Running and losing weight/proper diet suggestions

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OwassoSoccerMom
OwassoSoccerMom Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I have just started a Couch to 5K training program. Actually I am at the end of the 2nd week. Before starting I had been doing Piyo from Beachbody 6 days a week and doing really well at toning,strength, and weight loss. Running has been one of my goals for weight loss. I am looking for some direction as to a proper diet. I still have about 70 lbs to lose to get to my ideal weight for my height and build. While doing Piyo I had been consuming 1500-1800 calories a day, depending on the day. Now that I have started running 3 days a week and doing Piyo the other 3, I feel hungry when I shouldn't, or a better way to put it, I am hungrier on the days that I run. On the days that I run I am consuming at least 1800 calories of healthy clean food. I want to fuel my body correctly so that I will still lose weight, gain muscle etc. I am looking to lose 1/2-1lb per week. If I lose more great, but I want to be able to maintain my weight loss permanently.

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  • Burt_Huttz
    Burt_Huttz Posts: 1,612 Member
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    Congratulations on your progress and dedication. I hope you're having fun.

    After a run, there's something some call the "magic window". During the first thirty minutes to two hours after your run, your body metabolizes carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen stores. [1] The glycogen is what you use for energy. It is good practice to each after your run during this window to replenish some of the energy you burnt so that you can work out just as hard or harder next time.

    If you under eat while you're leading an active life, you will not have the energy in your body to work hard; your workouts will lose intensity, and you will find the experience exhausting instead of exhilarating.

    As far as setting your appropriate nutrition goals so that you are not hungry, that's another topic to look into. You may very well be eating less than you ought to, believe it or not.

    [1] http://www.livestrong.com/article/537246-the-best-time-to-replenish-glycogen-exercise/
  • OwassoSoccerMom
    OwassoSoccerMom Posts: 4
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    Thanks for the link! I had been limiting my carbs to a low qty of the good ones while just doing Piyo and probably have not been getting enough of the good ones. I will start drinking my protein shakes after my runs instead of in the afternoon.
  • Burt_Huttz
    Burt_Huttz Posts: 1,612 Member
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    And carbs. Your body needs carbohydrates. I have read recommendations for post-workout recovery nutrition consisting of a ratio of 4:1, carbs:protein. Carbs are not the bad.
  • acheben
    acheben Posts: 476 Member
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    Honestly, I don't put too much stock into the specific time and macro ratio that I eat post running and it has been working pretty well for me. I have steadily increased my run length and pace and I made it to my goal weight.

    You're probably feeling hungrier on running days because you're burning more energy than on non-running days. On the days that I run, I eat back a significant portion (66%-75%) of the calories that I burned running. When I'm running longer distances (10+ mi), I might not eat back quite that much, but I will eat it back over the next few days.
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
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    On my long run days I could/would eat an entire buffet if I allowed myself. I was very mindful about what I was eating after I got back from a long run (10+ miles). I would chose things that I knew would keep me full. I would always have an English muffin with almond butter or oatmeal right afterwards. Then for snacks later I would have almonds, cheese and some sort of protein, some chicken with brown rice and lots of veggies.

    That is what worked for me. I did eat back some of the calories but I tried to not eat back a ton of them.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
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    Burt_Huttz wrote: »
    After a run, there's something some call the "magic window".

    [1] http://www.livestrong.com/article/537246-the-best-time-to-replenish-glycogen-exercise/

    LOL wut?

    Your body is going to replenish glycogen when the appropriate precursors are available. If they're not available until tomorrow, that's when it will happen. There is no "window" of time for it and it certainly ain't "magic".

    Why not try ... I dunno ... reading ... the articles quoted by your LiveStupidStrong link. HINT: It says nothing of the sort.

    Here - enjoy!

    http://thesportjournal.org/article/glycogen-replenishment-after-exhaustive-exercise/
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    acheben wrote: »
    Honestly, I don't put too much stock into the specific time and macro ratio that I eat post running and it has been working pretty well for me. I have steadily increased my run length and pace and I made it to my goal weight.

    This is the same for me.

    I did find when I was running more (I trained for half marathons that occurred in late August and early November and was running a lot more through the second half than I have since) I naturally seemed to want more carbs, and was eating somewhat more of them. I generally felt like I ran (and biked) better a day after I'd been higher in carbs rather than lower in carbs, also, although for me higher in carbs was maybe a bit over 150, usually, whereas lower was closer to 100, so on the lower side anyway for someone doing endurance exercise.
    You're probably feeling hungrier on running days because you're burning more energy than on non-running days. On the days that I run, I eat back a significant portion (66%-75%) of the calories that I burned running. When I'm running longer distances (10+ mi), I might not eat back quite that much, but I will eat it back over the next few days.

    Yes, my understanding is that Piyo isn't really cardio heavy (combo of Pilates and Yoga?), so chances are you are burning more from the running and should feel free to eat back at least some of the exercise calories. I ate back essentially all of mine from shorter runs and a portion from longer runs (I think longer runs get distorted because you'd be burning calories anyway).

