Does a runner who averages 10 miles per day really need 3000-4000 calories per day?
Does a runner who averages 10 miles per day really need 3000-4000 calories per day?
yes
I just can't picture some of the runners in poorer countries eating 3000-4000 calories...maybe I'm just a ignorant fool...
No, it's too much. Keep yourself at about 2100-2200. 2500 in my eyes is way too much. I suggest trying to eat just enough to get by, you want to put in about as much as you use or less. Also the foods your eating play a big role. You can eat 2000 calories of fruit and vegies and pasta and feel great, or eat one mc donaalds hamburger and just that. I suggest trying to limit what you eat, it makes a big diffrence. In a matter of 3 weeks while changing my diet I went from 151 to 145 and dropped almost 60 seconds off my 5k pr.
Basically take the individuals life style into account- if they run 10 miles and sit artound the rest of the day, 3000 calories is plenty. If they are a teenager growing and are active besides running- 4000 may be needed to maintain weight and strength.
The rule is generally 100 calories per mile. If they lift, plyos, drills you add in more. If the person doesn't do much I would go off the base of 2000 calories, then add 100 calories per mile they run. If they are very active and growing start the base at 2500-3000 calories and add 100 cals per mile. 4000 for most athletes seems a bit high but 3000 definitely in the ball park.
No expert but seems to follow most things I have read and seen.
if u dont run, a 120 pound average man would spend 1950-2250 cals/perday. 1 mile counts as 95-120 calories for a 120lbs-160lbs man.
u also have to count pre-run and post run spent-calories. the blood needs carbs to circulate even after a run.
you would spend 3000-3200 calories for a 26.2 mile run.
that makes it around 5500-6000 calories spent in your day.
an ironman spend 13000-14500 calories on his/her race day. imagine that.
Some good answers.
Don't forget that age is going to be a factor as well!
I'm 36, eat much less (and healthier) than I did 15 years ago, run much more than I did 15 years ago and can't get down to my weight of 15 years ago.
But doesn't years of running slow down your metabolism and thus you can run more without burning more and thus without eating more?
I dont know how nuch should be the set intake. Each person is different, and will burn more or less depending. I would say make sure that you eat enough, and makes sure that you are eating right. I hamburger from a burger joint may get all of the calories, but you would miss the vitamins, minerals, and other good things you need. If in doubt take suplaments. especially iron. As for the poor people eating..... if they dont eat they dont run. I ran out of money for about three weeks and got knocked off the team because I was to weak to do anything without food. Seriously when was the last time you saw a bum in a race?
It depends on how much you weigh because you are doing more work if you are heavy (w=fxd) and remember that some runners weigh more than others not because they are too fat, but just because they are taller (LeMay) or have more muscle (McMullen). Joe Lemay at 6'4 and 155 burns alot more calories in a ten mile run (around 1000 cals) than Tegla Leroup at 4"11 and 88 pounds (around 550).
Tall guys and guys with some muscle will burn alot more calories on 100 a week than some African who weighs 120.
perhaps you are an exception, but i just can't see how a grown man in a serious training program could possibly function on 2000 to 2100 calories per day. I think i could pull it off if running was absolutely the only activity i was engaging in (i.e., no thinking, walking, standing, laughing, blinking, etc...). if you have some scientifically derived physiological data supporting the contrary i would love to see it. seriously, i could save like $20/week on food.
I've always been one to watch what I eat fairly closely, as I think it's pretty important. It's not what I eat that freaks me out, though; it's how much I eat. I don't know exactly how many calories I pull in per day, but I can put the grub away like no other. Any of you guys like that? I can easily eat a large pizza by myself w/ a few breadsticks and be ready for more a few hours later. It kind of sucks. I never really gain any weight; I'm 5'8" and weigh about 129, the same for several years now. I run about 80 mpw, so I guess that has something to do with it, as I didn't used to run that much. Hell, I even wake up in the middle of the night anymore starving and have to eat some cereal. And it's not like I'm depriving myself during the day. But, I figure if I'm hungry, the ol' body must need it for some reason.
