Runners: how do you balance high mileage and hunger and weight loss?
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Sailor_Moon86
Posts: 48 Member
I keep eating at maintenance, sometimes a little over, and I'm frustrated because I want to lose these last 10 lbs ASAP. I hover between 135-139. I run 37-40 miles a week, and I was aiming for 1500 a day but end up at 1670 or so. Because I'm starving all the time. STARVING. I woke up hungry at 230 am today and ate a piece of a Lenny and Larry cookie with milk! Was sad because I had to log it for today lol. I'm a 5'3.5 female. Started at 173 April 2015. Want to get down to 120-125 range. 34/27/36 measurements.
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Replies
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Eta: I also strength train 3x a week for 40 minutes each.0
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To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..0
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Sometimes it's not how much we're eating, but what we're eating. Your diary is closed, but have you already ensure you're getting enough protein and fiber?0
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I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
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Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.0 -
A deficit from the calories burned running. I think I should be losing weight at a much faster pace. Just not sure how to not be so god damn ravenous all the time.janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.
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Maybe it's water weight? I know I've lost inches. Clothes fit better. Even if I was off by half, 2000 caloric deficit should produce at least half a pound of Loss.0
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I keep a small deficit. That's the only way for me to continue being a runner, lose weight, and not murder everyone from the hangries.
I'm losing 0.5 lb a week, but it's progress. I could lose faster, but I would have to be less active and that's not the lifestyle that I want to develop.0 -
Hard to say whats happening, my guess is that you aren't burning as many calories as you think. I feel like running is just eating away my muscle mass though. Maybe try just eating back half your exercise calories, FWIW I have found it incredibly hard to run and eat at a deficit....0
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Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
A deficit from the calories burned running. I think I should be losing weight at a much faster pace. Just not sure how to not be so god damn ravenous all the time.janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.
Do you know what your actual deficit is? Not what you're burning total from running, but the difference between what you're consuming total and what you're burning total?
That is what determines how quickly you will lose and whether or not you're actually "eating at maintenance" or are in a deficit.0 -
You might have to make better choices regarding your protein, fiber, and fat percentages. I don't have a hunger problem when I run because 1) My need to eat gets decreased and 2) When it does increase I have more than enough calories that I would have to stuff my face to eat back. A net deficit of 4000K is just over a pound a week. Maybe you need to reset expectations about how fast you can lose and still feed your body at the right levels now that you are not 173 anymore.0
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Do you weigh solids and measure liquids?0
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Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »Maybe it's water weight? I know I've lost inches. Clothes fit better. Even if I was off by half, 2000 caloric deficit should produce at least half a pound of Loss.
I believe so and I know I am going through the same thing. Water retention is normal to help with the healing of muscle tissue that you're tearing up with the weightlifting. I hit a plateau when I began lifting again too. If your calorie count is on point, it is water. Keep it up and you will see results.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
A deficit from the calories burned running. I think I should be losing weight at a much faster pace. Just not sure how to not be so god damn ravenous all the time.janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.
Do you know what your actual deficit is? Not what you're burning total from running, but the difference between what you're consuming total and what you're burning total?
That is what determines how quickly you will lose and whether or not you're actually "eating at maintenance" or are in a deficit.
Well for the past 3 weeks I've been averaging an intake of about 1670-1700. Which is maintenance for me according to Scooby. For someone who does light cardio 3x a week. Then I run 35-40 miles and even then, I recalculate what MFP says. It says I burn 100 calories per mile but I take it down to 90. But idk. Maybe I'm underestimating calories because I'm so ravenous all the time and I get careless? But even then, even if I was off by 2000, half a pound should come off lol. But I'm guessing it may be water weight. I just increased mileage a month ago from 25-30 miles to 35/40.
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Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
A deficit from the calories burned running. I think I should be losing weight at a much faster pace. Just not sure how to not be so god damn ravenous all the time.janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.
Do you know what your actual deficit is? Not what you're burning total from running, but the difference between what you're consuming total and what you're burning total?
That is what determines how quickly you will lose and whether or not you're actually "eating at maintenance" or are in a deficit.
Well for the past 3 weeks I've been averaging an intake of about 1670-1700. Which is maintenance for me according to Scooby. For someone who does light cardio 3x a week. Then I run 35-40 miles and even then, I recalculate what MFP says. It says I burn 100 calories per mile but I take it down to 90. But idk. Maybe I'm underestimating calories because I'm so ravenous all the time and I get careless? But even then, even if I was off by 2000, half a pound should come off lol. But I'm guessing it may be water weight. I just increased mileage a month ago from 25-30 miles to 35/40.
So you're counting the 35-40 miles as your light cardio 3 times a week? Or you're doing light cardio 3 times a week and then the runs on top of that and eating back 90 calories per mile run? And you haven't lost anything for three weeks?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get an understanding of what your actual calculations are.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
A deficit from the calories burned running. I think I should be losing weight at a much faster pace. Just not sure how to not be so god damn ravenous all the time.janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.
Do you know what your actual deficit is? Not what you're burning total from running, but the difference between what you're consuming total and what you're burning total?
That is what determines how quickly you will lose and whether or not you're actually "eating at maintenance" or are in a deficit.
