Good food plan for runners?

mommybrain82
mommybrain82 Posts: 20
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, everyone :) I am new to the forum! I am a runner (I am training for a half marathon) and currently am running 4 miles three days a week, with a longer run 5-7 miles on the weekends. I thought that running alone would help me lose weight but I am actually gaining a pound or two a month for the past few months.

I am looking for a good eating/food plan for runners. I know I need the correct protein and carbs to fuel my body but I tend to just graze on whatever I am feeding my kids :( I eat healthy because they eat healthy but too much of a good thing is still too much!

Replies

  • Runner_mick
    Runner_mick Posts: 115 Member
    A lot of runners in training will actually gain a little because since you are running so often, your body is hungry a lot more and you tend to eat more. I run a lot as well and my typical diet is high fiber oatmeal with banana and milk for breakfast, after run snack is a cup of no fat cottage cheese with pineapple or a no fat yogurt. For lunch I eat peanut butter on bread(i know boring, but I love it) and carrots, Mid afternoon, i eat a serving of wheat thins and some frozen grapes(yum) and then dinner is usually a high protein turkey burger and broccoli or a salad/soup. As a runner, you definitely need protein in your diet along with carbs since you are going to be burning off them during runs. runnersworld.com has some great info on food awesome for runners and snack ideas since you will get hungry a lot more than usual.
  • mommybrain82
    mommybrain82 Posts: 20
    Thanks! I am seriously hungry ALL the time. Right now I am snacking on baby carrots, hummus and rice cakes, yogurt, blue berries, pretzels, popcorn...and the list goes on. My problem is that I am eating ALL the time and I just need to force myself to stop :)
  • Runner_mick
    Runner_mick Posts: 115 Member
    Try to limit your eating to about 5 times a day. Its proven that it is better for our bodies and metabolism to eat every 4 hours ish(i say 3 for runners) than to graze all day. Try high fiber snacks(careful of upping your fiber intake to quickly though, youll regret that on a run eventually. haha) Drink lots of water and make sure your eating complex carbs instead of simple carbs as those just burn right through you and complex carbs take a while for your body to break down. Your body will get use to it.
  • anzura
    anzura Posts: 171
    I totally understand what you're going through. I've been running since 2007, when I first started, I was at my ideal weight of 135 and I've slowly gained 20lbs since then even though I've ran a marathon and handfuls of smaller races.

    The only thing that keeps me from the grazing all day thing is to make sure I get good protein very soon after I return from my run. But alas...I'm struggling which is why I'm here.
  • mommybrain82
    mommybrain82 Posts: 20
    I am not glad that you are struggling but I am glad to hear that I am not alone in it! I bought the book "The Runner's Diet" and I am hoping that helps my snacking back under control. I am a stay at home mom and have never struggled with overeating before but suddenly I am in that rut. I think drinking more water will help, as will eating small, frequent meals instead of 3 large ones and then snacks. Thanks for the advice and encouragement!
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