by Jeni Tackett, Registered Dietitian, Trinity Medical Center
A common mistake made when exercising is not focusing on diet. What you eat makes a huge impact on your performance. If you have started exercising to lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit (take in fewer calories than you need to maintain your body weight.) I often hear clients, friends, and family complain that they have started exercising and end up gaining weight. How frustrating!
If you run or have tried to run, you know the time and energy it takes to run a 5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon. Running a mile burns on average 100 calories.
Here are some examples of how much food you could eat to equal the calories burned at a race:
- 5K (3.1 miles): 2 Reese’s peanut butter cups and 1 cup of 1% milk (310 calories)
- 10K (6.2 miles): An order of cheese quesadillas and 1 lite beer (620 calories)
- Half marathon (13.1 miles): A thick burger, medium French fry, and 20 ounce regular soda (1310 calories)
- Marathon (26.2 miles): 5 slices of supreme pizza and 20 ounce regular soda (2620 calories).
Do you see how easily you can overeat and surpass your calorie needs while exercising? Do not view your new exercise regimen as a free pass to eat whatever you like. You need to eat healthy foods and watch your portion of splurge foods. If you are trying to lose weight and you exercise enough to burn 300 calories but then consume 300 calories as a reward, you will not lose any weight even though you are moving more.
5 Diet Mistakes that will Sabotage Your Workout:
1. Going too long without eating. Eat every 3-4 hours. When you go too long without eating you tend to overeat. Eat 3 meals/day and 1-2 snacks (a good rule is to snack on fruits or vegetables).
2. Eating fast food and fried foods. Avoid fatty French Fries and monster hamburgers before workouts. High fat foods sit in your stomach causing you to be overly full and bloated. Do not use working out as an excuse to make fast foods a habit. Remember, you really are what you eat – and you will feel it when you eat poorly.
3. Overloading on sports drinks. Drinks such as Gatorade and PowerAde contain calories. If you are trying to lose weight or maintain your weight, drinking water during a workout that lasts an hour or less is sufficient. Sports drinks are needed when you exercise for over an hour or when you exercise in the heat. There are low calorie options such as G2 and PowerAde zero.
4. Exercising on Empty. Do not plan a workout at 11 a.m. if you have not eaten since 7:00 a.m. Eat a low fat meal or snack that contains carbohydrate and protein about 1 hour before workout out. For example, fruit with yogurt, tortilla with veggies, or sandwich with salad.
5. Overeating because you exercise. You are putting time into exercise. Don’t waste that time by eating too much at the end of the day. If you are trying to lose weight, keep a food journal at www.fitday.com or www.sparkpeople.com.
Don’t forget to focus on food for a successful workout. Plan ahead so that you can get the most out of your workout. Healthy food + More Activity = A recipe for success.
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Jeni Tackett is a registered dietitian at Trinity Medical Center and the Two Rivers YMCA. Jeni majored in Nutrition and Dietetics at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Caroline. She lives East Moline with her husband, Nathan and their two children, Noah and Lily and two dogs. Jack and Lola.For a listing of all of Jeni’s blog posts on MVHNews, click here. |
