Nutritionist Trip- Under Fueling

So last week I had decided I had enough of the feeling like garbage at races and I didn't want it to happen at my big first marathon at the end of Oct. so I broke down and went back to the nutritionist. I figured I had an idea of what I was doing wrong. I wasn't eating enough. Not just not eating enough fueling through the race I mean not eating enough day in and day out. Anyone who has tried to lose weight knows to cut calories and you will drop weight. Well I was living that way.

I walked my nutritionist through what I ate in a day normally. We came up with around 1200-1500 calories. Well with my height and moving around for a work day then add in about 500 cals a day to account for my workouts I need about 2500-2900 calories a day. Anyone who can do basic math can see I am woefully under fueling my body. And I was living in a constant state of tired, cold, easily frustrated. Come to find out my candy cravings were my body just saying I"M HUNGRY!!! Yes folks I unlike most of America need to figure out how to eat more not live on your smoothie diet of 900 cals a day!


Not just was I not getting enough. I wasn't getting enough protein by about 10g a day. Not that far off but need that to keep training. And calcium was ULTRA low too. We went back through my day and beefed up my normal menu with calcium and protein options. We even added in a second lunch every day. Changing breakfast to 500 cals, Lunch to 500, a Second Lunch of 500, and Dinner of 500 or so will help me to end up fueled every day. I have a hard time making myself eat but I am going to try.

The hope is changing to eating enough will help me be well fueled for my work outs. Help me have better results on race day because I won't be living daily on the razor edge of under fuel. And not be so tired and irritable on a daily basis. I am having to track what I eat to help me understand how much food this is and help me get closer. I am still having a hard time with it. But I hope in the next couple weeks I can fix it!!!