Long Run/ Day After Food Consumption

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stutba
stutba Posts: 152 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am training for my 1st half marathon. I ran 11 miles on Saturday. The day after (Sunday) I was mega Hungry and ate and ate.
Because I ate more than my allowed calories for the day after my long run (my rest and recovery day), Am I sabotaging
my diet? Anyone have suggestions...

Replies

  • juliekins64
    juliekins64 Posts: 125 Member
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    It's about balance, yesterday I over ate due to baking so today I am skipping one of my snacks. No one got fat from 1 bad day and no one gets thin from one good day.

    That said, if you did a lot of exercise you might be legitimately hungry and need food to replace the burned ones and for your muscles to recover.
  • stutba
    stutba Posts: 152 Member
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    :smile: Thanks for your thoughts.. I am hoping that the extra food is what my body needed as today I seem to be back to normal (I think)
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Did you eat back all your calories on Saturday? I burned an extra 1491 on my 11 mile run yesterday. I pretty much ate them ALL back. I'm still hungry today, but not so much that I can't control myself. If you did eat them all back on Saturday and you're still hungry, just try to even it out over the course of the week. And really, I would feel too badly about it with the half training. That's HARD work :-)
  • stutba
    stutba Posts: 152 Member
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    I ate back all my calories... (Maybe not the best way as I had some drinks with friends that evening). Sunday I was absolutely starving. My cravings were definately protein. Chicken, beans, beef. I had steamed veggis and a potato also. I did go over my caloric intake as I did no exercise yesterday. (Rest and Recovery)

    I have been sticking to my calorie count within a 100 calories or so, not going over, except yesterday. I did not know if this was normal after a long, harrrdddd run.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    What are your daily calorie goals?

    I tend to make my goals more of a weekly thing during training. I can't eat back a 20 mile run in one day, I usually spread it out over a few days. However, if you are trying to net 1200 cals while training for a half, you're going to run into trouble.
  • stutba
    stutba Posts: 152 Member
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    Yep, I am trying to eat my allowed daily calories and then my exercise calories. (I think that is net). After my run I had 1300+ calories to eat. (i think it would have been difficult except I had drinks and that certainly used the calories).
    I wasnt that hungry after my run.... But the next day couldnt get enough
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
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    Then next time just know it's coming and use some of those calories over both days.

    I am marathon training and will sometimes use them over three days.

    Some the day before, some the day of the long run, and some the day after. Make sure you fuel properly during your run and within the hour after. That should help, too.
  • gavini
    gavini Posts: 248 Member
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    I ate back all my calories... (Maybe not the best way as I had some drinks with friends that evening). Sunday I was absolutely starving. My cravings were definately protein. Chicken, beans, beef. I had steamed veggis and a potato also. I did go over my caloric intake as I did no exercise yesterday. (Rest and Recovery)

    I have been sticking to my calorie count within a 100 calories or so, not going over, except yesterday. I did not know if this was normal after a long, harrrdddd run.

    sounds like you have already isolated the issue, you didnt get enough protein after your run. protein right after the run is important not just for your diet but also to rebuilt the muscles you have just worked, lots of studies point to a 30 minutes window post workout when you need to get some protein in your system and if you do you will see big benefits. plan to have chocolate milk or a protein shake within minutes of finishing your run and then add on something else shortly after that (i go for peanut butter filled pretzels, gets the protein, salt and carbs your body needs at that moment) if you handle that in the 30 minutes after the run then you can spend calories on celebratory beers later and not have to worry about being starving.
  • hazymary
    hazymary Posts: 190 Member
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    Balancing your calories while training for a 1/2 is difficult at best...I forego MFP and do TDEE...again I do more of a weekly average. I did my 11 mile run on Saturday too another 3 on Sunday, for whatever reason I'm hungrier the day after a big run. What 1/2 are you training for? When is it?
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 768 Member
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    I am also training for my first half. I am usually pretty hungry the day after my long run. Actually I've pretty much been hungry constantly since training began :blushing:
  • stutba
    stutba Posts: 152 Member
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    Green Bay Cellcom, May 19th.

    Thanks for all your input. Looks like have a harty appetite day after is common. I most definately will try to spread the calories around and quite stressing.

    I havent lost a whole lot of weight since my training (5 pounds in 6 weeks). I am no longer freaking out because I gain 4 pounds after a long run. Seems like my muscles like to hold onto water for a couple days.