Well for the past 3 weeks I've been averaging an intake of about 1670-1700. Which is maintenance for me according to Scooby. For someone who does light cardio 3x a week. Then I run 35-40 miles and even then, I recalculate what MFP says. It says I burn 100 calories per mile but I take it down to 90. But idk. Maybe I'm underestimating calories because I'm so ravenous all the time and I get careless? But even then, even if I was off by 2000, half a pound should come off lol. But I'm guessing it may be water weight. I just increased mileage a month ago from 25-30 miles to 35/40.
So you're counting the 35-40 miles as your light cardio 3 times a week? Or you're doing light cardio 3 times a week and then the runs on top of that and eating back 90 calories per mile run? And you haven't lost anything for three weeks?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get an understanding of what your actual calculations are.
Lol yes sorry. I'm underestimating so I placed myself under light cardio 3x a week which equals 35-40 miles. Then I recalculate what MFP gives me down to 90 cals per mile instead of 100.
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Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
A deficit from the calories burned running. I think I should be losing weight at a much faster pace. Just not sure how to not be so god damn ravenous all the time.janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.
Do you know what your actual deficit is? Not what you're burning total from running, but the difference between what you're consuming total and what you're burning total?
That is what determines how quickly you will lose and whether or not you're actually "eating at maintenance" or are in a deficit.
Well for the past 3 weeks I've been averaging an intake of about 1670-1700. Which is maintenance for me according to Scooby. For someone who does light cardio 3x a week. Then I run 35-40 miles and even then, I recalculate what MFP says. It says I burn 100 calories per mile but I take it down to 90. But idk. Maybe I'm underestimating calories because I'm so ravenous all the time and I get careless? But even then, even if I was off by 2000, half a pound should come off lol. But I'm guessing it may be water weight. I just increased mileage a month ago from 25-30 miles to 35/40.
So you're counting the 35-40 miles as your light cardio 3 times a week? Or you're doing light cardio 3 times a week and then the runs on top of that and eating back 90 calories per mile run? And you haven't lost anything for three weeks?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get an understanding of what your actual calculations are.
Lol yes sorry. I'm underestimating so I placed myself under light cardio 3x a week which equals 35-40 miles. Then I recalculate what MFP gives me down to 90 cals per mile instead of 100.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you generated your calorie goal based on your TDEE (which is what Scooby gives you) and are then "double-dipping" when you log your exercise calories. You only want to count the activity once. If you are including it in your initial goal and then having MFP give you more, then you're double-dipping.
MFP's method is based on taking your non-exercise activity level and then adding exercise calories back to that. You can choose that method or the TDEE method, but mixing them can cause problems. You will probably want to choose one or the other.
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i eat at a calorie deficit and try to eat nutrient dense foods0
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janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
A deficit from the calories burned running. I think I should be losing weight at a much faster pace. Just not sure how to not be so god damn ravenous all the time.janejellyroll wrote: »Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
I have a deficit of nearly 4K a week from running.peaceout_aly wrote: »To lose you have to have a deficit, so eating at or above maintenance would be the reason you aren't losing..
I'm confused then because your OP says you are eating at maintenance.
If you're in a deficit, you should be losing weight.
Do you know what your actual deficit is? Not what you're burning total from running, but the difference between what you're consuming total and what you're burning total?
That is what determines how quickly you will lose and whether or not you're actually "eating at maintenance" or are in a deficit.
Well for the past 3 weeks I've been averaging an intake of about 1670-1700. Which is maintenance for me according to Scooby. For someone who does light cardio 3x a week. Then I run 35-40 miles and even then, I recalculate what MFP says. It says I burn 100 calories per mile but I take it down to 90. But idk. Maybe I'm underestimating calories because I'm so ravenous all the time and I get careless? But even then, even if I was off by 2000, half a pound should come off lol. But I'm guessing it may be water weight. I just increased mileage a month ago from 25-30 miles to 35/40.
So you're counting the 35-40 miles as your light cardio 3 times a week? Or you're doing light cardio 3 times a week and then the runs on top of that and eating back 90 calories per mile run? And you haven't lost anything for three weeks?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get an understanding of what your actual calculations are.
Lol yes sorry. I'm underestimating so I placed myself under light cardio 3x a week which equals 35-40 miles. Then I recalculate what MFP gives me down to 90 cals per mile instead of 100.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you generated your calorie goal based on your TDEE (which is what Scooby gives you) and are then "double-dipping" when you log your exercise calories. You only want to count the activity once. If you are including it in your initial goal and then having MFP give you more, then you're double-dipping.
MFP's method is based on taking your non-exercise activity level and then adding exercise calories back to that. You can choose that method or the TDEE method, but mixing them can cause problems. You will probably want to choose one or the other.
Okay so here is what I do:
According to Scooby, my TDEE is 1670 at light cardio 3x a week.
I manually input this into MFP. So MFP is set at 1670 maintenance for me.
On average, that is what I eat. 1670. Sometimes a little more, 100 calories or so, for the past 3 weeks, since I've upped mileage. I do not eat exercise calories back. I don't even pay attention to that part of MFP. MFP is purely for logging purposes so i can keep track of what Ive eaten and not have to remember in my head. I find it useful to log my calories and to keep track of what I've burned. Thats it.
Now, if Im supposed to maintain at 1670, with light cardio 3x a week, and I end up burning nearly 4k a week, I should be losing roughly one lb or half a pound if some calculations are horridly off. Does that make sense?
FWIW, I have lost inches and fit back into my jeans that i hadn't worn in years. Im just frustrated with he scale. and I do feel kind of bloated.0
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