Starting high mileage running - super hungry!
karajf0413
Posts: 17 Member
Recently I started training for a half marathon and upped my runs from about 3 miles to 4 or 7. Since then, I've been ravenous - eating nearly 2500 calories a day! I'm still trying to lose a bit of weight (I'm 5'4" and 134lbs) and I feel like eating this much even with the burns from my runs is way too much to lose anything. Since I just started will this ravenous hunger die down eventually? Or do I need to kick my self control into high gear and just force myself to eat less?
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Replies
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I get super rungry too... not really found a solution other than keep my deficit to a minimum as I'm upping my miles. (I'm also training for a half, in September)
Make sure you're getting enough fat and protein to help keep you full.2 -
This is one of the reasons I don't train for endurance events when I'm trying to cut weight...I always end up in maintenance with the training load. I do much better cutting weight when I'm just doing a moderate amount of cardio and lifting.0
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It only gets worse. On the other hand, one of the benefits of training for distance races is the ability to eat anything and everything (and lots of it).
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I do a 6 mile run approx every 3 days. The difference it has on my body and my weight loss is profound! Even with 2 clear days without running, going the extra distance over say, a 2 or a 3 miler seems to make a huge impact on weight loss and body change, don't knock the effect it has!
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What's your total weekly running volume? Typically with most HM training plans your long run peaks at about 10 miles with 2 or 3 shorter runs during the week which may help curb your runger........bottom line though is that the runs take fuel. Not too many people lose weight in the latter stages of a training plan, monitor what you're eating to try to avoid putting wight on (for some of us that's as good as it gets) Have fun!1
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You need to be careful, IMO. Keep up your calories or you are at risk of injury. You'll also likely experience greater fatigue if you don't.2
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Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry and make sure to get enough fat and protein. 0
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karajf0413 wrote: »Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry and make sure to get enough fat and protein.
If i ate when i was hungry i would be 100s of pounds overweight!4 -
TavistockToad wrote: »karajf0413 wrote: »Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry and make sure to get enough fat and protein.
If i ate when i was hungry i would be 100s of pounds overweight!
I meant more that I won't stop myself from eating a snack or something (even if I'm over my calories) if I'm super hungry. Haha!0 -
Try eating more protein, have a multivitamin, drink loads of water and have carbs immediately after your run (within a few minutes of stopping) . If you are feeling hungry it is your body saying it needs stuff so try and work out what it really needs. Eating straight after running allows your muscle to replenish glycogen so it may stop you feeling so hungry later - try and use MFP to measure your calories in and out. It can become difficult to hit the right balance when you start clocking up a lot of calorie deficit but MFP can really help you still hit your goal0
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You do get used to the higher level of exertion after a while. Either that or you figure out how to fuel it so you aren't starving all the time. I eat back all my exercise calories. I'm in maintenance, but that worked when I was losing some weight before my last marathon. I eat a lot, since I run 35-40 miles a week on average but usually am close to my calorie goal, except on days when I eat out. It used to be 4 mile runs made me hungry. Now 6 is my low end run, so doesn't get any extra food. I only feel like I need extra after runs of more than 8 miles. I supplement during runs over 10 miles, but usually only one Gu every 5 or so. When marathon training, I usually only get really hungry on days of more than 10 miles.1
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karajf0413 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »karajf0413 wrote: »Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll try to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry and make sure to get enough fat and protein.
If i ate when i was hungry i would be 100s of pounds overweight!
I meant more that I won't stop myself from eating a snack or something (even if I'm over my calories) if I'm super hungry. Haha!
There's your problem... if you're at maintenance then going over means a surplus...0 -
I am not sure if the truth has been specifically stated here yet: So I will do it.
Yeah, running makes everyone hungrier and it is not uncommon for people who are training for a longer race -- even a marathon -- to actually put on weight.
I like the suggestion of making sure you get enough fat and protein in your diet. It helps you feel satiated longer. And a multivitamin.
And watch how much you eat. I don't know about this injury thing, but if you lose weight you will get faster and your runs may feel easier.0 -
Running doesnt make everyone hungry for some it has the opposite effect. You might be faster if you lose weight but not if your under fueling your runs.3
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If anything you should be eating more when running more lol0
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Just an observation, maybe it doesn't apply to your situation, but . . .
I've had periods when injury kept me from running. And I've had periods when I've run a lot of miles. When I'm not running, I'm satisfied with three meals a day and minimal snacking. When I'm running a lot of miles, I need to eat more often than that. I don't have to eat a lot every time, but it's hard to get from 9 AM to Noon without eating anything. I've been known to get through church by taking along a packet of Sport Beans for when I absolutely need something, but it doesn't have to be a lot.
