Counting calories=running fail

epphd · March 2012

I'm having really conflicting feelings about my body shape/size lately - on the one hand, I've put on 10 pounds since my "low" weight last year. BUT, my "low" weight (BMI was 20.8 so not overly thin) was achieved as a result of illness, surgery removing a foot of my colon, chemotherapy, and exercise (both before and during chemo). So, really - I should not expect to or aim to reach that weight again.

After chemo, I admit to indulging - I could eat again and have been. Plus, the holidays. However, I have also been able to work out harder. So despite putting on weight (and really I am maybe 3 pounds heavier than I was right before I got sick, BMI of 21.9), I'm also running faster and stronger than I ever have and have cut close to a minute off my per mile pace. But some of my favorite pants are tight so it's not all muscle

I know there is a happy medium to be had, and in an effort to keep better track of what I'm eating and to get back into better habits I started using sparkpeople to track my calories.

Today I learned that despite a healthy breakfast of steel cut oatmeal, banana and PB, and a midmorning snack of a small biscotti and pistachios, it was NOT ENOUGH FOOD for my lunchtime run. Folks, I literally felt my tank go to empty. Halfway through my run, all I could hear was the repetitive reverberations of the sound of cars - I felt like I was going to pass out.

So...while it would be nice to lose those vanity pounds, I'm willing to hold on to them if it means not being miserable and slow on my runs!

Brie2010 · March 2012

Isn't it crazy? I can always tell a difference in my athletic performance based on what I'm eating, when, and how much.

JW28 · March 2012

That sounds like kind of a small breakfast to hold you for the morning and then expect to go for a fast run. Since you know you'll be going for a run and therefore burning extra calories, I'd go with a bigger breakfast and/or bigger mid-morning snack to fuel your run. There's no rule that says you can only eat extra calories after exercise. You didn't give any numbers on how many calories you're eating total and when, but it should still be completely reasonable to lose weight and run fast, you just have to adjust when you eat. If you're in no rush, you could also tweak your diet to lose slower and only have a 200-300 calorie deficit instead of 500 every day. You'd lose 0.5 lb per week instead of 1 lb, but it might make your body happier. If you were aiming to lose more than 1 lb per week, try scaling back to just 1.

epphd · March 2012

So my details are the following - and I'm trying to base this off of my BMR, which I have estimated at about 1800 calories per day (~5'8, ~145 pounds, exercise deets below).

I'm aiming for 1400-1800 calories per day (really, 1400 is impossible for me), and I am running 3x per week, about 15-18 miles total - maybe 20 on a big week. I'm aiming for at least 1-2 days of strength training but I make no promises

So according to my garmin my mid week runs burn 400-450 calories - I shoot for a 4 to 5 mile run, usually around a 9:15 mile or so. This morning, according to SP, I ate about 450 calories before my run, breakfast and snack included. Honestly, I didn't think it was so unusual for me - but perhaps I typically eat more.

Anyway, I'm trying not to get too wrapped up in all of the minutiae - I'd just never experienced that sudden BLAMO to my energy. While perhaps my usual mid-morning scone isn't the best idea, it might be closer to meeting my calorie needs than a something super light

taratru · March 2012

I had a crappy run today b/c of what I ate (uh...three mini kit kats, two mini reese's and one mini twix) and what I didn't drink - enough water. I usually have a good afternoon snack before a longer mid-week run.

I wanted to cry at about mile 5 of 8. It's amazing to me what food can do.

JW28 · March 2012

I usually run before breakfast, so my eating distribution is slightly different, but I usually eat 500-700 calories before lunchtime. If I don't work out in the morning, it's more like 450, and the extra just depends on how much I burned and how hungry I am post-run, etc. My base diet is 1400 calories, but I eat back anything I burn, usually close to when I burn it. I also eat small dinners.

