question about running : )

Hi athan, I'm in the same boat! I would love to hear any responses...

Same for me! I know we're supposed to eat back our exercise calories so that affords us more to eat but I want to eat MORE when I exercise a lot!

Have you tried doing a low carb diet instead? It is based around healthy protein, fats and carbs. I usually try to make 20% of my calories healthy carbs, 30% healthy fats and 50% healthy proteins. The proteins keep you fuller longer and wll give you the energy you need for your 2-4 mile runs without draining all of your energy and leaving you ravenous. You can alter your calorie percentages by going under your goals and manually changing your percentages. If you net 1400 cals a day you will probably be around 90 carbs a day. It is not an extreme diet, but it is enough to kick your body in the right direction! Good luck and I hope this helps!

Hi there,

I'm new to running and what I'm doing is eating more filling foods and natural foods. I know that sounds simple but it seems to work for me. I always make sure I have these staples on hand: bananas (which are good before and after a workout), raw almonds, low fat milk, all-bran cereal, lots of chicken, cheese and beans (black beans, kidney beans), barley and lots of veggies and fruit. I try to have veggies/fruit at everymeal. You'll also need to make sure you get enough protien in your diet. I find if I eat processed meals (like the ones you put in the microwave) I'm more hungry. I don't know if this helps. Good luck.

I've totally struggled with this too. I am always able to maintain my weight while running (4-5 miles per day), but it is difficult for me to lose weight because I eat more! But, I've been working on it the last month or so, and I've come to some conclusions:

1) We as a culture kind of treat running as one of the ultimate signs of fitness, but it doesn't burn tons of calories! In fact, as you get better at it, your body gets used to it, and burns less. When I ran track our coach would remind us to only eat a bit more than normal, because you often think that you burn more calories than you do.

2) Eat a small, healthy meal or snack about an hour and a half before running. My favorites: banana with 1 tbsp peanut butter, wheat toast with peanut butter, 5 triscuits with 1/2 cup cottage cheese and some carrots. This makes me not too full or too hungry when I am going on my run.

3) When I get back, my endorphins keep me from being hungry for an hour or so. Therefore, at the hour mark, I eat another protein and complex carb snack to keep my blood sugar level tempered.

I have found that when I don't deprive myself before and after my run, I am less hungry later in the day. This coupled with my knowledge of my cardiac output keep me from overeating.

Try to eat things with more proteine, that fills you up and helps with your meatabo, before you start your day walking or running be sure and eat a little something with proteine..like 100% wheat toast with melted chadder cheese...that will give you your energy for exercise and raise your meatbo..and watch your carbs during the day drink lots water.