{"id":31008,"date":"2014-08-20T07:15:57","date_gmt":"2014-08-20T11:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=31008"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:05:03","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:05:03","slug":"control-your-hunger-distance-running","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/control-your-hunger-distance-running\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Tame Your Runger (aka Running Hunger)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Training for endurance events means you can eat whatever you want, right?<\/p>\n

Not quite. Ask any marathoner who\u2019s gained weight over the course of their training, and they\u2019ll kindly inform you otherwise. Run 20 miles in a single session and inevitably \u201crunger\u201d (aka hunger caused by running) will set in.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that insatiable feeling when you decide you can \u2014 and should! \u2014 \u00a0eat everything in sight, immediately. And in those precious post-run moments, you manage to undo that 2,000-calorie burn by eating an entire 2,320-calorie pizza<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The logic starts off sound enough. After burning energy on the track, you crave a mega-dose of calories to replenish what you\u2019ve lost. Plus, you need enough in the tank to fuel your upcoming workout, too. But a full stack of pancakes (as a side dish to your French toast) might not be the best call at boozy brunch.<\/p>\n

This is because after you run, your metabolism may be downgraded at other times of the day to conserve energy, says Pip Taylor<\/a>, professional triathlete and nutritionist. It\u2019s not uncommon for your hunger to spike later in the day or even the next day.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Runger Pains<\/b><\/h3>\n

How do you recognize actual hunger from what you\u00a0think<\/i> is hunger, and learn when you can<\/i> eat more? We called in the experts for their tips to help you manage your runger, once and for all.<\/p>\n

1. Assess your effort. <\/b>If you\u2019re running less than an hour per day, there\u2019s no need to increase your daily intake, says Taylor. However, you do need to be sure that you are refueling properly post-workout. \u201cThe biggest mistake athletes make is under-fueling [after a run],\u201d she says. While this is sometimes done intentionally to lose weight, always consult with a pro before running on empty (aka fasted cardio<\/a>) or skipping post-run nutrition, particularly after a more demanding run.\u00a0<\/p>\n

2. Fuel for thought.<\/b> When that ravenous hunger does<\/i> kick in, our bodies don\u2019t always register immediately that we\u2019re full. This is when it\u2019s easy to overcompensate and consume excess calories. To prevent this, aim to match tougher workouts with increased fuel immediately before or after workouts, rather than make your base meal larger. For example, try having a banana before or during a training sessions for extra fuel or a small recovery smoothie<\/a> right after, so you\u2019re not hitting the dinner buffet table hard<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\"Mango<\/a>
Photo by Perry Santanachote<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

RELATED: <\/b>13 Quick and Easy Protein Shake Recipes<\/a><\/p>\n

In the same way some coaches recommend stepping up no more than 10 percent<\/a> in mileage per week, Ben Greenfield<\/a>, NCSA-certified trainer, recommends bumping up calorie intake between 10 and 20 percent per week. If weight gain is a concern, consider staying on the lower end of that range, while being mindful of energy levels and how your body is responding.<\/p>\n

3. Heed hunger cues. <\/b>Our bodies are great <\/b>at regulating <\/b>themselves \u2014 if we let them. \u201cBe aware of when you\u2019re feeling most hungry during the day. Any other time is a trigger to change up the timing or distribution of your food,\u201d says Marni Sumbal,<\/a> a triathlon coach and Registered Dietitian. She adds that we\u2019ve become accustomed to trying to silence these cues or confuse them through poor diets high in sugar or refined carbs. Eating whole, real foods and minimizing the processed stuff will help you tune in to what your body is telling you. Keeping a food log to assess what you\u2019re actually eating can help.<\/p>\n

\n

“Never run just to eat. Eat to run.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

4. Plan your treats. <\/b>\u201cNever run just to eat,\u201d says Sumbal. \u201cEat to run.\u201d If your intake supports your training, you\u2019ll develop a healthier relationship with food and optimize performance. Since most post-run indulgences tend to be high in carbs and \u00a0sugar, she recommends sneaking in some nutritional value where you can. For instance, combining your favorite sweet with protein, such as a cookie and yogurt. One other way to approach your cheat meals, Greenfield says, is to opt for nutrient-dense snacks such as coconut and dark chocolate balls<\/a>. They\u2019ll hit the spot, but won\u2019t leave you as guilt-ridden as, say, a box of Entenmann\u2019s donuts.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/b> When Is It OK to Cheat? The Pros and Cons of Cheat Days<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Know the lows.<\/b> Cravings aside, it\u2019s important to be able to recognize signs of intense hunger. It can present itself through dizziness, extreme irritability, lack of concentration or sleepiness, says Greenfield. Experiencing a combination of these symptoms can often mean you\u2019re overdue for complex sugars, and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) could be to blame.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, \u201cIf you\u2019re still burping up your pre-workout meal or you\u2019ve been stuffing your face with gels and sports drinks during your workout, you can probably wait until an hour or two after you\u2019re done before your true hunger sets in.\u201d Not only will this prevent \u201cbonking,\u201d but you will avoid that must-eat-right-away feeling. If you\u2019re truly supporting your training, you\u2019ll be eating to properly recover and refuel and those slumps won\u2019t sneak up on you.<\/p>\n

For a more personalized nutrition plan, consider enlisting a sports nutritionist<\/a> in order to figure out your specific caloric needs.<\/p>\n

<\/b>How do you deal with the intense hunger that comes on when you increase your training?<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learn how to control your hunger that comes from running long distances while marathon training with tips from Registered Dietitians and professional athletes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":31036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[111,71,110,108,341,357],"class_list":["post-31008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-marathon","tag-nutrition","tag-race","tag-running","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2running"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31008"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31008\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}