Anyway, I'd try eating more like 600 calories before your run. On days that you run 4-5 miles, you should be fine eating 1800-1900 calories and still be losing weight, so don't worry about eating light in the morning. I'm a big fan of bigger breakfasts, since whenever I have a small breakfast I end up overeating all afternoon and eat way more than I should since I feel hungry.

firedancer22 · March 2012

i'm so glad you started this thread, because i had pretty much the same experience in spinning class today. thankfully, it was the end of class, but i was definitely wonking out, and feel like i maybe "lost" some time somehow.

i look forward to any other responses about fueling well...it's been an ongoing struggle for me to find the right balance, and hearing how others deal is enormously helpful.

EveXmas · March 2012

So, why are you BLUE?

pennypie07 · March 2012

What would have been a 'before' breakfast/snack? I'm maybe wondering if you didn't get enough protein or something.

epphd · March 2012

EveXmas:
So, why are you BLUE?

March is colon cancer awareness month! Did you know that while colon cancer incidence and death is falling overall, it's actually increasing among young people? I was diagnosed last year, at 36, with stage III colon cancer and am surviving today, 3 months at time... next check up next week!

Cinco · March 2012

I've been trying to figure out how to lose weight and not bonk on my runs over an hour long. It's a hard balance!

shorty20 · March 2012

Food is fuel, that's for sure!

epphd · March 2012

pennypie07:
What would have been a 'before' breakfast/snack? I'm maybe wondering if you didn't get enough protein or something.

Usually either a pastry Embarrassed or, more often, oatmeal. Previously I'd eat a slice of toast and PB before leaving the house, then a cup of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar and a banana, about an hour before the run. I think yesterday's bonk was a combo of not enough calories period, and not enough quick- and slow- releasing carbs. I'm not running today but tomorrow I'm going to try going back to my "old" morning routine, minus the brown sugar and with a more measured dose of PB.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. glad I'm not the only one figuring this out!

doglove · March 2012

Your breakfast needs more protein and less carbs. Stat.

runblondie26 · March 2012

It's a really delicate balance. I'm tyring to lose the 5lbs I've put on over the past few months before marathon training starts for me this summer. I know it's going to be tricky for me just to maintain once the runger sets in.

Maybe try focusing on the quality of your food and decreasing your portion sizes slightly. That may work better than counting calories. It can drive you nutty trying to stick to a set calorie limit, when in reality calorie needs are quite variable and hard to nail down precisely.

epphd · March 2012

Doglove - the great thing about SP is that I've been able to see what works for me, and early on I learned that protein laden breakfasts do NOT work. For some reason, a high protein breakfast of similar calorie composition (say, an egg and veggies and some cheese, or a protein smoothy, etc) leaves me ravenous and unsatisfied and grumpy. Overall I *do* need more protein, but in the a.m. I function best with carbs, albeit complex ones.

Blondie- you're right. I never count for very long; usually it's just a 1-2 week exercise to get me back on track and remind myself of what better portion sizes and eating "rhythms" work. I confess to being a huge data nerd though, so it's easy to get wrapped up in it.

KatGal · March 2012

I like adding an egg/eggwhite with steelcut oats. Maybe try a gu or something right before your run?

stinkerbell6879 · March 2012

epphd:
Doglove - the great thing about SP is that I've been able to see what works for me, and early on I learned that protein laden breakfasts do NOT work. For some reason, a high protein breakfast of similar calorie composition (say, an egg and veggies and some cheese, or a protein smoothy, etc) leaves me ravenous and unsatisfied and grumpy. Overall I *do* need more protein, but in the a.m. I function best with carbs, albeit complex ones.
Blondie- you're right. I never count for very long; usually it's just a 1-2 week exercise to get me back on track and remind myself of what better portion sizes and eating "rhythms" work. I confess to being a huge data nerd though, so it's easy to get wrapped up in it.

I agree that I too am not full enough on high protein breakfasts either

I would add some shot blocks, GU etc before your run, or try to eat a little bit higher calorie snack a little bit before your run, and/or add in some type of sports drink to have with you on your run.

Counting calories=running fail

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