Running a lot recently = Hungry all the TIME!

Hello!

I have been running about every other day for the past 2 months. I started running a block then walking a block. I have worked my self up to running 2 miles without stopping. My Goal is to get up to 3 so I can start running in 5ks. I have lost about 10lbs and I have been eating pretty healthy. I eat yogurt or high protein cereal (Kashi) and a Banana in the morning. For Lunch I eat a vegetable sandwich or tuna and crackers. For Dinner I try to eat a large salad Sometimes I dump cottage cheese on the salad for the protein and I think it tastes good . If I took a run in the morning, I try usually eat a salmon steak or chicken for lunch. So. Now I am just hungry all the time. I Think I may not be eating enough. I try to snack on nuts during the day but do not always have time because of work and stuff. Any cheap snacks or meal ideas? My diet is not this strict everyday but it has been my goal to change it. Thanks !

a reply to: ModestMike

From the sounds of your typical diet you aren't eating nearly as many calories as you need to be for max performance. A general rule of thumb for calorie intake is a average woman should consume 1200 - 1500, and the average man around 1800 - 2000, depending on how active. And the more active you are, the more your body needs.

Although, you said you are doing this for weight control, and I will assume you eat the right calories and not empty.
My suggestion, add a little more fat to the diet, and drink water all day, people tend to cut cat out of their diet but don't take into account that the body uses fat the most efficient for calorie burning, and it lasts longer in the stomach giving a more full feeling. Also people never drink enough water, sometimes when the body is 'hungry' it's nothing more than just your body triggering daily routine, like lunch at 12 and dinner at 6, but if you drank a tall glass of water and fought off the hunger pains you'll realize you don't really need it at all. It's basic human evolution.

I don't know what your metabolism is like but if it was like mine was back in my college days, it may be having trouble adjusting to your new training regime, too.

When I was a freshman athlete in college, I started training for track and field as a multi-event/middle distance/sprint athlete. My body did not adjust well. By the time I was in the spring competition season, I still weighed in just under 120 lbs with a body fat of just above 5 BMI (which is way, way low for women) at height of 5' 8". I was devouring, no joke, as many as three or more heaped plates of food at lunch and dinner with second helpings of dessert on top of them, and I was still losing weight and hungry all the time.

Like I said - my metabolism did not adjust well that first year.

So, I'd keep an eye on things, and if you don't find an equilibrium soon, especially if you really start losing weight on top of eating what seems like an unreasonable amount to keep it on, I'd think about getting it checked out.