The hunger urge after a run, how does one cope??

Spirogyra

Hi I assume I'm not alone in feeling terribly hungry after a run? but then overeating and totally negating any benefit weight-wise. There has to be a reward, but I over-do it,I'm very fit, but my abdomen has excess fat. I need to moderate my eating, just a bit.

Any advice appreciated

S

Boskowski

I dunno. I can't ever eat after excercise. Certainly not much. Maybe it's common enough but I don't think everyone gets it.

DarByrne1980

im no expert and certainly like to indulge myself. have u tried maybe drinking fluids after da exercise - dis mite hunt away cravings for a while? kinda words for me.

seamus

Plan what you're going to eat before you go out for your run, or better yet, make it.

If you arrive back from a run looking for options, then you're going just going to empty the contents of your fridge in between two slices of bread and have a few cakes for good measure.

On the other hand if you've done the prep work and there's some egg mayo there or you already know exactly what you're having, then you'll likely just eat that.

ArtieFufkin

Try sticking to low GI and you will find the cravings are not as big. Your blood sugar may be peaking and trough-ing due to too much high-carb or hi sugar foodstuffs before and after runs.

adrian522

Try to get re-hydrated first(The body sometimes mistakes being dehydrated with being hungry, same as with a hangover). Then try and get something into you quickly containing both carbs and protein, and then try and get a good healthy meal in the next hour or so.

As above try and plan what you will eat before hand.

I've only ever really had issues after long runs, after runs of an hour or so I don't tend to have any problems.

mloc123

I am the opposite these days, especially after anything 2hrs+... I can just about stomach something small.

menoscemo

mloc123 wrote: »

I am the opposite these days, especially after anything 2hrs+... I can just about stomach something small.

+1 I usually take 2-3 hours before I can stomach anything solid after a long run.

robinph

DarByrne1980 wrote: »

im no expert and certainly like to indulge myself. have u tried maybe drinking fluids after da exercise - dis mite hunt away cravings for a while? kinda words for me.

Please stop using text speak in your posts.

overpronator

Another one who can't eat much after a long run or session. Coffee and toast is about it for a good couple of hours.

DubOnHoliday

I always put a banana and 1L water in my bag when doing my gear. Works for me.

inigo

Banana, cottage cheese/greek yogurt/creme fraiche with a dash of honey and a flask of sweet and creamy coffee for me...

Murph_D

Another one who gets the long run munchies. I often go for scrambled eggs with some ham through it, toast, tea.

rom

If you are craving sugar after a run then you are burning sugar during your run. As you mentioned losing weight. I have been in the same situation where I used to negate anything I lost during a run with over eating afterwards. Slowing down considerably that you are not depleting your glycogen during your run is what helped me. This can be hard to do and a strange concept for a beginner as I was at the time. Being fit is all relative. A rugby player may be fit but could not run a marathon. Are you running fit? Do you vary your training? What does a week running training look like distance and pace? What are some of your recently race results.

Spirogyra

If you are craving sugar after a run then you are burning sugar during your run. As you mentioned losing weight. I have been in the same situation where I used to negate anything I lost during a run with over eating afterwards. Slowing down considerably that you are not depleting your glycogen during your run is what helped me. This can be hard to do and a strange concept for a beginner as I was at the time. Being fit is all relative. A rugby player may be fit but could not run a marathon. Are you running fit? Do you vary your training? What does a week running training look like distance and pace? What are some of your recently race results.

I'm around the 48 minute mark for a 10k, consistently around the 8 minute mile or a tiny bit less.

Planning, maybe preparing what I eat afterwards sounds like a good idea. I feel entitled to a reward, but I just overdo it, maybe preparing in advance might help, hence not as slim as one would expect, I am toned, but not terribly slim.

Sarah

Clearlier

Spirogyra wrote: »

I'm around the 48 minute mark for a 10k, consistently around the 8 minute mile or a tiny bit less.

Planning, maybe preparing what I eat afterwards sounds like a good idea. I feel entitled to a reward, but I just overdo it, maybe preparing in advance might help, hence not as slim as one would expect, I am toned, but not terribly slim.

