How do you deal with hunger from exercising?

Are you eating back any exercise calories at all? If your calorie goal comes from MFP, it's designed for you to eat at least some of those calories back. If you're running a lot (and you are), it's important to fuel that activity even while you are losing weight.

If you got your goal from a TDEE calculator then it includes exercise, but if you got your goal from mfp it does not include exercise and you should be eating back a portion of those exercise calories. You need to fuel your workouts. I walk and usually eat back about 80% of my exercise calories or else I lose at a faster rate than expected. Most people say to start with 50% of the exercise calories to adjust for any overestimation. If you are running 20-35 miles a week and you are hungry then you need to eat more.

I try to exercise within 30 minutes to an hour after a meal (usually breakfast), so the cravings aren't as likely to rear their head. I also have a small snack (usually fruit and a cheese stick) after exercising.

I usually eat back all my calories in excess of my 500 calorie deficit. I know many people on MFP are opposed to eating back calories, but I have a Fitbit, and its calorie burn estimate has proved to be fairly accurate over the last year. I feel comfortable eating back any excess calories listed on MFP.

Since you are training towards another half marathon, I would highly suggest not being on a strict cut while you are training, and certainly not in the last few weeks before the race. I speak from experience--I ran my first half while cutting, and while my time wasn't horrible (sub-2 hours), I took nearly 15 minutes off when I ran my next while properly fueled. I try to only eat back about 50% of the calories I "earn" from running--this works well for me and helps me balance between tracking what I eat and not being overly obsessive about weighing my food. Try dividing your daily allotment over a few smaller meals and snacks over the course of the day, and make sure you're getting adequate protein. Drinking plenty of water, while not only helping you maintain hydration, will also help differentiate between emotional hunger and/or thirst and true hunger. Good luck!

My basic rule: If I'm TRULY hungry (not bored, upset, uncomfortable, etc), then I eat. To me hunger is my body's way of saying I need something, and I don't say no. I make good choices, and if I go over that day, I go over.

This strategy has helped me drop 12# and 4% BF in the past couple of months without ever being uncomfortable. To me allowing yourself to be hungry is not a sustainable technique.

Here's some of my choices:

Protein shake after every workout.
Carrots and Hummus (only 80 calories!).
Almonds.
Water (helps more than you think).
Greek yogurt and granola.

Good luck!

Protein! When your starving or craving eat healthy protein and vegetables. If I go over my calories a day and I am still hungry at the end of the day I have protein in any form, by doing this I still lose weight.

I always have pre and post workout snacks that include both carb & protein.

singletrackmtbr wrote: »

My basic rule: If I'm TRULY hungry (not bored, upset, uncomfortable, etc), then I eat. To me hunger is my body's way of saying I need something, and I don't say no. I make good choices, and if I go over that day, I go over.

Every bit of this.

I've stopped counting my calories a long time ago and am trying to be in maintenance for the summer (because a deficit isn't good for my endurance cardio goals or for building muscles) so now I go by hunger more than calorie counts.

When I do a hard exercise I'll have a protein/fat/carb smoothie afterwards. I use raspberries, milk or half and half, protein powder, and other good stuff.

I do similar mileage. If I can have a substantial snack or meal after a run, that helps keep me from getting too hungry. I have to stay ahead of the hunger.

Preparation of food prior to training would help you immensely. Leave it ready to eat soon as you get home. Drink water to hold you over till you get back home to eat.