Hey, I'm relatively new around here (been here a few weeks). I'm a 16 yr. old female 5'5'' 110lb. I run about 40 miles a week. I'm sooo confused about the calorie thing. I just lost about 15 lb to be the weight I am and ate about 1600 calories a day while doing so. Right now I usually eat around 1600-1800 calories a day and am keeping my same weight. However, I know this is considered a low amount of calories for my activity level and lately I have been feeling more tired than usual, but I don't know if these are directly related. Is 1600 too low even if I am not losing weight? I don't want to gain, but I also want to properly fuel my body. I have a diary on this web page so you can see what I usually eat. Advice ASAP please!!!! Thanks.
Opinions Wanted!!!
- Thread starter HSrunner
- Start date
what exactly does your naormal diet consist of? I mean, you say you eat 1600 cals per day, but what foods do those cals come from. If you are eating the right carbs (complex) you should be able to gain more energy.
Let us know what your diet is like and we can help you out a little more. For example, if you are eating sugary foods in order to gain an energy boost, you could eat more foods containing complex carbs instead. Sugar is only a temporary solution as it is broken down and the body uses the energy quickly. If you eat something like say pasta, whole wheat preferrably (IMHO), a little while before activity, you will have more energy for longer.
Hope this provides a temp. fix to the problem, but if you provide more info we will all try our best to help more.
- Mike
Let us know what your diet is like and we can help you out a little more. For example, if you are eating sugary foods in order to gain an energy boost, you could eat more foods containing complex carbs instead. Sugar is only a temporary solution as it is broken down and the body uses the energy quickly. If you eat something like say pasta, whole wheat preferrably (IMHO), a little while before activity, you will have more energy for longer.
Hope this provides a temp. fix to the problem, but if you provide more info we will all try our best to help more.
- Mike
Here is what I ate today, but I have a diary "Runner Diary" under womens health diary section.
B- 3/4 c. oatmeal and 3/4 c. milk
S- small apple, strawberries
L- bagel with hummus, carrots, 3/4 c. total, pear
S- banana, 2 tangerines, propel
S- 2 oz. turkey, yogurt
D- lots of broccoli, bean and cheese burrito, salad, pudding
5 mile run
This is pretty typical.
B- 3/4 c. oatmeal and 3/4 c. milk
S- small apple, strawberries
L- bagel with hummus, carrots, 3/4 c. total, pear
S- banana, 2 tangerines, propel
S- 2 oz. turkey, yogurt
D- lots of broccoli, bean and cheese burrito, salad, pudding
5 mile run
This is pretty typical.
Your diet seems pretty healthy from what you posted.I noticed that in your diary posts there are not many protiens listed. You do have milk, yoget and turkey listed, but all are easily digestable and do not give sustained energy. I would agree with PotentialPhreak about complex carbohydrates, whole wheat and multi-grain type foods during your meals (B,L,D). But one thing that I would personally suggest, especially since you are not wanting to loose the weight, would be more protiens through out your day. Milk, yogert and turkey are good to eat, I would just ad more of them in and possibly ad more type of protiens. It is usually good to get them from more than just a few types of foods as each type of food offers specific types of protiens. Try adding in pieces of chicken and fish, plus goats milk if you can find it anywhere, just to change things up a bit.
My other suggestion would be a good multi-vitamin that is high in the B's and iron. With the diet you have posted it and running as much as you are, you could easily be buring off all of you b's and the body uses iron to transport oxygen (low oxygen low energy).
Something like TwinLabs amino fuel may be beneficial. It is high in B's and quite a few highly digestable and muscle targeted amino-protiens. This could be a good suppliment before your run using about 1-2 tbsp. I started using 3 tbsp starting about 3 weeks ago, and when taken with about a glass of water 5-10 min before my workout I have a huge energy boost that lasts for about 1-2 hrs depending on my routine that day.
Post running, try eating foods high in potasium. Muscle growth, fast or slow twitch, comes from strenuous excercise causing small tears that the body replaces with newer, stronger muscle. Potasium helps the body heal and recover faster and more efficiently. Foods like a banana, 1 cup of antelope, a few figs, a cup of milk, or a half cup of OJ or Tomato juice.
More dark green vegetables. I'm not sure what kind of lettuce you are having in your salad's, but stay away from iceberg, it has not redeeming health value other than fiber. Try to eat romaine or red lettuce and spinach in your salads.
And final suggestion
by Dr Ted Broer can give you quite a few tips
I have some other suggestions, but I don't want to overwhelm too terribly much (if i haven't already)
***edit***
how much water are you drinking?