Could it be that your body is craving something it is not getting?
Be thankful for your high metabolism when you have it....
One quick tip:
When your body has a high metabolism, your HR will be low after a fast run. It shows that your blood really did its job, circulated perfectly when you were running. Other wise, your HR would be in its high even 30 minutes after a workout as your blood is craving for more O2 to assimilate carbs.
gringo wrote:
It's not what I eat that freaks me out, though; it's how much I eat. I don't know exactly how many calories I pull in per day, but I can put the grub away like no other. Any of you guys like that?
I?m the same way. Sometimes my appetite seems insatiable. I don?t know how many calories I consume, but it?s gotta be way more than the 2,000 recommended above. My wife shakes her head in amazement because I sometimes eat continuously for several hours a night after running. For dinner, I can easily put away about one third of a pound of pasta, several slices of bread, salad and fruit. A little while later I?m ready for dessert, usually some fruit with yogurt (used to be ice cream, although now I?m off sweets for a while). If I?m still hungry I might graze on some corn chips too. Lunch and breakfast tend to be more modest because (I don?t like too much food inside me when I run) but decent size compared to the average human.
I run about 80mpw. I?m 6?4?, weigh 160 pounds and have body fat of about 6 percent. So, as you can see, I burn a lot of calories, sometimes probably around 2,000 on a longer run. Still, I?m wondering if maybe I should try to get down to 155 or lower to see if I run better. But as you can see, I like to eat. Bumping mileage up to 100 mpw, that doesn?t scare me. But eating less? That would hurt.
Many of you have different information than I do. Here's my info- you decide which one you think is correct:
1) A 150 pound man burns about 80 calories per mile run unless it is uphill.
2) To get the amount of calories you need to take in in a day at rest (this means no exercising) you multiply 12 by your body weight (11 x your weight if you are a woman). So, if you are a man who weighs 140, you need to eat 1680 calories in a day to maintain. If you eat less or exercise more, you lose weight. So, if you weigh 140 but run 10 miles a day, you can eat 2480 calories a day and maintain. 3000-4000 seems awful high to me - granted, growing teenagers can eat more than adults, but 4000 is a lot in a day.
3) Running INCREASES metabolism. It does not decrease it. When you exercise you build muscle. Running builds muscle in almost all areas of the body, including the forearms. Muscle burns calories.
No way can I eat 3000+ calories in a day and not have some serious weight gain. I am only running 45 miles per week or less right now, but still, 3000+ is a lot of calories for someone who weighs 133 like I do.
The above points are guidelines only and do change based on weight, age, and other factors.
My personal opinion:
1. Eat a smart well balenced diet.
2. If you are hungry you should eat but,
3. don't eat too much at a time, spread it out to keep from getting too full. Also if you eat a ton your stomach will distend and you will always want more a few hours later b/c your stomach emties and is the size of a watermelon.
4. drink enough water to help digestion and to keep from eating too much when you shouldn't be (i.e. your not really hungry, just feel like eating)
Actually a 150 pound man burns closer to 100 calories a mile. I had scientific tests done on me this summer (I was part of a univeristy coach's research project). I suppose if all you do is run 10 miles then sleep for 20 hours, 2500 calories should do. However, I went from 170 down to 150 this summer when I started running, and this was on about 30 mpw and 2500 calories a day. I'm 6'3, so now that I want to maintain my weight, I figure 3500 calories a day should be fine. This accounts for currently 40-50 mpw, along with 3-5 hours of strength training, a couple hours of tennis, and everyday activities like going to class.
1. your young so your metabolism is faster than those twice your age
2. you've just started running this much so you are now losing weight because you have increased your activity level.
3. That is a lot of activity with the lifting and playing tennis. You probably have less time to eat during the day so therfore you eat less.