ANOTHER DREADED CARB POST.....for Runners!

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sjcply
sjcply Posts: 817 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok so before you guys go carb crazy on me.....let me explain myself first!

So I am a runner..... not a professional runner, but I run 4 days a week averaging about 20-25 miles. My diet has always consisted of 1200 calories 40% protein, 30% carbs 30% fat, (for me to lose weight) I have read over and over again that runners do not need to restrict their carbs and since I have been increasing my mileage preparing for half marathon(and I met my wt loss goal) I decided I would add more carbs and just see if I can maintain my weight since I am running and doing strength training 2 days a wk. WELL it didnt work FOR ME. Since November I have gained 10 lbs back....doing the same thing I have always done except I increased my calories from 1200 to 1400 and changed my ratios to 40% carb 30% protein 30% fat!
(oh yea and just to point out my carbs were not bad carbs, I ate potatoes, brown rice and fruit an occaisonal wheat bread)

I feel yuck! I thought carbs were supposed to give you energy and make you feel good! :sad:

Will I ever be able to follow a normal equal carb/protein diet, or should I just give up and keep eating high protein and not worry about the carbs for running? If you are a runner, what does your diet consist of? Are the carbs really that important?
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Replies

  • Mom2rh
    Mom2rh Posts: 612 Member
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    Hey. Perhaps the carb thing is more of an age thing than a running thing. You are relatively young...I'm a few years older than you. But I found in my own life that as I got older and ate relatively well (which would have maintained my weight a decade ago) I gained weight. I did some research at the beginning of this weight loss journey and I did read that women of a certain age process carbs differently...as in not as well. And I have found that as I have added back more carbs, my weight loss has slowed, well stopped, and even started going in the other direction.

    You might also need to add some weight training to build muscle. The body seems to get accustomed to steady state cardio, like jogging.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Running 80-100 miles per week + 2 days strength training and you gained 10 pounds in 2 months of eating an extra 200 cals?

    There's something else going on, that doesn't add up.
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
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    Running 80-100 miles per week + 2 days strength training and you gained 10 pounds in 2 months of eating an extra 200 cals?

    There's something else going on, that doesn't add up.

    No, let me clarify that. I run 4 days a week total of 20-25 miles per week!
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
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    At 38, I trained for a half marathon, and made sure that my diet was like 55-60% carbs (brown, not very much white). I lost weight like crazy, and then, in taper week, when my running tapered off and my carb eating went up, I lost an additional 3 pounds. More carbs = more weight loss for me. But I'm a weirdo like that.
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
    Options
    Hey. Perhaps the carb thing is more of an age thing than a running thing. You are relatively young...I'm a few years older than you. But I found in my own life that as I got older and ate relatively well (which would have maintained my weight a decade ago) I gained weight. I did some research at the beginning of this weight loss journey and I did read that women of a certain age process carbs differently...as in not as well. And I have found that as I have added back more carbs, my weight loss has slowed, well stopped, and even started going in the other direction.

    You might also need to add some weight training to build muscle. The body seems to get accustomed to steady state cardio, like jogging.

    maybe your right, about the age thing! I am doing strength 2 days a week already!
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
    Options
    At 38, I trained for a half marathon, and made sure that my diet was like 55-60% carbs (brown, not very much white). I lost weight like crazy, and then, in taper week, when my running tapered off and my carb eating went up, I lost an additional 3 pounds. More carbs = more weight loss for me. But I'm a weirdo like that.

    must be nice to be weird like that!
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
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    There was a study on the news awhile back about how different women may benefit from a low carb diet while others benefit more from a low fat... Just something to think about..

    That said, It doesn't add up how adding 200 calories a day made you gain that much weight but I guess we're all different... I'm assuming your clothes fit differently and it wasn't muscle or water weight? I would say do whatever works for you but maybe you need to have a check up with a doctor to make sure everything is good otherwise.. :)
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
    Options
    Sounds like hormonal issues around. Maybe a higher sensibility by the adipocytes to the insulin low leverls, since you were training a lot without providing enough. Not an expert though.
    I read lately an article explainning how an non-adapted diet could cause gain weight. I'll try to find it :)

    EDIT : ok explanations :
    Every time you eat carbs, (and in a measure, proteins), the body produces insulin. The insulin is being produced when the glycemic level changes. The insulin has two roles : anti-catabolism on the muscles, but anabolism on the adipocytes (fat cells) if the meal you just took was too high in calories.

    - First part of the diet -
    In order to loose weight, you need to fast. By fasting, glycemic levels remain stable, the pancreas is not used, the insulin doesn't go right into the blood. Because the insulin prevents fat from being burnt, reducing it helps the fat burning. By extension, you loose weight.

    - The diet slows down -
    Quickly,the first defensive mechanism comes, when the insulin levels lower, the sensibility by the fat cell for the insulin increases, that means you'll need to eat less if you want to maintain the fat burn.

