Difficult workout followed by insatiable hunger

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This doesn't happen often but has a few times. Today was one of those.

I was out for what was a short run this evening just to get in some miles. The distance was only 2 miles, nothing challenging at all for me to do. I was running a very familiar path beside a river, so mostly flat. 71 degrees, 55% humidity. I typically run 5-7 days a week. Been exercising for years and while I'm not in a competitive time of life now, I've been a successful local age group racer.

I run by effort and only a couple of times a run look at my watch. Effort today was to be easy. Today, I was feeling sluggish from the start. At the turnaround, I noted that my average pace was about 45 second per mile slower than it should be. On the way back, I guess I'd say I was lightheaded a bit and I definitely could tell I had a little tunnel vision. I finally stopped a bit to rest until that went away and ran back home.

Once I got home, I had hunger that was insatiable. Literally I felt I had to eat. I also drank 2 glasses of water, but I had a craving to eat I could not ignore. Wound up eating a tangerine, slice of bread with jelly, olives, sweet potato chips, and spoonful of peanut butter. Truthfully, there was not way I could avoid the urge.

Anybody had anything like this happen to them? Over the past 10 years it has happened to me maybe 5 times or so. But it is very disconcerting. Any ideas what happened?

Replies

  • MissMonicaC4
    MissMonicaC4 Posts: 279 Member
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    I am no expert but listen to your body!! If its not everytime like you said.. And your meeting your goals just allow it for sure. I find if I take a wee nap I wake up ravenous!! Lol
  • Aed0416
    Aed0416 Posts: 101 Member
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    If you drank 2 glasses of water after 2 miles I would consider dehydration. Also, it may not be applicable but It was unseasonably warm where I live and I felt similarly during my run.
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
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    I'm like that the evening after 20milers. But I just eat when hungry. And until I'm full. Is you're deficit too big?
  • chelseafxx
    chelseafxx Posts: 251 Member
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    Deficit too low, not eating the right macros pre/post workout?
  • wolfgate
    wolfgate Posts: 321 Member
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    Thanks all.

    RobotFood - My deficit isn't big because I'm in maintenance mode really right now. And my insatiable hunger only lasted about 20 minutes but was intense. Clearly my body was telling me something was missing. The tunnel vision thing is something I realized precedes this hunger when it has happened. May have been dehydration though I was trying to drink the water just to get something in my stomach to see if that ended the hunger.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Usually when I have such an extreme bodily reaction.. It's usually because my macros are super off kilter. Check your macros. Light headed and weak is a sure sign for me of a lack of protein.
  • ekat120
    ekat120 Posts: 407 Member
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    That happens to me every once in a while. I think it's a blood sugar thing for me. It seems to have to do with eating sugary stuff right before a run. I do better with a mix of fat/protein/carbs in me.