- How much protein do I need at this activity level? If you go to fitday.com and plug in your information, it will provide a chart breaking down recommended amounts of protein, carb, etc. About 5 months after I had Hamilton, I asked Heidi for a weight training plan. Knowing I was doing this and other cardio 6 days a week, Heidi gave me the following diet breakdown: 1590-1790 calories a day, 200-250 grams carbohydrates, 130 grams protein, 30 grams or less fat. Keep in mind I was also breastfeeding at the time, so I had to consume more calories than if I was only trying to lose weight. I should also add that, especially for our semi-vegetarian Megan, that it is very important to have a VARIETY of protein in your diet. I'll also add that our xc girls who were vegetarians tended to hit a wall mid-season--what got one girl over that hump was eating meat again. Seriously.
- What do you eat before and after your workouts? My favorite pre-run meal is one piece of whole wheat bread with some peanut butter and jam...it pretty much covers your bases. I also have to eat it at least one hour before running to avoid funny tummy. After, I like to hydrate and eat something pretty small...when I've run hard/long, I'm not "hungry hungry" for awhile. Gatorade can get some easy calories in you...and, oddly enough, chocolate milk is shown to be as good as or better than the old sports drink. Just remember that your body needs a healthy balance of protein and carbs. We will discuss what to eat during a run when we get our mileage up.
- How many calories a day would you recommend for someone who has a few pounds to lose? The answer to this question will vary person to person. I'm sure you all know that THE way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume (keep a food diary to track this). The tricky thing is that when you're training, you've got to make sure you're giving your body enough energy (calories) to be productive. We all know about "fat skinny people," right? We want to be in-shape at a healthy weight. Try checking out this website: http://www.phord.com/cc/. I would say that losing more than 2 lbs a week is a bad idea for any of you guys....save the bigger numbers for "The Biggest Loser." Finally, I have to add that the frequency and type of calories is important. Eat smaller portions more often (like every 3 hours...meals and snacks). And even though all your working out is creating a nice "burn," your body deserves to "burn" something better than McDonald's and Tuna Helper.
- How much candy CAN I eat...and not feel guilty? It's tough for me to answer this question because I'm the type of person who would rather exercise more and "earn" a cookie than go for total self-denial. :) For me, the moment I say "I can't have..." that's all I want. That said, I refer back to the answer above...if you're below your caloric intake for the day, enjoy a couple pieces guilt-free. I also think that the higher quality candy you have, the less you require to get your craving satisfied. For example, one See's chocolate will do you, but you're not so satisfied with a mini-Snickers.
- What can I eat for energy without just downing carbs? Some days I just need something to prop me up because I didn't get enough sleep the night before. My instinct is to reach for carbs and cola, but I don't want to do that. Good question, and one I'm sure most of the people in this running group can relate to. First off, don't be so quick to look down on carbs. Not all carbs are created equal. Eating whole grains (100%...labels can be tricky) will leave you feeling full longer. I would also try eating more often....and planning that snacking ahead of time. Have easy snacks around, like fruit and raw veggies, as an alternative to a piece of bread, Goldfish, etc. I know it's hard, but you actually have to fight your brain's natural tendencies on this one...we've trained our brains to crave the "bad" food and a stressed mind craves them even more. Check out Heidi's post on one study related to this.
- If I want to indulge, what is the least damaging indulgence? For example, is ice cream less evil than a cupcake? As I referenced in an earlier post, ice cream is better...more caloric bang for your buck and the vitamin D is great for women. I'm too lazy to find the link to the recent study on this...if you see Heidi, ask her about it:). I would also echo a point made earlier here: if you have been craving something specific for several days, give in....in moderation. For me denial leads to my trying to make other food fill in...unsuccessfully. So, instead, I'll tell myself, "Ok, if you still want this in a week or more, you can have it." Sometimes the craving lasts, other times it doesn't, but either way I can let my brain move on. Also, if you know you're going someplace that will have yummy "indulgences," simply adjust your calorie intake throughout the day to allow room for something a little naughty...
- Is it okay to replace a meal with a protein bar? I'm not a huge fan of protein bars. They are often not-great-tasting, not satisfying, and come with a lot of extra junk you don't want. I'm a big fan, though, of a protein smoothie. Check out labels on protein powders to make sure that protein grams and calories will work for you. For instance, watch out for the calorie-laden muscle building ones...unless you're doing body-building instead of running. We usually buy the brand "Gold Standard," which is 100% whey. With a protein smoothie, you're in control of what gets added to the protein...throw in some fruit, oatmeal, ice, peanut butter, a combo, whatever. And it is YUM.
- Not asked but I'm answering a few more things anyway...
- Make sure you're getting enough IRON. Iron deficiencies (anemia) are more common in women and in runners (you lose iron through your pounding feet...weird, I know), so women runners need to pay attention. If you're feeling uncharacteristically sluggish on your runs (for a period of time...you will ALL feel sluggish some days), get your iron levels checked. You will often have to be aggressive with your doctor to get this blood work done. Every xc girl who went in met with resistance. And do NOT accept "everything's normal" as an answer, as runners require a higher iron level than the general population. You need to know your actual number. Feel free to talk to me about an iron issues you might be having...
- You should not be "carbo loading."
- You should be drinking plenty of water...especially the day BEFORE you know you'll really need it (long run/race).
TURKEY TROT CHALLENGE
Sally suggested our little group try and get in a race before our big one in January. Because of our training schedule, none of the Christmas holiday ones really work...too close to the half-marathon and replaces a Saturday long run (not a good idea). However, Thanksgiving offers the PERFECT opportunity to get in a race experience, feel freaking awesome about yourself, and avoid some cooking responsibilities. Most areas have some sort of "Turkey Trot" Thanksgiving morning. Search for a race through active.com or by "googling" the words "turkey trot" and your town. I dragged Alex to one last year, and I (at least) had a great time :). If you don't want to pay for one or the one you'd go to is sold out or something, I still challenge EVERYONE to run a HARD 5k Thanksgiving morning....this is not a jog or even "base pace," this is you pushing yourself over 3.1 miles, and being really glad when you cross the finish line.
Awesome information, thanks Kate!
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