What about food?

[Beelady]

I started C25k as a 50+ woman wanting to get fitter after a brush with Cancer last year. Also wanted to lose some of the weight that's been steadily increasing as with slot of women my age. Thrilled to have done my W5R3 run on Saturday but now feeling disappointed as I've spent the whole weekend eating rubbish. I'm sure other people get the thing where you feel tired and lacking energy on the run days (as well as the buzz and busy-ness) and it sabotages me because I feel I need to eat more....any suggestions on how to manage it?

[HappyRunner Graduate]

When I first started the c25k I would be ravenous after a run and would eat anything to hand. However, I think as my body has adjusted I don't get hungry now. I actually find that with the longer runs they suppress my appetite. I wouldn't worry as in the long run your body will adjust and the hunger pangs will disappear 😃

[Hidden]

Hi and Welcome I would have to agree with happyrunner. At first, when I finished a run I would be starving but as time has gone on I don't anymore and i have stop picking so much.

I also found that I was taking naps on my run days but that has stopped too! You are doing really well, just keep going

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I am soooo glad to read about the napping! One of my goals is to get through increasing speed without having to sleep mid afternoon!!

[ench0 Graduate]

I found out that drinking chocolate milk right after the run helps me with my energy levels and keeps hunger at bay for several hours afterwards. Actually soya milk as I'm lactose intolerant.

[OldPossum]

Bananas, as recorded by the lovely Laura are very good for restoring energy levels and nutrients too - watch all the athletes - many of them snack in bananas. Especially the tennis players. We are athletes 😀😀

[JLT52 Graduate]

Hi, you don't say what time of day you are running. I run first in the morning so it's not too much of a problem as I eat my breakfast when I get back. Maybe the answer is to not have the 'bad stuff' in the house and then you can't eat it. Try having an apple or a banana when you get back instead.

[pollyp1 Graduate]

Have a glass of water first - you may be dehydrated and it's often experienced as hunger. Otherwise I have a banana or a slice of brown bread and wholefood peanut butter (no added anything). Also, as others have said, I've found along the way that I don't feel so hungry after exercise anymore. I've lost a lot of weight but I think I spent a long time justifying eating trashily because I'd been exercising: weight loss is about addressing your thinking as well as your behaviour. I just don't keep junk food in the house anymore. I also went through a phase of asking myself (with everything I ate): is this taking me closer to or further away from my goal. Well done for w5r3, that's a biggie.

[rammsteinqueen Graduate]

I get SO hungry from running. I just have to have healthy foods in the house. I have bought one of those Omniblends and make loads of soups, smoothies and just try to ditch all the bad foods from the cupboards. I usually run first thing in morning and have my shredded wheat and fruit when I return with black coffee.

[samthehandwich Graduate]

I've always had a huge appetite. I'm trying to lose weight so I've been on a mission to lower my appetite and I think I've cracked it. First thing in the morning I have a shot of Apple cider vinegar, water and cayenne pepper (I Know it sounds awful but its OK if you knock it back, it's supposed to be a great appetite suppressant). Then I go for my run or strength exercise. When I get back I have a high protein smoothie, I use frozen blueberries, soya yoghurt, soya milk, oats and protein powder with a cup of green tea (another appetite suppressant) . I then try to drink as much water as I can before lunch. I've cut out the foods which trigger me to binge (for me its pasta, bread and sugar). for the rest of the day I just try and eat plenty of veg, whole grains, nuts, seeds and pulse and be mindful of when I'm full. The first few days were a struggle but after a week it was working. I'm fuller sooner and for longer I'm loosing just over a Kg a week which I think is a healthy amount.

[Swnymor Graduate]

I'm a 50+ woman as well and I think we are doing brilliantly! Don't beat yourself up, six weeks ago you weren't doing this. Like the others I'm lucky and I don't find that I'm starving after running. I do run first thing though and then get in and eat breakfast. I still haven't had it yet and don't feel particularly hungry, hopefully your association between food and running will wear off as well. I have a large bowl of fresh fruit salad sitting in the fridge which I 'could' snack on all day but mustn't! Careful of too many smoothies - they do give you quite a hit of fruit sugars. I was pre diabetic apparently, bit of a shock and if I was more organised I'd have a similar bowl of salad type things. Less sugar, more fibre.

This might sound a bit less positive but I am still overweight and haven't lost anything since starting running but I am so much fitter and my clothes are comfy on me again. I need a bit more will power to deal with my bread addiction but if we can run 5k (and you will, we're all behind you helping you on the way) we can conquer the world a step at a time!

[misswobble Graduate]

Stop eating rubbish! It really is that simple. It's only us humans that complicate things

When you do stop eating all the foods/drinks that sabotage your weight loss you will be so pleased you did. It's a relief actually. You'll wonder why you didn't do it before. Getting the weight off makes walking and running so much easier. Walking is great for weight loss too!

Until you are running beyond 10k you don't need extra food!!!!

Eating well only really requires a bit of forward planning. Once the decks are cleared of stuff that is doing the damage you can get cracking on Operation Get Fit and Healthy. You're worth it!

[Beelady Graduate]

Thanks misswobble... you're right. I know its that simple but we do like to make things complicated eh. To be honest I am usually pretty good, we eat fairly healthily, grow our own veg etc and keep a good balance with very little rubbish but for some reason I did W5 R3 and then went out and bought things I never buy..chocolate, cake etc and had a take away which we'd stopped doing ages ago. Was just feeling down on myself for kind ruining the moment if you know what I mean but feeling back on it today. Its good to have some support though and to be told that I don't need more food!! I'll see your finger wagging next time i start to stray off track. Thanks everyone

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Beelady]

It's not exactly a recommended strategy but sometimes these episodes can be tremendously instructive and, in the long run, valuable. You're understandably a bit narked with yourself... but the key thing is you are not wallowing in self-hate, catastrophising and giving up. You know this is just a weird blip and will watch out for the signs if there's a risk of it happening again.

[AnneDroid Graduate]

Well done beelady. You're doing great to be doing this at all, so chin up! Half of this running/fitness/slimming business seems to be psychological and the more we practise staying positive the easier it gets to do so, and we stop beating ourselves up over a chocolate cake blow out! Look at the big picture, and at how far you've come. Especially in your case with the brush with cancer.

I'm 50 too and have lost two and a half stone since the end of January, which is undoubtedly partly due to starting C25k at the beginning of February! I agree that actually your appetite does drop, with occasional blips. Some days I'm still starving though. Also, make sure you drink plenty straight after running as - as pollyp1 says - sometimes we're thirsty but our body interprets the sensation wrongly as hungry.

And finally I think a big thing that sometimes stops me eating is the thought that I'll have to carry that plateful round with me the next time I run....