    - Then comes the stagnation-
    If you preserve that state, fat cell will be so sensitive to insulin, that you'll hit that famous plateau - in other words, you won't loose any more weight, even if you eat less (or even reducing the carbs to 0), the proteins will trigger insulin production, insulin that would be quickly taken by the adipocytes (extra sensibility to it).

    The famous plateau is that :)
    At that state, eating less is useless, the fight becomes pointless.

    Fortunately, when you eat less, three hormones come into play : Adrenalin, Noradrenalin, and Growth hormone.
    These 3 are called "lipolytic hormones", and help the fat burn.

    - And then comes the weight gain -
    After long diets, thyroids hormones and leptin ones will crash, making the 3 hormones useless.
    When you hit that plateau, loosing weight turns to be a real torture, slow and painful process. In fact the thyroid will shrink, and... YOU GAIN WEIGHT Even if the calories intakes are very low.

    Thyroid being the key to the metabolism regulation, by making if weaker via diets, the weight gain turns to be unavoidable :)
  • cpldjski
    cpldjski Posts: 64 Member
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    I am by no means a runner. I have always walked and just recently started the C25k program. But I was advised to do low carb by my doctor to try to help with my weight loss. I followed a pretty strict diet and usually stayed between 50-75 grams of carbs a day and lost weight. Around the middle of December I decided to start adding the healthy carbs in. I didn't gain any weight, but I retained a lot more water. My doctor said I just might be one of those people who cannot eat carbs like that at all. I went back to the way I was eating in the beginning of my lifestyle change and the weight loss started up again. I think everyone is different. Good luck to you.
  • kaybelmore
    kaybelmore Posts: 124
    Options
    You could try playing around with older fashioned grains legacy grains and pseudo-cereals (like quinoa). Sometime people's bodies react better to the lesser tampered with grains. Also if you are eating prepared rice/bread be mindful of sodium content. I am also a runner (12-18mi/week) and was never sensitive to sodium before i started working my muscles. Now that i run am running and cross training i can blow up 7-8lbs in 48hours with water weight if i eat more than 2500mg/day >.<

    Also you could just be putting on muscle, if you body did not have enough fuel before and that 200Kcal is what it took to start building, then you are better off in the long run :D
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Options
    Ok so before you guys go carb crazy on me.....let me explain myself first!

    So I am a runner..... not a professional runner, but I run 4 days a week averaging about 20-25 miles. My diet has always consisted of 1200 calories 40% protein, 30% carbs 30% fat, (for me to lose weight) I have read over and over again that runners do not need to restrict their carbs and since I have been increasing my mileage preparing for half marathon(and I met my wt loss goal) I decided I would add more carbs and just see if I can maintain my weight since I am running and doing strength training 2 days a wk. WELL it didnt work FOR ME. Since November I have gained 10 lbs back....doing the same thing I have always done except I increased my calories from 1200 to 1400 and changed my ratios to 40% carb 30% protein 30% fat!
    (oh yea and just to point out my carbs were not bad carbs, I ate potatoes, brown rice and fruit an occaisonal wheat bread)

    I feel yuck! I thought carbs were supposed to give you energy and make you feel good! :sad:

    Will I ever be able to follow a normal equal carb/protein diet, or should I just give up and keep eating high protein and not worry about the carbs for running? If you are a runner, what does your diet consist of? Are the carbs really that important?

    My advice is to purchase this book and go with some of the suggestions in it. Paleo for Athletes.

    http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Diet-Athletes-Nutritional-Performance/dp/1594860890
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
    Options
    Sounds like hormonal issues around. Maybe a higher sensibility by the adipocytes to the insulin low leverls, since you were training a lot without providing enough. Not an expert though.
    I read lately an article explainning how an non-adapted diet could cause gain weight. I'll try to find it :)

    EDIT : ok explanations :
    Every time you eat carbs, (and in a measure, proteins), the body produces insulin. The insulin is being produced when the glycemic level changes. The insulin has two roles : anti-catabolism on the muscles, but anabolism on the adipocytes (fat cells) if the meal you just took was too high in calories.

    - First part of the diet -
    In order to loose weight, you need to fast. By fasting, glycemic levels remain stable, the pancreas is not used, the insulin doesn't go right into the blood. Because the insulin prevents fat from being burnt, reducing it helps the fat burning. By extension, you loose weight.

    - The diet slows down -
    Quickly,the first defensive mechanism comes, when the insulin levels lower, the sensibility by the fat cell for the insulin increases, that means you'll need to eat less if you want to maintain the fat burn.

    - Then comes the stagnation-
    If you preserve that state, fat cell will be so sensitive to insulin, that you'll hit that famous plateau - in other words, you won't loose any more weight, even if you eat less (or even reducing the carbs to 0), the proteins will trigger insulin production, insulin that would be quickly taken by the adipocytes (extra sensibility to it).

    The famous plateau is that :)
    At that state, eating less is useless, the fight becomes pointless.