The trick is, if I don't recognize that I don't need much each time, I could keep eating and put on an awful lot of weight. Even in an aggressive marathon training program, I can't outrun my fork.
As always, the keys to satiety for me are eating enough protein and eating enough fiber. That has to be balanced with not eating too much fiber, which can have unfortunate consequences on a long run. And I need to spread what I eat out into more than 3 times a day, just because that's what it takes to support my running habit.4 -
I've said this before, and not to rub it in, but high mileage and marathon training makes me drop weight very easily, almost too easy as I switch to a lot more calorie dense foods. Many gain, but not all. It can be a fine line balancing performance & weight loss. Slower, easier runs help that.0
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Try to play around with fueling strategies before/after runs. E.g. Eating a good protein/carb snack within 2 hrs of a long run. 7 miles is not that long a distance to cause "runger".. your body might adapt to it over time. Might also be a psychological thing.0
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Omg I'm not alone1
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Just an observation, maybe it doesn't apply to your situation, but . . .
I've had periods when injury kept me from running. And I've had periods when I've run a lot of miles. When I'm not running, I'm satisfied with three meals a day and minimal snacking. When I'm running a lot of miles, I need to eat more often than that. I don't have to eat a lot every time, but it's hard to get from 9 AM to Noon without eating anything. I've been known to get through church by taking along a packet of Sport Beans for when I absolutely need something, but it doesn't have to be a lot.
The trick is, if I don't recognize that I don't need much each time, I could keep eating and put on an awful lot of weight. Even in an aggressive marathon training program, I can't outrun my fork.
As always, the keys to satiety for me are eating enough protein and eating enough fiber. That has to be balanced with not eating too much fiber, which can have unfortunate consequences on a long run. And I need to spread what I eat out into more than 3 times a day, just because that's what it takes to support my running habit.
I think this is exactly what I'm talking about. I'm hungrier more often (like my stomach growls and hurts every 2 hours instead of every 4) so I end up eating more. I will try to find a balance of macros and timing for meals that works well but doesn't put me over my calorie limits. Thanks 2 -
I've said this before, and not to rub it in, but high mileage and marathon training makes me drop weight very easily, almost too easy as I switch to a lot more calorie dense foods. Many gain, but not all. It can be a fine line balancing performance & weight loss. Slower, easier runs help that.
I'm totally jelly...0 -
karajf0413 wrote: »Recently I started training for a half marathon and upped my runs from about 3 miles to 4 or 7. Since then, I've been ravenous - eating nearly 2500 calories a day! I'm still trying to lose a bit of weight (I'm 5'4" and 134lbs) and I feel like eating this much even with the burns from my runs is way too much to lose anything. Since I just started will this ravenous hunger die down eventually? Or do I need to kick my self control into high gear and just force myself to eat less?karajf0413 wrote: »Recently I started training for a half marathon and upped my runs from about 3 miles to 4 or 7. Since then, I've been ravenous - eating nearly 2500 calories a day! I'm still trying to lose a bit of weight (I'm 5'4" and 134lbs) and I feel like eating this much even with the burns from my runs is way too much to lose anything. Since I just started will this ravenous hunger die down eventually? Or do I need to kick my self control into high gear and just force myself to eat less?
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I wish I had that problem, your probably building muscle toning yourself that's what I'm trying to do is gain weight but I can't get over 2,100 calories it says I should be at 2,350 but like I feel sick if I go over 2,000 I'm burning like 400 calories a day running and I certainly don't feel the erg to eat more I want to eat less maybe I have a lot of fats stored or something I weigh 120 but I look small if I wasn't eating like this ide probably weigh 116 you sound like a good weight for muscle toning I wish I had a couple pounds to spare not be like a machine but just have some definition0
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jillykicks wrote: »I wish I had that problem, your probably building muscle toning yourself that's what I'm trying to do is gain weight but I can't get over 2,100 calories it says I should be at 2,350 but like I feel sick if I go over 2,000 I'm burning like 400 calories a day running and I certainly don't feel the erg to eat more I want to eat less maybe I have a lot of fats stored or something I weigh 120 but I look small if I wasn't eating like this ide probably weigh 116 you sound like a good weight for muscle toning I wish I had a couple pounds to spare not be like a machine but just have some definition
Run less if you cant fuel the level of activity.1 -
karajf0413 wrote: »Or do I need to kick my self control into high gear and just force myself to eat less?
There's your answer.
While you need to fuel your training, you also need to manage your calorie intake.
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