    Again thanks to everyone.

    Good luck to you all running your half and full marathons:smile:
  • watchhillgirl
    watchhillgirl Posts: 597 Member
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    I am also training for a 1/2 marathon, and I find after a longer run, the next day I am starving! Glad to know I am not the only one. Today will be a lighter run, around 5-6 miles and those don't bother me. But get any more than 7 miles and I am an eating fool the next day.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    I didn't eat mine in the best way either, but it was delicious LOL. I had chocolate milk, a peanut butter egg, ice cream after dinner, and double the portions of dinner I'd normally have - cheddar chicken & parmesan orzo. And a couple glasses of milk too. I'm OK today, but I did eat a lot of protein on run day so maybe that helped.

    I have been netting around 1350 while training (I aim for 1200, but always go over). I haven't found that to be a problem, personally. But I do eat back every.last.calorie LOL.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Balancing your calories while training for a 1/2 is difficult at best...I forego MFP and do TDEE...again I do more of a weekly average. I did my 11 mile run on Saturday too another 3 on Sunday, for whatever reason I'm hungrier the day after a big run. What 1/2 are you training for? When is it?

    I bow down to you...I will NOT be running today, after my 11 miler yesterday LOL. I will be going to body sculpting, but no way would I be running today. I'm going to take a rest day Tuesday and run again on Wednesday.
  • 99cherrypie99
    99cherrypie99 Posts: 205 Member
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    I am not in training for anything, but I ran 13.25 miles yesterday. I NEVER eat back my calories. And I'm not usually hungry the day of my long run but I usually am really hungry the next day. So I've been trying not to pig out today!

    Jen

    jenhudsonmosher.blogspot.com
  • MelyssaMallonee3
    MelyssaMallonee3 Posts: 6 Member
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    I so can relate. I've trained for many marathons, and currently training for another. It's so strange because the day I do my long run, I have a hard time getting my normal calories in and have to make myself eat. The next day, though, ANOTHER STORY. I am HUNGRY all day long and I tend to overeat (even if I don't feel hungry at that moment). I have noticed a pattern that I do this every Sunday after a long run on Saturday. I am going to try to spread out some extra calories over the week for super long run weeks and see how that helps. I don't think eating back 2000-3000 calories in one weekend is a good approach but would love to read more replies. I'm guessing we're not alone!
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
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    I find that if I eat more the day before my long run I dont have the crazy hungry feeling after. So I spread my long run calories out over 3 days: day before, day of, and day after.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    stutba wrote: »
    I am training for my 1st half marathon. I ran 11 miles on Saturday. The day after (Sunday) I was mega Hungry and ate and ate.
    Because I ate more than my allowed calories for the day after my long run (my rest and recovery day), Am I sabotaging
    my diet? Anyone have suggestions...

    You should be accounting for your exercise activity either in your activity level (TDEE method) or by eating back exercise calories (MFP method). Are you appropriately accounting for that activity?
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
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    Not a runner but a cyclist; however, I had the exact opposite reactions from my recent centuries. After the first one last month (first ever), I ate heavy after the ride and continued the next three days or so. I just finished one last Saturday and haven't had the same urges yet. The only difference was my fitness is much improved over the month gap, the second century had less climbing (6,300' vs 10,000'), and I did a 38 miler with some climb (1,800') on the following day. Yesterday was supposed to be an active recovery day but I went fairly hard, guess today will be the real recovery ride.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    kcjchang wrote: »
    Not a runner but a cyclist; however, I had the exact opposite reactions from my recent centuries. After the first one last month (first ever), I ate heavy after the ride and continued the next three days or so. I just finished one last Saturday and haven't had the same urges yet. The only difference was my fitness is much improved over the month gap, the second century had less climbing (6,300' vs 10,000'), and I did a 38 miler with some climb (1,800') on the following day. Yesterday was supposed to be an active recovery day but I went fairly hard, guess today will be the real recovery ride.

    I react differently, hunger-wise, to running and cycling long. After a long run, my appetite is usually pretty normal for awhile. Sometimes it ticks up in the evening and I make up some of the calories. Generally I'm compensating the next day, though.

    But cycling? Oh, man. Like the *instant* I get home, I turn into a food black hole. EAT ALL THE THINGS NOW.

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