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| monitoring total calories vs. monitoring fat or carbs (Read 648 times) |
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posted: 1/8/2008 at 7:01 PM |
If you're eating the proper amount of calories for the amount of exercise you do, and maintaining your weight, how much does the content of your diet come into play?
Here's my situation:
I eat a rather balanced diet (or at least I'd like to think so). I don't eat much junk food, other than a few cans of Coke a week. My wife's a good cook and makes pretty healthy meals at home, and I bring in left-overs for lunch.
I'm upping my running this year from 1000km to 1000mi/year (about 20mi/wk), and I'm already at a good weight, don't want to lose any more. Obviously, I'm going to have to eat more than before in order to maintain my weight. The question is, how 'good' do I have to be? As long as I'm getting enough nutrients (vitamins, protein, etc), do I have to worry much about whether the other calories come from carbs or fat? I mean, I don't plan on supplementing with junk, but how closely do I need to monitor these things?
I'd like to think that, so long as I'm exercising enough and my weight is staying the same, I can eat those burgers, put mayo on my sandwiches, etc. Or should I be more careful? |
2008 Goals:
run a sub 19min 5k
run a half-marathon
run Reach the Beach Relay (a 200mi adventure)
run 1000 mi |
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posted: 1/8/2008 at 7:45 PM |
| You only live once so when you get hungry, I would eat. And when you eat, I would eat good food that tastes delicious and not care so much about the calories and fat grams and all that stuff. |
| "Good-looking people have no spine. Their art never lasts. They get the girls, but we're smarter." - Lester Bangs |
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| view log Fakin' it for the camera |
posted: 1/9/2008 at 2:57 AM |
It's great that you've got a good base diet. My way of thinking about what to eat is that what I first put it me must nourish my body. Which a good base diet of fruit, vegetables, some protein and other nutrients does for us. Then I allow myself treats - can't be good all the time!
I take it that you are working through right now is what choices to make to get the increased calorie intake you will need because of your increased mileage. Since you say you eat a good base diet, I would first suggest that you bump up overall that diet by increasing portion size - so if you normally have 2 x 1/2 cup of vegetables for lunch, then make it 3 or 4 1/2 cup portions, eat 3/4 cup of rice instead of 1/2 cup and so on. That would satisfy some of your increased caloric needs and keep that balance. You might even need to snack more - 5-6 small meals throughout the day, given that you will have higher caloric needs. It will take time to adjust, though.
For extra treats, I would stay away from extra fatty foods and stick to carbs, and long-acting carbs are the best. Fats, especially trans-fats that are in many of the fast-foods are best just to be left alone. I'd stop the Cokes, though, since they are so sugar-heavy, but, if you really want them, drink small amounts with food so that you don't get sugar highs and lows.
Good luck with your goals.
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Suffering from late adult onset athleticism. Not looking for cure.
2008: Run 1000 miles
Harry's spring run-off 8k, High Park, Apr 5 DONE!
Sporting Life 10k. May 4th DONE!
A midsummer's night run 15K Aug 16 - DONE!
Run faster (this might take a while) |
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| view log Grand Illusionist |
posted: 1/9/2008 at 1:50 PM |
| Quote from JoshB on 1/8/2008 at 7:01 PM: I'd like to think that, so long as I'm exercising enough and my weight is staying the same, I can eat those burgers, put mayo on my sandwiches, etc. Or should I be more careful?
You may as well eat a bowl of lard and grass clippings. Weight or no weight, run or no run, be kind to your heart. |
Spinx Runfest Marathon, October 25
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posted: 1/9/2008 at 2:12 PM |
| I would make sure your getting enough protein and carbs. If you need to increase your fats, make sure they are more healthy fats (i.e. nuts, salmon). You can always add some weight training into your running so you don't lose muscle mass and weight. A great book and program that I am doing is "The New Rules of Lifting". I have added muscle without much weight gain at all. I have also seen a increase in my strength in my legs, which for us runners is a wonderful thing. I can run longer, faster then before. |
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posted: 1/9/2008 at 7:11 PM |
You are not increasing your running that much so you may find you don't need to eat more. Form 13 miles a week to 20 miles per week is basically about 700 more calories burned per week or about 100 per day. It is still only 20 miles per week which is low mileage.
Relax. You will be fine. Eat good food regularily as a habit and treat yourself occasionally. |
| Those who try, fail! Those who do what it takes to succeed, succeed!! |
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posted: 1/9/2008 at 8:20 PM |
Thanks everyone for the advice, especially the note about how little the actual difference in how many calories I'm burning is. It's a little more than a 700 calorie difference, as I'm bigger than the 'average' male, which is where the 100 calories/mile approximation comes from. But it's close enough to that to understand that I don't need to go bonkers looking for extra calories.
As rururuner advised, I'll probably just eat a little more of what I already eat, rather than saying 'hey, now I can pig out!' |
2008 Goals:
run a sub 19min 5k
run a half-marathon
run Reach the Beach Relay (a 200mi adventure)
run 1000 mi |
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UpNorth |
posted: 1/9/2008 at 8:50 PM |
| Keep in mind that any calories/mile calculation will vary significantly from person to person and will change for any given person over time. The better at running you get, the more efficient you will be over a given distance (e.g. you will require less energy/mile as you get in better shape). So an increase in miles does not necessarily mean you will need to eat more. |
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Just Be |
posted: 1/11/2008 at 4:52 PM |
| JoshB, this has nothing to do with the topic, but I looked at your blog and wanted to warn you that spammers are abusing your comments. You should moderate them. |
| My Running Log | Blog of Running Lore |
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| view log Barefoot and happy |
posted: 1/11/2008 at 5:51 PM |
Sounds like you have a classic case of "nutritionism".
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UpNorth |
posted: 1/11/2008 at 7:12 PM |
Quote from Ed4 on 1/11/2008 at 5:51 PM:
Thats a great article! The first line really says it all "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." |
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| view log dork.major dork. |
posted: 1/11/2008 at 9:52 PM |
| I would also add that what you need when someone ups their training isn't simply more calories, but rather more fuel, which means more real whole food -- can a cheeseburger count as real whole food? Occasionally. |
| Reaching 1,243 in 2008 -- one day, one week, one mile at a time. |
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posted: 1/17/2008 at 7:31 PM |
| Quote from runner92 on 1/11/2008 at 4:52 PM: JoshB, this has nothing to do with the topic, but I looked at your blog and wanted to warn you that spammers are abusing your comments. You should moderate them.
Ah, yes. Hadn't checked those in awhile, and somehow 10 or so of 'em got past Akismet. All set now, thanks for pointing it out. |
2008 Goals:
run a sub 19min 5k
run a half-marathon
run Reach the Beach Relay (a 200mi adventure)
run 1000 mi |
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