Running and Hunger

Peacebone
Peacebone Posts: 21 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I'm currently running three times a week and I have noticed my appetite has started to increase... It's kind of embarrassing, as I like to feel in control of my body and I'm trying to drop weight.

Is there any way in which I can curb these hunger pangs? They're horrible... I don't especially enjoy eating and I eat pretty well, but I am training for a half marathon and don't want to get fat again!

I don't think I have ever really felt hunger in over a year...

Replies

  • jennsie
    jennsie Posts: 38
    drink a lot of water.

    it will suppress the hunger.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Especially if you're eating properly and you're still hungry, you really do need to eat a bit more now you're training. Not all your exercise calories by any means, but certainly enough to you don't have a massive deficit.
  • jeff261159
    jeff261159 Posts: 385
    Listen to your body, your body is tell ing you it is running out of fuel. Try and snack on high GI foods, they are slow release and will satisfy your appetite for longer.
  • evertongirl
    evertongirl Posts: 120 Member
    its one of the joys of running...you know if you are hungry after it you must have worked hard and burnt a decent amount of calories - as long as you dont eat more than you burnt then you are doing exactly what you are meant to- completing the feedback mechanism your body needs to keep losing and be healthy - take it as a positive sign.
  • sara_m83
    sara_m83 Posts: 545 Member
    immediately after your runs, you need to replenish your body's lost glycogen, carbohydrates, and protein. You have a 20 minute window in which you should get in a protein shake or high-protein recovery drink, and within an hour you should be eating something to replace your lost carbohydrates. Your hunger is your body telling you it needs this fuel. I'm a runner and often insatiable. It does make it hard to resist temptation, but as long as you are choosing the right foods at the right times, you will be fine. Running is great for weight loss.
  • lisapickering
    lisapickering Posts: 374
    You need to feed the machine!! If you want your body to perform you need to fuel it. You may want to look at the amount of protein you are eating. I usually have a shake of strawberries and greek yogurt after my run, it's hydrating with protein.

    Good luck in the half!
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    How long are you running for? Generally, if you run quite fast for 30 minutes or less, you will be burning glycogen, and feel very hungry. If you run a bit slower but for 45min to an hour, your body starts metabolising fat, and your appetite won't increase as much.

    I need to eat a bit more on my running days, but only 200-300 calories more.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Try and snack on high GI foods, they are slow release and will satisfy your appetite for longer.
    Are you sure you didn't mean to say "Low GI" foods?
  • Peacebone
    Peacebone Posts: 21 Member
    I'm running at a moderate pace for around an hour, three times a week.

    I think I my need to start intaking more calories, as my performance isn't as good as it could be... Right now I feel freezing cold and tonight I ended up eating, which isn't good. I'm going to buy lots of carrots and raw veg to try and fill me up tomorrow.

    I'm eating 1200 - 1700 calories a day, doing 2 days in the gym with weight training, cardio at a high resistance (anything up to an hour) and intervals and running around 3 days, for around 5 miles. Obviously, I only eat 1200-1300 on rest days, but they can be the hardest, as I feel hungry AND don't have exercise to distract me.

    I'm following my calories using MyFitnessPal, obviously, which says I should only have 1200 a day if I'm not exercising, as I have a desk job.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    I burned nearly 1000 exercise calories today riding my bike, mowing my lawn and working in the yard. and I've been hungry and eating all day. I think i finally satisfied my hunger with a cold chicken leg (lean protein).
  • bobbyandthekid
    bobbyandthekid Posts: 60
    I know how hard it is to work at a desk all day and get active in the evening, then battle the hunger pains in the evening.
    I suggest eating a monster salad for dinner. I like to replace dressing with no fat cottage cheese, mostly out of personal preference and I don't like eating fat before bed.
    My favorite salad is a layer of green lettuce, layer of cottage cheese, Pineapple and fresh peaches, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, bananas, grapes, apple slices, orange slices, Keep adding until you hit your calorie goal. Make sure you get 3 to 5 hundred calories. Thats a lot of this by the way!

    Eat very slow, chew slow, savor every bite.
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