    Fortunately, when you eat less, three hormones come into play : Adrenalin, Noradrenalin, and Growth hormone.
    These 3 are called "lipolytic hormones", and help the fat burn.

    - And then comes the weight gain -
    After long diets, thyroids hormones and leptin ones will crash, making the 3 hormones useless.
    When you hit that plateau, loosing weight turns to be a real torture, slow and painful process. In fact the thyroid will shrink, and... YOU GAIN WEIGHT Even if the calories intakes are very low.

    Thyroid being the key to the metabolism regulation, by making if weaker via diets, the weight gain turns to be unavoidable :)

    makes sense! so does this mean I am doomed!! or can it be reversed??
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
    Options
    Ok so before you guys go carb crazy on me.....let me explain myself first!

    So I am a runner..... not a professional runner, but I run 4 days a week averaging about 20-25 miles. My diet has always consisted of 1200 calories 40% protein, 30% carbs 30% fat, (for me to lose weight) I have read over and over again that runners do not need to restrict their carbs and since I have been increasing my mileage preparing for half marathon(and I met my wt loss goal) I decided I would add more carbs and just see if I can maintain my weight since I am running and doing strength training 2 days a wk. WELL it didnt work FOR ME. Since November I have gained 10 lbs back....doing the same thing I have always done except I increased my calories from 1200 to 1400 and changed my ratios to 40% carb 30% protein 30% fat!
    (oh yea and just to point out my carbs were not bad carbs, I ate potatoes, brown rice and fruit an occaisonal wheat bread)

    I feel yuck! I thought carbs were supposed to give you energy and make you feel good! :sad:

    Will I ever be able to follow a normal equal carb/protein diet, or should I just give up and keep eating high protein and not worry about the carbs for running? If you are a runner, what does your diet consist of? Are the carbs really that important?

    My advice is to purchase this book and go with some of the suggestions in it. Paleo for Athletes.

    http://www.amazon.com/Paleo-Diet-Athletes-Nutritional-Performance/dp/1594860890

    thanks! I have looked at paleo before but never did it because I thought I needed more carbs for running, but I will definately check this out!
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
    Options
    You could try playing around with older fashioned grains legacy grains and pseudo-cereals (like quinoa). Sometime people's bodies react better to the lesser tampered with grains. Also if you are eating prepared rice/bread be mindful of sodium content. I am also a runner (12-18mi/week) and was never sensitive to sodium before i started working my muscles. Now that i run am running and cross training i can blow up 7-8lbs in 48hours with water weight if i eat more than 2500mg/day >.<

    Also you could just be putting on muscle, if you body did not have enough fuel before and that 200Kcal is what it took to start building, then you are better off in the long run :D

    I am the same way, sodium kills me.....and I try to watch it. This 10lb gain could be some sodium, but it is definatly FAT cuz my clothes feel it!
  • QueenJayJay
    QueenJayJay Posts: 1,139
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    I wish I was a runner. Try as I might, I can't make myself get into it.
  • JoyousRen
    JoyousRen Posts: 3,823 Member
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    I am the same way, sodium kills me.....and I try to watch it. This 10lb gain could be some sodium, but it is definitely FAT cuz my clothes feel it!
    Sodium causes bloating which does effect the way your clothes fit... anyway. In you original post, your macros were the same in both scenarios. Where they supposed to be different?
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
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    Do you weigh your food? Maybe you're eating more than you think.

    I am running a little more than you, but I'm eating all of my exercise calories back and on longer run days I'm eating 3200+ calories. I haven't paid much attention to the % each section is, but I'm not gaining weight. The main nutrient I check for is sodium, and I try to avoid high fructose corn syrup. For protein, I do make sure that I get at least .4 grams per lb of body weight. Otherwise, I don't think it makes a large difference.
  • down_ell_beez
    down_ell_beez Posts: 23 Member
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    Sometimes your optimal running weight doesn't always equate to weighing less. Have you considered that you gained muscle mass from the extra calories? Do you feel your long runs have gotten better or worse? Sometimes you can lose too much weight and your running will slow down.
  • sjcply
    sjcply Posts: 817 Member
    Options
    I am the same way, sodium kills me.....and I try to watch it. This 10lb gain could be some sodium, but it is definitely FAT cuz my clothes feel it!
    Sodium causes bloating which does effect the way your clothes fit... anyway. In you original post, your macros were the same in both scenarios. Where they supposed to be different?

    no they were not the same

    originally I did 40 protein 30 carbs and fat
    then I changed it to 40 CARBS 30 protein and fat

    basically I increased carbs and decreased protein
  • Alisha_countrymama
    Alisha_countrymama Posts: 821 Member
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    What we need to realize is that EVERYONE processes carbs DIFFERENTLY! Someone people's bodies can handle carbs, others can not. So before people start going crazy saying you HAVE to eat a certain amount of carbs each day, they are wrong. That is why some people can eat carbs and ever gain weight, and others eat carbs and balloon up like the Michelin man!

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