Going to the gym

[Ava]

My new hobby.

Usually I'm only on the treadmill, walking and running for an hour. Eventually I'll get to the other equipment but I'm trying to become a runner. 

What I like:

- Building endurance 
- Getting oxygenated
- Sweating out toxins

What I dislike:

- Post-workout hunger, cravings

www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/eating-help/control-cravings/control-your-post-workout-appetite/

I'm never much of a hungry person but since I've picked up this hobby, I get VERY hungry and I think I may have even gained weight, despite now covering over 3 miles (about 5 km) per day. I'm also amazed to see that some of the best runners there, who go fast and run for a long time, are not thin. 

Well I have to figure this out.

If you work out, any tips for how to manage hunger?

[Deleted]

Hunger is usually a good thing!

Because you're expending so much energy, the body needs more fuel to be nourished. When you burn calories, the calories generally need to be replaced, otherwise the body starts to eat first at the fat storage, and when the fat storage disappears (this occurs with the less calories one eats), then the body will start to munch on the muscle.

If a person is sedentary, usually they only need to eat around 1200-1400 calories. With exercise, this calorie intake can be bumped up to 1400-1600 (sometimes even to 2500 depending on gender, exercise content and muscle mass goals).

The weight your gaining is very possibly muscle mass

(Please ignore me if I'm saying things you already know, it's not my intention to sound anything other than helpful/informative)

When I work out, I do have to manage not being ravenous. I'll add extra things to my workout days that I otherwise wouldn't bother with on my sedentary days. This could be anything to an extra sandwich, a more calorie dense dinner, more servings of something like eggs, vegetables, shakes, etc.

[Ava]

athena,

" I'll add extra things to my workout days that I otherwise wouldn't bother with on my sedentary days. This could be anything to an extra sandwich, a more calorie dense dinner, more servings of something like eggs, vegetables, shakes, etc."

Thank you, you make it sound really do-able and normal!

[12YearsABlob]

Mar 27, 2018 22:12:20 GMT athena said:

Because you're expending so much energy, the body needs more fuel to be nourished.

When I work out, I do have to manage not being ravenous. I'll add extra things to my workout days that I otherwise wouldn't bother with on my sedentary days. This could be anything to an extra sandwich, a more calorie dense dinner, more servings of something like eggs, vegetables, shakes, etc.

^Same.
Well, I don't work out. I mean, I can see why you might think I do. *shake it shake it*

But people I know that work out, often up their protein intake. More eggs if they're vegetarian. Protein generally keeps you fuller for longer, they say (or so I remember reading - there was an experiment involving four people in four different rooms).
Runners - I dunno if you're training for a big run - but if you are, loosely speaking - they tend to load up on carbs before the race. There's more to their diet than that, but that's all I can recall right now.
Great to have carb-license, eh? But they won't be sittin' around in your body, they'll get used up on your treadmill - so no worries there, methinks. 

[sven555]

Hey Ava,

The reason why you start to feel hungry is because your body is adjusting to the next energy demands.

Once you get used to exercising very frequently, you'll start to be able to control the hunger spike. Another tip, try not to eat lots of food before running because that will slow you down.

I tend to run in the mornings and either have just liquids or one or two biscuits before running if it is a race. Let your body use the energy already processed over night if you run in the mornings. If you run in the afternoon, use breakfast for fuel; if the evening; use your lunchtime meal.

Then when you finish, you can have some more food.

Btw, you are just using the treadmill? If you are using it often; you should use the exercise bike too, it will help develop your gluts and coordination.

A good method is to "build up" for your run; so you do either 10 minutes cycling and then 50 minutes running. Or 30 minutes cycling and 30 minuting running.

And please try this out: don't run distances on the treadmill (3km, 5km, etc..), run for a duration of time (30 minutes, 45 minutes) etc. Running for distances on the treadmill will trick your mind a little; you'll benefit better initially from running for periods of time.

[Ava]

Ahhh....thanks for reminding me of protein shakes 12YearsABlob . I have some of the mix for my sons. I wonder if that will help control hunger? My protein intake is generally pretty low.

---

Thanks sven555 ,

I typically just have dark chocolate and coffee for breakfast, then go to the gym.  

I'll go on the bikes first today, I'm probably better at those......

I'm just building up my endurance, so I couldn't run for a half hour straight anyway. The serious issue is this: I was a chain smoker in college. Kids, don't do that. My lungs are still affected. I could run just fine if I could breathe.

"Once you get used to exercising very frequently, you'll start to be able to control the hunger spike."

Hope so.

Yeah I just have to get used to this.

[12YearsABlob]

Hehe. Well, I didn't mean protein shakes, dunno much about them... Just that category of nutrient - in whichever form you like/is digestible...

:ETA: Oh you've already tried it. Somehow I skipped the part about having that mix for your kids. Great then, no worries! I was scared I'd accidentally recommended a powdered nutrient that I know nothing about.

[12YearsABlob]

Mar 28, 2018 6:16:28 GMT sven555 said:

Hey Ava ,

The reason why you start to feel hungry is because your body is adjusting to the next energy demands.
---

I tend to run in the mornings and either have just liquids or one or two biscuits before running if it is a race. Let your body use the energy already processed over night if you run in the mornings. If you run in the afternoon, use breakfast for fuel; if the evening; use your lunchtime meal.

Slight tangent, but I'm curious. When you do a distance run, they have those water booths - I see runners drinking that and running just fine..  Isn't it discombobulating to drink while running or to run immediately after drinking (water)?

[sven555]

12YearsABlob,

Some runners like to drink fluids as they go around; if it is a boiling day; the water just goes straight through your body.

I personally don't like to drink during running because I find it distracting and ruins your rhythm.

Generally it depends on the person, but yes; it can be that way.

Ava,

Good to hear, not too late to start clearing the lungs.

Just remember, exercise is the only constant in the world that gives you 100% back for what you invest

[anela]

When I exercised regularly, I found that I would wake up starving. I wasn't really a breakfast person before.