One of my most popular columns when I wrote for The Complete Running Network was on how frequently marathoners gain weight, rather than lose it, during training. To date, it's garnered more than 50 comments , which is a lot for that site and especially when you consider it was written years ago and still gets feedback from fellow souls. I thought I might again look into why some of us bulk up when we are in the throes of heavy training. In that piece, a then-new study showed we eat more when we exercise and tend to justify the extra calories as an offset of those expended earlier in the day for a net-zero gain. But it doesn't balance out. We also tend to indulge in foods that satiate (pastas, breads), rather than those that leave us hungry within a couple of hours (like many raw fruits and vegetables).
Anyone who has kept a food and calorie log quickly realizes that the serving sizes on a lot of packaged foods and prepared meals are completely unrealistic for a typical appetite. Here is a 5-minute video (sorry, can't embed it) that explains why it is that the government sets the [granola] bar so low.
New York Times: Serving Size Snafu
Pay close attention to the data the FDA used to determine portion sizes. Then consider your own eating habits and how often you underrepresent how much you eat. If you are exercising heavily and still not losing weight, you may be chewing more than you bite off.
24 comments:
Okay :) ...this has nothing to do with gaining while you train...just wanna say I love the acronym SNAFU...that's all!
So easy to gain weight, especially when we have a mindset that "yeah, I ran 10 miles today" lol.
I have never lost weight training for a marathon but I did for the ultra...that was an interesting video!
This is *exactly* my current state. Time to harden up....
I seem to hit a place where I can't lose anymore. Man, it's so easy to put it back on, too!
I notice this exact phenomena every time I undertake a demanding workout/training program. I really understood this when I started using measuring cups and spoons to ration out exact portions. I realized very quickly that it isn't at all as difficult for me to lose weight, with the appropriate serving sizes.
Isn't it funny that we say, "I ran xxx miles today, I DESERVE THIS." Next time I run, I think I will hang a sign around my neck that says, "Will run for dessert!"
It's so easy to tell ourselves that we can eat more "just because we are training for a marathon." I plan to get smart this year and not listen to that little person this year.
this is one of my biggest pet peeves about newbie exercisers. They always attribute the weight gain to added muscle. I call baloney on that!
I agree with that - usually a "serving" of cookies is 1. Like anyone can stop at just 1, right? I know I certainly ate a ton when I was training for a marathon, and it took a while to stop eating so much, that's for sure.
Thanks... I appreciate the reminder.. don't know what to do with it of course. Spring coming.. training... eating... so it goes?!
I do notice that I am snacking a lot throughout the day at work. Good thing my coworkers know that I run, or else they would think something is wrong with me.
However, this is something that I never thought about that often, although I should really watch what I'm eating (and how often)..
Yesterday I did a 9 miler mid day. Later in the day, I felt like cookie monster devouring everything in site. I made sure to eat something within 30 minutes after with protein to refuel though it got out of hand later in the evening. Keeping a log is one of the best things to do to monitor your intake.
I love your blog. LOVE it. I keep a food diary and sometimes I find that I have to keep a measuring cup on hand to put in the proper food portions...
great post, I'm off to read your article now.
I tend to gain weight when I'm training for a marahton if I eat too much processed anything. So I have be very careful and give up sugar and anything white (I say that as I train for Boston and sit here eating a small bowl of frozen yogurt and homemade white-crust pizza. But I was sick today and am using that as a feel-better pickmeupper. Ha). Thanks for the video
Yeah. What they all said.
It has taken me a while, but I've finally learned how to break even. No more weight gain for marathon training!
I tend to lose weight fairly easily at about 30-35 miles a week - I admit I have a fairly fast metabolism. However, it seems that 40+ miles a week I tend to maintain. I think its because at that point my hunger does start really ramping up, but at 30-35 I don't notice it as much.
That is still one of my favorite CR articles. The exact same thing happened to me when I was injured. Why can't I have both? I know the answer to that, I'll call bologna on myself : )
It took me a few years of marathon training to realize I did not need to consume THAT much more after a really long run, lol! Since then, I've managed to lose weight instead of gain.
This has happened to me time and time again. You don't know how much you're eating until you use a tracker like Daily Plate. Then it's a huge eye-opener. When my friends complain about not losing weight, I always ask them, how much are you eating?
I think a lot of us also over estimate how many calories we burn running. For me running only burns about 100 calories/mi so a 6 mile run isn't really that big a deal in terms of caloric expenditure and yet I feel like I deserve to eat whatever I want. Bummer.
I've been meeting with a dietician and it's incredibly surprising for me to learn what consists of a single serving.
Love your post and agree that it's easy to eat more as we are hungry after a good run. In fact, we have to eat more but only foods that will help recalibrate the body and help recovery. Some foods can hinder recuperation even if they are still considered healthy. The problem with me is not portion control or bad-for-your-weight foods, rather an imbalanced diet and specific nutrient deficiencies... now that I am aware of all that thanks to my nutritionist, I am eager to see how my body will respond to the changes ... The book I was mentioning in my post ("The Thrive Diet") is great and has an excellent chapter on Exercising and nutrition...
Post a Comment