my calorie and other macro goals for the day.

    FYI--I'm still in the middle of my weight loss, so these are ~500 cal/day deficit numbers. Once I move to maintaining, I'm sure my carb goal will be more like 200-250g/day.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    I'm more of a biker than a runner these days, but a lot still applies. I'm not a fan of low-carb / keto for athletes -- muscles preferentially burn glucose for bursts of activity, and glucose is hard to come by on most low-carb regimens. For short-distance training like the 5K, I'd up the % of carbs in your macros and stick to calorie counting (don't get trapped by the "since I worked out, I deserve that pizza" monster). Might want to do some upper-body strength training, too -- running doesn't work the upper body all that much.
  • RWTBR
    RWTBR Posts: 140 Member
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    Depends. Once you get to my level (marathons and ultramarathons), you most certainly better be eating CARBZZZ!!! or else good luck even finishing. But you could probably still do low carb if you're doing 5Ks.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    I am new to MFP, I've had my account for a while, but I've just really started using it. I was following Atkins (low-carb) prior to running, and that is how I lost most of my weight - Atkins and walking. I began Couch to 5K, and now I am running. I have not run my first 5K yet, though. My question is this: Do I still need to follow low-carb or start counting calories? I feel like I'm not getting enough by doing low-carb. Anyone out there that runs - do you follow a certain diet, do you low-carb, what do you do?

    Thanks!
    I run 5-6 days a week.

    I just make sure i stick to a deficit over the week and the running calories burned take me over the top and lose weight. I pretty much eat the foods I want, just not in massive quantities
  • erinbeth85
    erinbeth85 Posts: 34
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    I actually did a low-carb diet (staying around 30-40 net carbs per day) for months. It definitely got off a lot of pounds, and it was fine when I was running up to three miles or so once or twice a week. Once I started running further (up to 6 miles) and more often (3x/week), I stopped doing low carb. I chose to do so partly because I was getting tired of low carb, but mostly because I wanted to have the extra energy for running. To be honest, I feel that I have more energy for running, but my weight loss has also stalled. The weight loss stall has more to do with my lack of willpower without the constraints of "low carb" though, than it does with just eating more carbs. Anyway, to answer your basic question, yes... I have done low carb while running, and I made the decision for myself to stop the low carb when I started increasing my mileage for runs.
  • jchadden42
    jchadden42 Posts: 189
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    Funny you should ask this question today because I got an article called "Why Runners Shouldn't Diet" in my news feed. http://www.active.com/running/articles/why-runners-shouldn-t-diet I found this very interesting. I should help you out! Cheers!
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    For the vast majority of people (if not all) if you avoid carbs you will find exercise much more difficult. Carbs represent the go-to energy source for your muscles and although ketones can act as a substitute when ketogenic I don't think they are nearly as efficient.

    There really is no need to do low carb in order to lose weight (some find it easier to stick with is all) and if you plan on being active you would probably do better with carbs in your diet. Can always keep them fairly low at like 40% of your total intake but still get plenty for running.

    Personally if I don't get at least 40% of my intake from carbs I start running out of steam during workouts.
  • lisarenee_x3
    lisarenee_x3 Posts: 6
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    Thank you for your reply! All the info everyone posted has come in very handy. & I definitely agree, I feel like when following low-carb that I just can't run, it seems harder, but if I eat more carbs, I go longer and faster.
  • lisarenee_x3
    lisarenee_x3 Posts: 6
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    If you run, you're a runner! =)
    Thanks for the input, I definitely value it! I'm the same - low-carb I just can't do it and run!! =(
  • lisarenee_x3
    lisarenee_x3 Posts: 6
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    Thanks to all of you for the comments and advice! I appreciate it so much, especially the article! I'm reading that now, and it's already very helpful. Thanks everyone!! =)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    If you're eating carbs and running them off is it helping ?

    I have run 5k and 10k on low carb, not fast but I've never run much in my life (now 53) and I'm anaemic with limited oxygen capacity. Even the modest glycogen reserves of a low carber are good for an hour over 10k.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    A 5k is a pretty short run, so I wouldn't think you'd have any additional dietary/calorie requirements above what you'd have for just a normal active-ish lifestyle or above what any other people trying to lose weight would have.
  • lisarenee_x3
    lisarenee_x3 Posts: 6
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    I eventually want to start running marathons, and I run 5 days a week right now. I just wonder if I could still do low-carb or if I need adjust my diet to include breads, more calcium, etc??
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I haven't worked my way up past 10K distance yet running and never actually did low carb, but when I started this I was keeping my carbs around 100g or lower and when I started longer bike rides (1-3 hours) I definitely felt myself craving more carbs. I modified my diet to be about 40% carbs and feel pretty good. I tend to run fasted first thing in the morning, but I think it likely helps that I usually have some kind of starchy carb with dinner the night before.

    Joe Friel wrote a book on modifying the paleo diet (which also tends to be lower carb in practice) for athletes. I am not a devotee of the paleo diet, but it might be interesting to see what carbs someone who follows that diet thinks need to be added back in for people who do endurance sports, based on his own experience.
  • Carrieendar
    Carrieendar Posts: 493 Member
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    You can definitely run a marathon doing low carb, especially if your goal is just to finish. But most endurance runners prefer a more carb rich diet; check out Racing Weight and The New Rules of Marathon and Half Marathon Nutrition by Matt Fitzgerald once you get closer to that longer distance goal or when you want to read a bit about carbs and endurance sports :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    I am new to MFP, I've had my account for a while, but I've just really started using it. I was following Atkins (low-carb) prior to running, and that is how I lost most of my weight - Atkins and walking. I began Couch to 5K, and now I am running. I have not run my first 5K yet, though. My question is this: Do I still need to follow low-carb or start counting calories? I feel like I'm not getting enough by doing low-carb. Anyone out there that runs - do you follow a certain diet, do you low-carb, what do you do?

    Thanks!
    I am an avid runner. I eat whatever I want and stay within my maintenance calories. I tend to eat more carbs because they give me energy, but that's me.

    You don't have to follow any type of diet for running.

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