Pre/Post Run Intake

[diamondd]

Alright. So far so good.

I've been running every night for the past few weeks and I've noticed myself getting fitter and stronger. And I've lost a bit of weight as well.

I've been recording weight loss, and found this week I put on 400grams. Sure, it's not that much, but considering I was running every night and some nights not even eating, I am not sure how. I recently introduced having a smoothie after every run;

1 and a half bananas, 1 apple, 2 raw eggs and a few strawberries with water.

I'm wondering if the sugar/carb intake is potentially what caused the weight gain?

400 grams is hardly worth worrying about, but that is a very high energy smoothie. Also you're pretty game putting raw eggs in that thing

and don't not have dinner, that's silly.

[Jnr]

Alright. So far so good.

I've been running every night for the past few weeks and I've noticed myself getting fitter and stronger. And I've lost a bit of weight as well.

I've been recording weight loss, and found this week I put on 400grams. Sure, it's not that much, but considering I was running every night and some nights not even eating, I am not sure how. I recently introduced having a smoothie after every run;

1 and a half bananas, 1 apple, 2 raw eggs and a few strawberries with water.

I'm wondering if the sugar/carb intake is potentially what caused the weight gain?

400 grams is hardly worth worrying about, but that is a very high energy smoothie. Also you're pretty game putting raw eggs in that thing

and don't not have dinner, that's silly.

Should I cut down on the ingredients? The problem I have is that we have dinner pretty early in the house, and most of the time I can't have it when I come back for a run. So I'll have dinner, wait an hour and a half to two hours then run, and i'm not sure what to have as a post run intake in this situation, so I default to the smoothie.

I'm still trying to get myself into a routine as well of having snacks throughout the day to increase metabolism, would fruits be the best in this situation?

[diamondd]

Should I cut down on the ingredients?

well, you can have a big smoothie if you want but you've gotta look at the macro's. You'd be better off just having a glass of milk and an apple or something. Sugar is a much greater enemy than fat but in all honesty it depends what you're trying to achieve here...

I'm still trying to get myself into a routine as well of having snacks throughout the day to increase metabolism, would fruits be the best in this situation?

have a piece of fruit if you want but don't go crazy, eat nuts instead.

it all depends though, what are your goals here? initially it didn't sound like you were out to lose weight but the fact you're worried about putting on 400 grams makes me think you are.

[Jnr]

Should I cut down on the ingredients?

well, you can have a big smoothie if you want but you've gotta look at the macro's. You'd be better off just having a glass of milk and an apple or something. Sugar is a much greater enemy than fat but in all honesty it depends what you're trying to achieve here...

I'm still trying to get myself into a routine as well of having snacks throughout the day to increase metabolism, would fruits be the best in this situation?

have a piece of fruit if you want but don't go crazy, eat nuts instead.

it all depends though, what are your goals here? initially it didn't sound like you were out to lose weight but the fact you're worried about putting on 400 grams makes me think you are.

My goal weight is 68kgs, I'm sitting at 73.8 at the moment (around 170cm's). I'm going to start the gym soon enough as well to start toning up. Losing weight was a factor for me starting to run, as well as increasing fitness for tennis season and what not.

As it starts soon, I am trying to lose the most amount of weight possible in the quickest amount of time. And yeah, was a little annoyed when I saw I had put on weight (as minimal as it was) seeing as I had trained pretty hard that week, I need to cut down on fruit intake late at night as a snack I think.

[Auld]

Just a FYI, the protein in eggs is not as bio-available raw vs cooked. IIRC you only get about 1/2 as much protein from a raw egg vs cooked, so you are essentially wasting a quality food source.

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/128/10/1716.full

[Jnr]

That is interesting, did not know that.

[Jnr]

So, little bit of an update for those interested.

I cut out after run smoothie and I've started the gym as well.

I am really perplexed though at the way my body functions.

So I was sitting at 73.8, with the week gone, I weighed myself again, 73.7.

This is the cardio I do every night I don't go to the gym (and saturdays is a rest day)

20 Burpees
3 x 400m sprints with a 1:1 rest ratio, although I don't follow the rest ratio strictly
20 Burpees
3 x 400m sprints
20 burpees

I've been meaning to start some tabata instead of doing the burpees however.

Could there be any reason why my body is losing such small amounts of weight when I'm doing such a high amount of work and eating small healthy servings

EDIT: Also, need some suggestions as to what to snack on during the day to increase metabolism and such

[Ralph Wiggum]

Don't just rely on weight to determine your progress, try using those fat-muscle analysis scales. For example I've gained an extra kilo but I've actually lost 1kg of fat and put on 2kg of muscle. I'm not sure if your water intake before/after exercise could also affect things.

My snacks usually involve a dried fruit/nut mix, yoghurt or a banana.

[diamondd]

Don't just rely on weight to determine your progress, try using those fat-muscle analysis scales. For example I've gained an extra kilo but I've actually lost 1kg of fat and put on 2kg of muscle. I'm not sure if your water intake before/after exercise could also affect things.

My snacks usually involve a dried fruit/nut mix, yoghurt or a banana.

the bold bit, definitely. Although the fat percentage scales often aren't the most accurate things, but the message is correct.

honestly, it sounds strange but the mirror is often a better guideline than the scales.

[Jnr]

Don't just rely on weight to determine your progress, try using those fat-muscle analysis scales. For example I've gained an extra kilo but I've actually lost 1kg of fat and put on 2kg of muscle. I'm not sure if your water intake before/after exercise could also affect things.

My snacks usually involve a dried fruit/nut mix, yoghurt or a banana.

the bold bit, definitely. Although the fat percentage scales often aren't the most accurate things, but the message is correct.

honestly, it sounds strange but the mirror is often a better guideline than the scales.

That's true. I'm noticeably slimmer. Oh well, will just keep to my routine and work harder.

[Ralph Wiggum]

honestly, it sounds strange but the mirror is often a better guideline than the scales.

Yeah, most rewarding thing is seeing the fruits of your labour, so to speak.

But I am mindful of this pitfall:

[Jnr]

Weight loss is going good.

now I need some advice on protein shakes.

I recently bought some wpc, very lean powder, little carbs and almost no sugar.

I've worked out that having 1 as soon as I wake up and 1 before bed is probably the best way to go about it, and then having an extra shake post work out. So effectively it's 3 a day most days.

Is this a good idea? or should I stick with 2.

[diamondd]

well first things first, you really only need protein shakes if one of the following is true:

1) you only eat grass (or lettuce)
2) you want desperately to put weight ON.

my main point is that they're not necessary by any means, and three is as much if not more than most body builders would drink. Again, it depends on where you're at and where you want to be, but from the gist I've gotten from this thread so far having one after your workout will probably be ample.

P.S. #1 isn't a healthy way of doing things either...

[Matty]

honestly, it sounds strange but the mirror is often a better guideline than the scales.

I agree to this as well. Since I started training I can see the loss of weight but the scales never showed it. Only very recently have I actually noticed a drop on the scales.

I've also noticed it in my clothes.

[discobrad]

well first things first, you really only need protein shakes if one of the following is true:

1) you only eat grass (or lettuce)
2) you want desperately to put weight ON.

my main point is that they're not necessary by any means, and three is as much if not more than most body builders would drink. Again, it depends on where you're at and where you want to be, but from the gist I've gotten from this thread so far having one after your workout will probably be ample.

P.S. #1 isn't a healthy way of doing things either...

More to the point, why even have them at all? I thought you wanted to lose weight and were training accordingly. If you aren't trying to bulk muscle, protein shakes are a waste of time. And if you are, there are more natural ways to gain protein