    I do somewhat plan to eat some carbs and protein not long after a workout (I mostly would run in the morning and then eat breakfast after or might do a treadmill run before lunch or run before dinner), but I'm not especially sold on nutrition timing mattering at all until you get to be really focused on performance, more so than someone like me.
  • OwassoSoccerMom
    OwassoSoccerMom Posts: 4
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    Thanks everyone! I ate a larger carb and protein dinner lastnight and ran almost 2 miles this morning. I was hungry about an hour after I finished. So I had some chocolate milk and whole grain toast with almond butter, saving my protein shake for afternoon snack. Seems to have filled me up. I will be upgrading my fitness gear to include one that estimates calories burned.
  • acheben
    acheben Posts: 476 Member
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    OwassoSoccerMom wrote: »
    I will be upgrading my fitness gear to include one that estimates calories burned.
    If you run with your phone, try using RunKeeper to log your runs and estimate the calorie burn. It syncs with MFP and has worked really well for me. Added bonus: the free version is great.

  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    OwassoSoccerMom wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! I ate a larger carb and protein dinner lastnight and ran almost 2 miles this morning. I was hungry about an hour after I finished. So I had some chocolate milk and whole grain toast with almond butter, saving my protein shake for afternoon snack. Seems to have filled me up. I will be upgrading my fitness gear to include one that estimates calories burned.

    Good choices. I always run and bike better after a high carb night.
  • Burt_Huttz
    Burt_Huttz Posts: 1,612 Member
    edited February 2015
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    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    Burt_Huttz wrote: »
    After a run, there's something some call the "magic window".

    [1] http://www.livestrong.com/article/537246-the-best-time-to-replenish-glycogen-exercise/

    LOL wut?

    Your body is going to replenish glycogen when the appropriate precursors are available. If they're not available until tomorrow, that's when it will happen. There is no "window" of time for it and it certainly ain't "magic".

    Why not try ... I dunno ... reading ... the articles quoted by your LiveStupidStrong link. HINT: It says nothing of the sort.

    Here - enjoy!

    http://thesportjournal.org/article/glycogen-replenishment-after-exhaustive-exercise/

    Oh man, I'm sorry I didn't see this earlier.

    From your enjoyable article:
    There also appears to be a two-hour optimal window immediately after the cessation of exercise for the administration of carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates appear to be the preferred replacement during this replenishment period.

    Which, "my" LiveStupidStrong also referenced, when it stated,
    Ideally, you’ll replenish your glycogen stores within 15 minutes of completing your workout. If carbohydrates are consumed immediately after exercise, the body is able to retain up to 50 percent more glycogen. Depending on the length of exercise and muscle fibers involved, it can take between 22 hours to four days to completely replenish your glycogen supply. The maximum window for “best-case” glycogen replacement is two hours post exercise.

    So in addition to being rude, you are incorrect and your own sources disagree with you.

    I look forward to your apology, @SergeantSausage‌
  • Burt_Huttz
    Burt_Huttz Posts: 1,612 Member
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    http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/h2001-058#.VNJcDzZOnbo
    It has been observed that muscle glycogen synthesis is twice as rapid if carbohydrate is consumed immediately after exercise as opposed to waiting several hours, and that a rapid rate of synthesis can be maintained if carbohydrate is consumed on a regular basis. For example, supplementing at 30-min intervals at a rate of 1.2 to 1.5 g CHO kg-1 body wt h-1 appears to maximize synthesis for a period of 4- to 5-h post exercise.

    http://jap.physiology.org/content/93/4/1337
    Large doses of carbohydrate provided at frequent intervals such as every 15 min have been reported to promote glycogen storage rates considerably higher than those seen when supplementing at 2-h intervals
    Although the study's primary focus was that the effects are still yet more pronounced with the addition of protein to the post-exercise supplementation.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905295/
    Recovery from prolonged strenuous exercise requires that depleted fuel stores be replenished, that damaged tissue be repaired and that training adaptations be initiated. Critical to these processes are the type, amount and timing of nutrient intake. Muscle glycogen is an essential fuel for intense exercise, whether the exercise is of an aerobic or anaerobic nature. Glycogen synthesis is a relatively slow process, and therefore the restoration of muscle glycogen requires special considerations when there is limited time between training sessions or competition. To maximize the rate of muscle glycogen synthesis it is important to consume a carbohydrate supplement immediately post exercise, to continue to supplement at frequent intervals and to consume approximately 1.2 g carbohydrate·kg-1 body wt·h-1.

    I could go on. But you just sound so darned sure of yourself, I'm sure you must be correct.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    I am a paramedic, I heard there were shots fired in this thread and a sergeant was down...
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    I eat 50% carb 25 fat and 25 protein it works well for me with my running. Too little fat in your diet and you will feel hungry. Good Luck on your journey
  • reginab1984
    reginab1984 Posts: 41 Member
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    I'm not sure that the distances you're running at this point warrant any additional fueling or concern about carbs or protein or anything in that realm. Not exactly sure how much you weigh, but you're probably only burning about 200-300 calories for a two mile run. Once you start getting into higher mileage, it may be an issue, but not now. Just my opinion as a runner.
  • CaptAwesome77
    CaptAwesome77 Posts: 84 Member
    edited February 2015
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    If you're training for a marathon, fueling will be a concern. Training for a 5k, nope. Stick to your original caloric intake, you'll get everything you need and still lose the weight you want to.
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
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    CaptAwesome77 wrote: »
    If you're training for a marathon, fueling will be a concern. Training for a 5k, nope. Stick to your original caloric intake, you'll get everything you need and still lose the weight you want to.

    Agreed.



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