Half-Marathon Training -- Need LOW Body Fat% HELP

A

alexi37

0
Alright here's my story.... 24 5'8" 140lbs female just started training for a half-marathon (race on dec 2) on june 6. I want to be competitive and want to win.... I just need a little help. I am a healthy eater but my body fat percentage measured 22% the other day. I don't know what else to do.... I didn't think it would be that high... i'm carrying around 30 lbs of fat! UMM that's gonna slow me dooown!!! Here's my diet right now....
bfast: oatmeal (no sugar) and blueberries (half cup of protein drink)
snacks: nectarine / banana / chickpea patties (no fat or salt) spread throughout the workday
lunch: pork loin (smoked) broccoli and half a sweet potato (no butter, fat, little salt)
snack: spinach salad with almonds and boiled egg whites (little olive oil and vin) and sprouts
early dinner: small portion of skirt steak and zucchini (no fat/salt)
late snack: (if hungry) pineapple


had heat exhaustion attack from not enough salt the other day....just had my blood checked... it was perfect... thyroid...sugar and sodiium levels everything.... so with all this running why is my % still that high??

Any ideas??? tips?? what's your diet?? i want to be light on my feet!!!
THANKS!! :)
 
Don't freak out.

Let me guess you tested your bodyfat through an electronic scale device and have upped your training for this event correct?

Water levels cause those things to be really off, added to that if you started training more chances are your electrolytes are off balance to some degree. Up your water intake and you will see a change. In general don't use those things.

AS for your diet...

Looks okay food selection wise, just make sure you are getting enough calories to support your training. If you are burning into muscle its because you are eating to low, not to much. You have to eat to train.
 
what is skirt steak?

and
Alexi!! you are a new athlete. Patience. Have you been running outside? It is so humid right now your body will hold extra water in preperation for your next run.

Have you run a full hour yet?

Please keep in mind your event is an 2 hour event, and it is going to be hot.

I dropped over 14 lbs in that triathlon. With a sustained 2 hour run outside in FL in August- you are going to need something to shed or you will fall out.
 
"Please keep in mind your event is an 2 hour event" - flyin free

Hell yeh its a two hour event.
your diet seems ok. though i would change the steak for chicken breast as it is digested a lot easier.

i have read a few of flyinfree's posts and he know's his stuff.

You will need some fats to burn through while running. I don't know how much i lost on a half marathon, but i know i ate 2 steak meals straight after.
yum yum

good luck with training
 
I have to say that training for a 1/2 marathon is no time to start a diet. If your body is undernurished during training and during the race, you'll end up bonking and not finish the race. Remember DFL (dead freaking last) is better than DNF (did not finish).

Don't worry about your BF%. At 22% you are on the lean side of normal. I fear that you think that because you are a runner you should look like the gal on the cover of Ultimate Runner's Magazine. Forget that. It is quite possible that with your genetics you can never look like "that gal" and be healthy.

Too be honest, I am a little concerned about your BF% concern. At this point you have only been running for two months. Are you running because you want to run or are you running to lose weight? Trust me, if you keep up healthy living and running you will develop the perfect runner's body, but it might not look like what you expect it to look like (hint: Paris Hilton is NOT an athlete). :eek:

Body Fat Content Chart for Women

Age Underfat HealthyRange Overweight Obese
20-40 yrs Under 21% 21-33% 33-39% Over 39%
41-60 yrs Under 23% 23-35% 35-40% Over 40%
61-79 yrs Under 24% 24-36% 36-42% Over 42%
 
first, I'll say even the best hand-held or 'stand-on' body fat rate monitors give a good ball-park on BF% but don't rely on them to be accurate. 2nd- 22% isn't bad, 140 at 5/8 is realistic and healthy.
my tips: having run numerous 5Ks, 10Ks, 10M, 1/2 and full marathons: you need to run several races before the planned 1/2 event. Reason: most runners new to organized events tend to go too fast at the outset and run out of energy / gas before the end and end up with a longer than planned overall time for the event. Even if you can only do a couple 5Ks and a 10K before the 1/2 it will help you with the experience of the adrenaline rush at the gun start and how to pace yourself. Good luck! if you have more specific questions post them and we'll help as we can!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top