How the smallest Snacks can undermine our RUN calories!

[primaballerina]

Hi All

Just over a week ago I was asking about weight loss while running. Among many supportive and informative answers Damienair and Pianism gave me alot of inspiration and food for thought (pun intended).

1) Firstly (I already knew) I had to go back to myfitnesspal and start logging.

- this was clearly more of a mental block than a chore as in doing so it literally only takes me 5 mins per day, and I already had some 'regular' foods during my historic 'logging' days.

2) Thinking I was 'eating healthy' was as I expected simply BS. Sure I'd downed my portions and was eating less meat, more vedge and salad etc etc... BUT....

3) Notice on my attached photo (these are stats from two different days) the snacks - just 3 pieces of (lovely yummy) chocolate and 3 small chocolate digestives literally REMOVE all the running calories plus 1!

AND I ate these on a non-running day! Grrr.

In projected weight loss terms it would mean a 5lb difference over 5 weeks!

So - although it may not happen, the sensible thing for me to do would be to go for a WALK on a non-running day when I fancy a snack... or as Dameinair suggested go peel a carrot!

I'm sure I'm eating out of boredom (and I think my son has turned into a 'feeder' and keeps buying 'treats' to tempt me with - he’s 14 (and growing 2 cm per month!)

PB

Note to self: Do not let son help with the shopping!

PS I have lost about 3lbs this week!

[Debston Graduate]

I'm always a bit miffed when I see how many calories a long run has burned off, it always feels like it should be more!

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to Debston]

I dunno... my Garmin said I burned 1600 on Saturday! 🤣 I take it all with a pinch of salt. If we're moving a lot we can eat sensibly and shouldn't have too much trouble not gaining. It's that sensible balance and keeping moving! 💪😁

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

Tracking what's going in is definitely the best step to see what's really going in v activity.

Realising what we're eating helps us make better choices.

Try not to deny yourself too much. 1 piece of choccy is still a treat 😉

[primaballerina in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

yes, today I had one bit of chockie and one bicky! (and a run!)

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Great, tracking what you eat defiantly works I've been doing it since may 2018 and lost 3st and started c25k in October 2018. Before this I new my actual food intake was good it was chocolate that was the problem I could eat a family size dairy milk and look for more the next day . Now if I want chocolate I have a dairy milk little bar. So good luck 😊

[Bluepup1 Graduate]

I agree primaballerina - I’ve recently started tracking my food intake to try and see where I’m going wrong with food - I know I’m partial to choc & crisps (I’m within my weight range but not comfortable) and I can go through a choc/crisp fest at times (but still eating normal food too, & other times I’ll go wks without), but it was a combo of curiosity and wanting to eat healthier that got me into tracking food.

It can be a little disappointing/deflating to find the exercise you’ve just done doesn’t touch the ‘overindulgence’ of snacks or other healthier foods I’ve consumed.

Rightly or wrongly I’m coming to the conclusion that, over all, if I continue exercise and can consume less calories in a day/wk that the app recommends,(provided it’s not excessively lower) I won’t go far wrong?!?

These tracking apps are definitely surprising!! But, for me a few changes following the ‘tortoise and hare’ principle, can only be of benefit?? (I hope lol!) 🤗 x

[Pianism Graduate]

Well done on losing 3lbs! You must be doing something right.

The key with MFP is to log it before you eat it... quite often that's enough for me to decide I don't want whatever it is that much after all!

But, yes, it's shocking how calorie-dense a lot of foods are...

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Pianism]

My running bud came round with some scones she’d made. I gave my dad one, and I had one... with butter. Earlier I’d had a large slice of jam sponge cake that my dad gave me. I’d been doing well up to that point. I haven’t even tried to log those foods, as I’ve no idea of their calorific values. I was going to have a protein shake to finish the day, but I’ll have to go to bed hungry, and start again tomorrow. At least I’m running tomorrow! 🙁 (feeling very disappointed... and hungry)

[Pianism Graduate in reply to MuddledGardener]

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Pianism]

I survived the night! Determined to eat properly today! 🤨