When exercising, do I eat the extra calories before or after

ianmorrus101
ianmorrus101 Posts: 2 Member
edited October 1 in Food and Nutrition
I've been wondering this for a while.

My wife and I are training for a half marathon, so 4 days a week we run. We're only about a month away from the day of the race, so our runs get pretty long now—4 miles on weekdays and 11 miles this Saturday.

That buys a LOT of extra calories. Last week I burned over 1100 when we ran 10 miles Saturday morning. So here's where my question comes in.

If I burn 1100 calories Saturday morning, should I be eating that extra 1100 anytime later that day? Or should I have eaten them the day before? Right now I just increase my caloric intake for the day that I run, and we always run in the morning, so my extra eating is always after the calories have been burned.

It seems like even though I stay within my daily calorie goals most every day, it's the weekends that take me off track, and I worry that it's because my runs are misguiding me by making me think I can eat more *after* when I really should have built up the calorie storage ahead of time.

Any insight into this would be splendid. Thanks!

Replies

  • bonniebrien
    bonniebrien Posts: 10 Member
    As far as I know, it's just fine to eat the calories after the run. I would suggest choosing a healthy way of consuming those calories and avoid eating three donuts :). Add some protein especially. You burn at a higher rate right after exercise, so eating a high protein lunch would be a better idea than eating mass quantities of dessert after dinner. I've also heard from my exercise instructor that chocolate milk is a great post workout consumable, gives energy, fat, protein and some hydration that you need to restore.

    Another exercise instructor in my past told me that it's more about calories consumed and burned over a week-long period, rather than within one single day. So if you want to space your extra calories out over the week, I think that would be fine. Also helps to save up calories for a weekend dinner out or other indulgence.
  • proats
    proats Posts: 35 Member
    It doesnt matter at all. what matter is daily total calorie and macro intake, not the timing of specific meals
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