Forums >Health and Nutrition>If running every other day, should the diet change every other day also?
I run every other day. I'm wondering if my diet needs to change every other day also in terms of balance of protein/carbs/fats (I track dietary stuff like that with My Fitness Pal), or if simply eating a little more on the running days is all that is required.
Or maybe even that is not quite right … maybe I should eat the same # of calories each day (more than I currently eat on my off days, and less than I eat on my running days)?
What I do now is "try" to eat the same balance every day (50% carbs, 20% fats, 30% protein), and on running days I eat more by the amount equal to the running calories I burned that day.
Thanks for any thoughts, ladies and gents!
I don’t think it matters that much. I let my appetite guide me. If I’m really hungry I eat more, if I’m not that hungry I eat less.
I run almost every day, but vary distance. On days where I run longer I usually eat more.
an amazing likeness
Don't overthink. You can only hurt the ball club.
Unless you're doing some serious miles/time on those every-other-day runs, your body is fueled and ready to go from everyday munching.
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
I just try to average out my weekly calories rather than have each day be exactly on point. (I am also on MFP.) If I'm hungry, I eat. If I'm not, I'll wait until I am. As long as your overall diet is healthy, the exact macros usually aren't that important.
Cook @ home as much as possible because you'll use better ingredients, eat when hungry, eat slow, if dieting - stop eating before you are full. Try eating more nuts, vegetables and fruits.
OK, thanks folks. Consensus - diet doesn't have to fluctuate like the miles do on a daily basis.
My hunger sensation is not a good signal of nutritional needs, unfortunately. I can eat a horse out of gluttony (that's just an expression, btw) even when I'm not hungry. And some days I'm not hungry and see that I've eaten so few calories that there's no way I'm doing right by myself in terms of fueling for running.
But in the big picture, it's not a big deal!
Thanks for your thoughts!