Fueling for endurance?

Hi!!

I'm new to this forum and I've been lurking and reading your posts and you all are very inspiring to me. I love seeing what is possible and what I can also accomplish by seeing what you have done!

I'd love your experience and expertise for my nutrition. I had RNY May 10, 2012 and my highest weight was in January 2012 at 308. My surgery weight was 275 and I have lost 150 lbs. I'm 158 now and I would like to get to 140 or below - I'm 5'3" and I just want to be in a normal weight range for once in my life.

That said, I am thrilled with my weight loss so far and I feel better than I've ever felt. I was MO for 20 years, so I feel like I have lost time to make up for and I've started (because I can and because I love it now) working out a lot and running. I'm training for a 1/2 marathon and I've discovered that I love exercising for 1.5-3 hours a day 4-5 days a week.

Since I've ramped up my exercising, I've also tried to fuel my workouts so I'm not hitting the wall and I'm eating more than I ever have since surgery. I know that I will be able to eat more naturally as I progress and I'm almost a year out, but I also don't want to under fuel or over-eat and not lose the remainder of my weight. 

I've read on other boards that many of you eat less calories in maintenance than I have been lately and I'm wondering how you do that.

Today, for example, I ate:

B- 2 oz turkey breast

S- Protein coffee with 1 cup milk and Click/Chocolate Nectar

Pre-Workout Snack - 1 Tbs Peanut Butter and medium size banana

Post-Workout Snack - Venti Non-Fat Latte from Starbucks

Lunch - Chocolate Chip Cookie Quest Bar

Afternoon snack - 1 lite cheese stick, 12 almonds, 1 apple

Dinner - 2.5 oz baked salmon, 1 tsp olive oil, 2 tbs lentils, 2 tbs parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mixed greens

Maybe snack - 1/2 cup chocolate PB protein ice cream (homemade)

1642 calories

150 carbs

151 protein

76 sugars

39 fiber

59 Fat

Today I did 2 Zumba classes, 30 minutes elliptical, 30 minute run (with hills pushing a stroller) = 3 hours of fairly high intensity 

I spaced out the workouts and did 1 Zumba class and 30 minute elliptical, then 30 minute run a couple hours later then the 2nd Zumba class.

Today I've eaten the most calories I've ever eaten post-op and I need advice to see if I'm over eating! How do people train hard and eat 1,200 to 1,400 calories everyday to keep losing?

Thank you so much!!!!

Thank you for replying! I really appreciate it! I did speak with my RD and she said that with my exercise, that 1,200 would be too low on exercise days - that 1,500 to 1,800 at least would be a goal.. She suggested adding carbs like banana, PB, apples, Quest bars, extra milk, Kashi and Fiber One cereals. So on exercise days (I don't run very far yet, but I do run for 2-3 hours at a time with hills in there, too) and on those days I need the carbs. Today was 1 hour of yoga, 30 mins elliptical and 45 minutes hill intervals pushing the stroller and tomorrow, Sat and Sunday will be rest days and I will cut out the carbs, so back to 1200 or so without the banana, apple, venti latte, and extra PB. Usually I exercise 1,5-3 hours a day M-F with Sat and Sun rest days.  

I've been training like this:

Mondays: 1.5-3 hour run with hills in the morning then 1 hour Zumba in the afternoon

Tuesdays: 1.5-3 hour run with hills in the morning, then 1 hour yoga in the afternoon

Wednesdays: 1 hour Zumba and 30 mins elliptical in the morning, 30 mins hill intervals in the mid-afternoon and 1 hour Zumba in the late afternoon

Thursdays: 1.5-3 hour run with hills

Friday: 60 mins elliptical or rest day

Saturday: one Sat a month I do 3 classes in a row at the gym, other Saturdays are rest days

Sunday: rest day

I'm working on that balance between fueling for regular exercise and intense training and what that means for nutrition. I remember from a previous thread on the RNY forum that you are down in the low 120's and that is what I want for myself, too! I would be thrilled to get to 140 at this point, but really, I want to blast past that. So I don't want to overeat while training and exercising and sabotage my loss. And I wouldn't be asking or worried, but I've been stuck at 158 for several weeks now and I thought that with all of the extra exercise I would have lost a little lately. Could be a regular stall, or could be me eating too much.  I track every bite and pretty much eat the same things everyday (I don't really get sick of eating what I like, so I'm sticking with it. :) I also understand that my body could be adjusting to the extra exercise and will drop pounds when it is ready. I can wear smaller sizes even without the loss in pounds, so I know I'm changing, but holy moly, I just want to reach my goal!

I asked for a Body Media for Mother's Day so perhaps a little info will help. I'm hoping that knowing how much I'm burning in my exercise will help me with my calories. I'm learning to listen to my body, too, and a banana and a tb of PB before a long, slow run will get me through, and then an apple, almonds and cheese stick will get me through a second round of yoga or Zumba later in the day. I have the latte for recovery after a run and Quest bar for lunch in between, usually. I'm eating every 2-3 hours and getting plenty of water.

Would you be willing to share what you eat and how you fuel for your training on a typical day?

Thank you so much!! I am so grateful to have your expertise and wisdom! And thanks for listening and commenting - this new life can be complex and overwhelming sometimes!

If you're on MyFitnessPal, I'm listed on there as nfarris79, so you can send a friend request to see my food diary. What I ate in the first year is WAYY different than I eat now but I try to just focus on making good choices on both exercise days & rest days. I lost the great majority of my weight in the first 8 months, but it took me an additional YEAR to get below goal. It sounds like you work out a LOT, so have faith that you'll likely get to goal or below - - though if your body decides that's not optimal, focus on the fact that you're HEALTHY and really making exercise part of your life! 

Thank you!! I am on MyFitnessPal, so I will send you a friend request. Thank you for being willing to share!

Do you have something while you are running?  About every 45 min I use GU, or chomps to keep my energy level up.  I absolutely HATE that feeling when you bonk....so I always keep something on me when running longer distances.   I think your numbers look fine.  But more importantly, how do you feel.  I was sure I was going to be 150 and I am very happy at 165-170.  I am in a size 10 and dont have to watch every single thing that I eat (but I still log it)  I started out just a bit heavier that you did....isnt it cool that our lives have changed so much!!!   Best of luck with your goals...keep it tough, but enjoyable!!

Kat

This is a great question and one that I also have been struggling with.  Is anybody aware of any studies that have been done on endurance exercise fueling post-WLS?  I ask my nutritionist or nurse and the answers I get are vague and unhelpful. 

I have trouble with GUs or Gatorade or other endurance-support fueling; they cause me to dump mid-run, which is highly unpleasant.  I am trying different things, but so far all I've been able to do is Clif shot bloks, and I can hold one in my cheek and let it dissolve over the miles.  It takes at least 3-4 miles for it to dissolve, which I don't think is enough calories to support running.  Even then I chew it up after awhile, and there better be a porta-potty within view on course!  I set a goal to do three of those during a half-marathon, but I've never been able to get all three in during the run.  And 3 Clif Shot Bloks is only about 100 calories.

On a daily basis, I don't put in as many hours of exercise per day as the OP, but I do eat 1600-1800 calories per day.  I have been maintaining for 2 years at around 140 lbs (I'm 5'7") so that's where I'd like to stay. 

I'd love to hear about different people's strategies for mid-exercise fueling during long sessions.  I don't bother with anything up to 10K, but after 10K I think I need something.