Food and running: Let’s run a 5K and eat like we ran a marathon

I love that quote from One More Mile Running, and it is so true.  Running is a wonderful calorie burner, and regular exercise is key to maintaining a healthy weight.  So, it’s so discouraging when new runners not only don’t lose weight, but often gain weight.  How does this happen?

Running does burn a lot of calories, roughly 100kcal/mile, depending on your sex, size and speed.  But unfortunately, that calorie burn doesn’t go as far as we’d like to think.  A 5K, for instance, barely earns you a medium French fries.  I’m very good at justifying dessert on days I run, but I tend to feel like I burned 800 calories, even if I only ran 3 miles (and therefore burned far fewer calories).  It’s important to be honest with yourself about how much activity (and calorie burn) you are actually getting before treating yourself to a pint of ice cream.

Running makes you hungry.  Especially if you are a newer runner or increasing your mileage, your body is worried it won’t have the reserves it needs in the future if you burn extra calories and use up your energy stores.  So you get hungrier to compensate.  When you are hungry (and you will be), try to fuel your body with the foods it needs to stay strong and healthy.  Fresh fruits and vegetable and whole grains fill you up and provide needed nutrients, without the excess calories of fattier foods.  Your body may also interpret thirst or dehydration as hunger, so make sure you are hydrated!

You might be getting leaner even if the scale doesn’t show a weight loss.  Muscle weighs more than fat.  Pay attention to how your clothes fit more than to the number on the scale. 

Running can be social.  My friends and I go out for post-run breakfast every Sunday.  We often go out for dinner if we run after work.  Consider those meals an opportunity to enjoy the people you like, rather than an opportunity to overindulge.  It’s okay to eat pancakes once in a while—nothing is off-limits—but don’t eat pancakes for every breakfast.

Finally, even if you don’t need to lose weight or don’t lose weight, being active by running and walking makes you healthier!  Exercise is good for your bones, your heart, your cancer risk, your lungs, your brain, your mood….the list goes on and on.  Remember that the goal of training is to get healthier and stronger. 

Want to learn more?  Dr. Amy Cyr is an assistant professor of surgery and breast surgeon for the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital.  When not working up a sweat with her running buddies, Dr. Cyr is part of the world-class, multidisciplinary team of Washington University medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and surgeons that specialize in treating all types of cancer at Siteman-St. Peters.  To refer a patient, or to make an appointment, please call the Patient Care Coordination Center at 314-747-3046 (toll-free 877-251-6485) or visit siteman.wustl.edu/refer.aspx.

Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and Progress West Hospital, members of BJC HealthCare, are MO’ Cowbell’s headlining sponsors!