My other suggestion would be a good multi-vitamin that is high in the B's and iron. With the diet you have posted it and running as much as you are, you could easily be buring off all of you b's and the body uses iron to transport oxygen (low oxygen low energy).
Something like TwinLabs amino fuel may be beneficial. It is high in B's and quite a few highly digestable and muscle targeted amino-protiens. This could be a good suppliment before your run using about 1-2 tbsp. I started using 3 tbsp starting about 3 weeks ago, and when taken with about a glass of water 5-10 min before my workout I have a huge energy boost that lasts for about 1-2 hrs depending on my routine that day.
Post running, try eating foods high in potasium. Muscle growth, fast or slow twitch, comes from strenuous excercise causing small tears that the body replaces with newer, stronger muscle. Potasium helps the body heal and recover faster and more efficiently. Foods like a banana, 1 cup of antelope, a few figs, a cup of milk, or a half cup of OJ or Tomato juice.
More dark green vegetables. I'm not sure what kind of lettuce you are having in your salad's, but stay away from iceberg, it has not redeeming health value other than fiber. Try to eat romaine or red lettuce and spinach in your salads.
And final suggestion
by Dr Ted Broer can give you quite a few tips
I have some other suggestions, but I don't want to overwhelm too terribly much (if i haven't already)
***edit***
how much water are you drinking?
Last edited:
SO you go through the whole day eating (low cals good) but then you run and go to bed?
Sorry if I missed something, but you should really be doing your running before all that. And you have to eat something after your run (not immediately after, but 30 mins or so after)
You are likely spending a lot of your run burning calories and not fat, then you have nothing to replenish afterwards.
Have you ever thought about running in the mornings on an empty stomach?
(fat for fuel..)
Again, sorry if i missed something, I skimmed the thread somewhat.
Sorry if I missed something, but you should really be doing your running before all that. And you have to eat something after your run (not immediately after, but 30 mins or so after)
You are likely spending a lot of your run burning calories and not fat, then you have nothing to replenish afterwards.
Have you ever thought about running in the mornings on an empty stomach?
(fat for fuel..)
Again, sorry if i missed something, I skimmed the thread somewhat.
First, I would like to say way to go on the eating plan that you do have and the rigerous excercise you have been disciplined to keep.
One follow up question here.
Does your energy noticeably fluctuate throught the day and when/how often are you taking your vitamins? If your energy DOES fluctuate after meals, then you might possibly need to eat more at each meal. Most people have a boost of energy from the type of meals you discribe in about 20-30min (sometimes sooner) after eating. If you get that "boost" and then start to crash again, you may just be buring off most of the calories you have ingested and may need to step up your intake at each meal. If you are just sluggish all day, the caloric intake would most likely not be the issue, and a vitamine regimine throught the day may be more beneficial.
And I would definately still stress the meal after running. This is very important to maintain proper muscle health. You could be starving your muscles at the time when they need it the most.
I would also agree with niceone that running in the morning before breakfast would be the preferred way. It will do two things, kickstart your metabolism for the day, and help your muscles recover more effeciantly. Night time is when your body does its "maintenance". Flushing organs and such. If you excercise to close to bed time this will cause your body to focus on your muscles and not the regular maintenance cycle of the body and can cause you not to be able to fight toxins and infections as well as you could. The other thing that running in the evenings does is cause the body not to get a full rest at night since the normal activity level has increased and different chemicles are released in the blood stream and the brain. If you are running within 3-4 hours before bed time, you may want to go to bed earlier and run in the mornings if that is an option. If you are not sleeping well at night I would DEFINATELY change the routine.
hope this helps!
One follow up question here.
Does your energy noticeably fluctuate throught the day and when/how often are you taking your vitamins? If your energy DOES fluctuate after meals, then you might possibly need to eat more at each meal. Most people have a boost of energy from the type of meals you discribe in about 20-30min (sometimes sooner) after eating. If you get that "boost" and then start to crash again, you may just be buring off most of the calories you have ingested and may need to step up your intake at each meal. If you are just sluggish all day, the caloric intake would most likely not be the issue, and a vitamine regimine throught the day may be more beneficial.
And I would definately still stress the meal after running. This is very important to maintain proper muscle health. You could be starving your muscles at the time when they need it the most.