Sarah

Here's some "food" :pac: for thought. If you burn 125 calories for every mile that you run you will need to run 28 miles in order to lose 1lb in weight. If you want to lose weight you need to focus on your diet.

My own experience of the munchies after running is that my appetite is suppressed for up to an hour after a run. If I haven't eaten anything by then the munchies hit with a vengeance and I tend to eat anything I can lay my hands on. OTOH if I've eaten some kind of normal food (even if I don't feel like it) in that first half hour I tend not to eat much more than I would have if I hadn't run. If I've done a long run I'll often try and drink milk (full fat) as it has a pretty good balance of nutrients. Some people swear by chocolate milk (I find it revolting).

Dubgal72

I feel your pain I find that after an intense run or session my appetite dips but I always try to have a (yummy ) chocolate milk or isotonic drink with usually a handful of nuts and raisins or nuts and cubed cheese. This staves off any urge to eat the fridge. Good luck finding what works for you, plenty of great advice here!

rom

Spirogyra wrote: »

I'm around the 48 minute mark for a 10k, consistently around the 8 minute mile or a tiny bit less.

Planning, maybe preparing what I eat afterwards sounds like a good idea. I feel entitled to a reward, but I just overdo it, maybe preparing in advance might help, hence not as slim as one would expect, I am toned, but not terribly slim.

Sarah

So in a race you run 48 mins for 10k? So thats all out speed and then you run at 8min/mile when training? Am I reading that right?

ooter

Can't really go wrong with a banana and a handful of nuts after a run till you get something more substantial a little later.don't drink milk myself but I'd imagine some sort of milk based drink would be a good option too.

Spirogyra

8 minute mile in road races, but this isn't really about my speed, it's about gorging after a run, sometimes soon after, sometimes later that day, when hunger becomes very strong....and I'm therefore not as slim as I should be, given how active I am, thanks for the tips so far, have never been a nut person, but I'm open to all ideas....

SWL

I suffered from this and as a result I piled on the weight despite running 40 plus miles a week, peopel even noticed the weight gain. I don't drink, eat takeaway etc. a bit of chocolate or biscuit are my vices; however after a run I HAD to eat something and thus the weight gain.

How I solved it - slowed my runs down and started running aerobically started using the fat and over time lost a bit and toned up, still a bit to go, but now I will do 10 miles have a cup of tea and some toast or some eggs and I am a o.k. for a few hours. give it a go nothing to loose

rom

Spirogyra wrote: »

8 minute mile in road races, but this isn't really about my speed, it's about gorging after a run, sometimes soon after, sometimes later that day, when hunger becomes very strong....and I'm therefore not as slim as I should be, given how active I am, thanks for the tips so far, have never been a nut person, but I'm open to all ideas....

What pace do you run your training runs at?

Dubgal72

SWL wrote: »

I suffered from this and as a result I piled on the weight despite running 40 plus miles a week, peopel even noticed the weight gain. I don't drink, eat takeaway etc. a bit of chocolate or biscuit are my vices; however after a run I HAD to eat something and thus the weight gain.

How I solved it - slowed my runs down and started running aerobically started using the fat and over time lost a bit and toned up, still a bit to go, but now I will do 10 miles have a cup of tea and some toast or some eggs and I am a o.k. for a few hours. give it a go nothing to loose

+1 to this, especially the eggs

Technique

I've had the same problem where I'd be craving food (especially sweet stuff) half an hour after a run.

I've found that this stuff has suppressed my appetitie, as well as hopefully aiding my recovery:

http://www.wiggle.com/high5-protein-recovery-16kg-tub/

rom

Technique wrote: »

I've had the same problem where I'd be craving food (especially sweet stuff) half an hour after a run.

I've found that this stuff has suppressed my appetitie, as well as hopefully aiding my recovery:

http://www.wiggle.com/high5-protein-recovery-16kg-tub/

A load of sugar that you don't need.

Technique

rom wrote: »

A load of sugar that you don't need.

Does getting protein on board after a run do any good?