I would also agree with niceone that running in the morning before breakfast would be the preferred way. It will do two things, kickstart your metabolism for the day, and help your muscles recover more effeciantly. Night time is when your body does its "maintenance". Flushing organs and such. If you excercise to close to bed time this will cause your body to focus on your muscles and not the regular maintenance cycle of the body and can cause you not to be able to fight toxins and infections as well as you could. The other thing that running in the evenings does is cause the body not to get a full rest at night since the normal activity level has increased and different chemicles are released in the blood stream and the brain. If you are running within 3-4 hours before bed time, you may want to go to bed earlier and run in the mornings if that is an option. If you are not sleeping well at night I would DEFINATELY change the routine.
hope this helps!
My legs were really tired today during my workout. Could this be due to my diet even if I didn't feel particularly hungary?? If so what is it that I need more of protein or calories??
Today:
B- 3/4c. oats, 3/4 c. milk
S-Apple, strawberries
L- bagel with creame cheese and sprouts, banana, 2 tangerines, carrots, mellon
Workout: 5 mile run
S- propel, small pria bar
S- few slices of turkey and pretzels or pear
D- salad, Cedar Lane macaronie and cheese, chocolate pudding
Today:
B- 3/4c. oats, 3/4 c. milk
S-Apple, strawberries
L- bagel with creame cheese and sprouts, banana, 2 tangerines, carrots, mellon
Workout: 5 mile run
S- propel, small pria bar
S- few slices of turkey and pretzels or pear
D- salad, Cedar Lane macaronie and cheese, chocolate pudding
ok snack ended up being a pear, few slices of turkey and a yogurt. I am still only getting about 1650 calories in today. I know this isn't considered enough and I really don't want to lose any more weight since I am only about 108lb. However, it seems like I am eating a lot. So confused!! What is going on??
Not to re-write what B|ynd300M wrote, but read back through the foods he's said to add into your diet and follow his advise. for how much you run it doesn't seem like you are eating enough. your snack might want to be a pear, a turkey sandwich and a yorgurt. add a few more slices of meat giving you a lil more protein and then the bread will give you a few more calories and carbs.
You may not feel hungry, but you should eat. Most likely you are getting used to being under nourished for the weight loss, and now your body is starting to eat at its own muscle. That could be why your legs are tired. For now, just try to add a few more bits of something whenever you eat. Eventually your body will get used to eating slightly larger portions, adjust its base metabolic rate a bit, and you will find yourself with more energy and getting hungry again. Remember, you had been starving your body, in essence, to loose the weight. Now you may have to force it to adjust back where it should be. It is important not to force too much food, so just take it slow. You may find that you drop a few more pounds at first, but not many at all as you ease your caloric intake up.
Thanks for the information. It seems like I have been stuck eating 1600 calories a day every day as a routine and then I got scared of gaining weight if I ate more. But, since everyone seems to agree that I need more just to keep my weight I am definitely going to take your advice. I don't want to lose any muscle!!!
So, here is todays plan:
B- 3/4c. oatmeal 3/4c. milk, lots of strawberries
S- small apple, carrots, 2 tangerines
L- slice of mellon, pear, bagel and turkey, light n'fit yogurt
Workout: 5 mile run
S- propel, banana, ????
S-I know I should try to fit in something, so maybe cereal
D- California Pizza Kitchen Split Pea and Barley Soup (only healthy thing I can find to eat there) and maybe a skinny cow ice cream cone later
I'm open to suggestions as always. Thanks guys
B- 3/4c. oatmeal 3/4c. milk, lots of strawberries
S- small apple, carrots, 2 tangerines
L- slice of mellon, pear, bagel and turkey, light n'fit yogurt
Workout: 5 mile run
S- propel, banana, ????
S-I know I should try to fit in something, so maybe cereal
D- California Pizza Kitchen Split Pea and Barley Soup (only healthy thing I can find to eat there) and maybe a skinny cow ice cream cone later
I'm open to suggestions as always. Thanks guys
I am trying to get closer to 2000 calories now rather than the 1600 I was usually eating because my legs were starting to feel tired. Sooo can someone please tell me how this looks for the day.
B- 3/4c. oats 3/4c. milk, melon and cottage cheese
S- apple, strawberries
L- 2 tangerines, carrots, banana, bagel and cream cheese, couple slices turkey, almonds
6 mile run
S- propel, pria
S- yogurt, pear
S- apple and maybe peanut butter, crumpett
D- Spinach and cheese raviolli with marinara sauce, salad, skinny cow ice cream cone
B- 3/4c. oats 3/4c. milk, melon and cottage cheese
S- apple, strawberries
L- 2 tangerines, carrots, banana, bagel and cream cheese, couple slices turkey, almonds
6 mile run
S- propel, pria
S- yogurt, pear
S- apple and maybe peanut butter, crumpett
D- Spinach and cheese raviolli with marinara sauce, salad, skinny cow ice cream cone