Would I be better with a couple of glasses of water?

ger664

If you consume nutrient dense food you wont feel hungry after it. If you consume manufactured sugar drinks marketed as been good for you, you will still feel hungry because your body still needs something that said drink did not provide.

rom

Technique wrote: »

Does getting protein on board after a run do any good?

Would I be better with a couple of glasses of water?

Of course it does but why not have a glass of milk?

overthebridge

My post long-run snack is usually peanut butter on a bagle washed down with a glass of chocolate milk. Never fails to hit the spot.

After a short(ish) run say 8-12k a banana would see me through until dinner or lunch. If it was late evening run then I'd have a toasted sandwich with a cup of tea.

It's about trial and error really. Try out different foods and different combinations of foods. Google is your friend too.

crisco10

Usually go for the milk option myself. During my long runs in the last marathon cycle, I got very hungry toward the end of some; these times I just had a scrambled egg or 2 on toast with a little bit of kale/onion/peppers threaded through it as soon as I was in the door; even before I got into the shower.

Netwerk Errer

I think we can agree that running is an inefficient means to weight loss because of the high impact stress. Eating after a run is very important because it aids in recovery of tired and damaged muscles. Personally, I think it's the most important time to eat in that half hour to hour after exercise. You get the hunger prangs for a reason, your body is craving the nutrients, vitamins and fuel it needs for recovery and that is not the time to skimp on grub because of a restricted diet.

If you want to lose weight through running, you want your protein intake to be high and your carb and fat intake to be lower.

Personally, I would find it very difficult to be on a restricted diet during good periods of training where I need to take in 3,200-3,500kcal a day to feel energetic.

edit: contrary to belief. Long aerobic runs are not efficient. Intervals and high intensity training is far better for weight loss. You only burn about 300kcal per half hour and even less if you are slower at running with aerobic conditioning.

rainbow kirby

I just get my OH to get the dinner ready for when I get in from an evening run

Baggy Trousers

A full pint of water after a long run works for me along with maybe a handful of mixed nuts.

Spirogyra

Hi just to update and say that I followed advice here and drank a pint or more of (non low fat) milk and toast, it worked wonders

Itziger

rom wrote: »

What pace do you run your training runs at?

Rom, I see what you're doing with these questions, but I think it's for another thread.

I commented on a fella's post recently where he said he'd 'broken [his] 5k pb last night'. He didn't really like my comment. Maybe I could have put it more eloquently. I get the feeling that a lot of people, especially relatively recent recruits to the sport, train/race in a woeful manner.

Spirogyra

I commented on a fella's post recently where he said he'd 'broken [his] 5k pb last night'. He didn't really like my comment. Maybe I could have put it more eloquently. I get the feeling that a lot of people, especially relatively recent recruits to the sport, train/race in a woeful manner.

what do you mean by woeful manner?

Ososlo

Spirogyra wrote: »

what do you mean by woeful manner?

I guess they mean that most newbies and a lot of others run their training runs too fast and set out to pb on every run. It seems very common alright. I would have done that in my first few months of training.
Not sure what's meant by woeful racing though.

Spirogyra

I am for the record not a newbie and while my preparation could certain do with improving I'm not a newcomer and the rarity of injuries shows I must be doing a reasonable amount right.

When incidentally are the best times of day to hydrate if I'm thinking of a marathon? any basic nutrition tips day to day would be appreciated.

Itziger

Spirogyra wrote: »

what do you mean by woeful manner?

Not aimed at you at all. Rom's post reminded me of a recent thread where this was discussed. There seem to be an awful lot of people who race their training. Even when I started out I could see that was not a good idea.

So when I said 'train/race in a woeful manner' I meant those who run nothing but 5ks, for example, at the one pace and every training run is a time trial. So much so that their races are just one more of the same.

As for the hydrating and nutrition, that's a huge other ballpark. After 6 or 7 marathons I'm still not sure if I drink too little or too much in them. There are a hell of a lot of theories and a search either in Google or better again, right here will turn up some interesting ideas. In the end you'll just have to see what works for you though by trial and error.