I’m training for IMF and I have no appetite. Even after a long hard work out I’m not hungry. When I do get hungry, I eat a bit, then I’m full. When I do eat, there’s only a few things that sound good: Bananas, shredded wheat, turkey bacon, Morning Harvest Sausage Patties, chicken pho, spring rolls and sushi. I want to eat spicy black bean burgers, and my favorite black bean and tofu dish…but I can’t eat black beans anymore…they go right through me (this is something new too…I used to eat black beans all the time, but can’t since I’ve started training a lot). Even last night when I sat down with a bowl of ice cream and reeses pieces (sounded really gooda at the time), I could only eat 4 bites and I was full.
My favorite splurge food is pizza…I used to be able to eat a whole large Papa John’s pizza (thin crust) after a long run…now I can’t eat but 2 slices. I was at the grocery and eyeing the candy bars…I bought a snickers and only ate 1/2 of it.
When I bike I can usually eat a PB&J sandwich 1/2 way through, and that’s only because I force myself too…I do pretty good eating cliff blocks, gel, and cliff bars when I’m biking, and eating cliff blocks on the run, but I’m still eating only 200 calories or so an hour, and then very little the rest of the day.
Any thoughts? Suggestions? This has been going on for about 3 weeks…I’m losing weight (good thing)…but don’t think I can handle it much longer my workouts are beginning to suffer. I used to be renowned for how much food I could eat…I’m not normally a picky eater…there are always things I prefer, but very little I won’t eat…now I feel like I’m barely grazing and many things just don’t sound or look good.
I have experienced this before as well. I get this way when I am overreached or overtrained and I don’t think that is a bad thing. I am certainly not an expert and have only done 2 ironman under my belt, but I have had the same symptoms during my peak and build period. It sounds like you are putting your body through alot of stress to get ready for IMFL. Try to keep your food intake as healthy as possible. Concentrate on some good recovery foods lean meats, fruits and vegetables. Keep it nutrient rich… Also, based on some of the foods that you are craving you may be lacking salt.
Personally I have found this as part of the process and enjoy the weight loss. You will be race ready in no time. Go get 'em!
Also, your appetite will be back just in time for a Thanksgiving feast…
sounds like you are overtrained, just based on what you are saying…how is your HR? mood? sleep? maybe back off a few days or take an entire easy week and see how you feel…good luck
My heart rate has been fine, sleep great, and mood excellent. I thought it might be overtraining (probably is), but I don’t have any other signs and my training has been great.
I’m sort of tapering this week for a HIM, so I’ll see how it goes.
You lost it? Well then maybe it’s yours I’ve found, because I am eating a ton lately. Constantly starving.
I wouldn’t worry. I go through times when I don’t have much appetite – usually it’s after a long tough workout. Appetite returns in earnest a day or two later, though.
“Any thoughts? Suggestions? This has been going on for about 3 weeks…”
This could be several things, simply based on what little you are describing:
Overtrained
Under-electrolyted (electrolytes affect not only appretite but digestion)
Stress (see #1): stress affects digestion also
Under nourished for the IM training you are doing, thus contributing to #1
Note that the food you can eat are mostly fat-related (including the sushi) and also salt-related (thus helps my electrolyte guess).
If you aren’t topped off with electrolytes, go get some now. Have some with the recommended water but don’t ever-water yourself at the moment: allow the electrolytes to work. I can’t tell you how much to continue with, but you may see some type of difference soon.
Other than that, here are my recs:
a) Take an extra recovery day and also do at least 1 light day
b) continue with full-spectrum electrolytes, and read up on who electrolytes help the body in many ways (Ultracycling has a good article)
c) Stay off the junk food (ice cream, candy, pizza, sausages, spring rolls, etc)… Only huge salads, fruits, meats/protein, and have your sugar carbs (only quality ones) around training time (before/during/after).
Get quality LONG sleep. Keep feet up after training. Investigate the other stressors in your life to see if you can solve them (NOT shelve them or forget about them) so they won’t stress you anymore.
You lost it? Well then maybe it’s yours I’ve found, because I am eating a ton lately. Constantly starving.
I wouldn’t worry. I go through times when I don’t have much appetite – usually it’s after a long tough workout. Appetite returns in earnest a day or two later, though.
It’s been 2 weeks…
As long as you are taking in adequate training nutrition calories, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
I am surprised nobody suggested my favorite heavy training meal: a nice, big, juicy Porterhouse steak with lots of salt and either a few good beers or a few glasses of good red wine. Add a salad and potatoes or other veggies as tolerated.
When I’m in heavy training, I need to eat steak about once a week. I CRAVE it. I think there’s something about taxing your iron stores that relates to your recovery and your overall appetite. Sometimes when I tuck into the steak, that’s all I want–nothing on the side. It seems to fix me right up.
Are you tracking your calorie intake? I’m a grazer now, and it does add up. I do try and front load my calories, though, so that if I become lazy at dinner time, I’ve already had some good nutrition. If I still feel hungry after my usual small dinner, I’ll tally my calories for the day and if I’m really down, I’ll have a treat like some Gummi Bears or a 1/2 of a pb&j.
I also used to be able to eat a lot–not like what you talk about, but still a lot for a small person. Now I actually enjoy not needing to eat so much, and that is what will save you in the off season. Besides, it’s better to be a little on the light side.
I also go through periods (see Steak above) where I just get sick of carbs. I still drink Gatorade and Endurox R4, but all other starch becomes unappealing. This typically lasts for a few days to a few weeks, and then my “carb” appetite returns. I bet yours will, too.
I think part of my problem with what I’m wanting to eat is that I gave up diet coke recently and so I’m trying to get sodium (which is why I think I crave Chicken pho…for the broth).
I started to track my calories this weekend…and that’s what was really shocking. After a 4.5 hour bike and a 1 hour run on Saturday and a 2 hour run, 1:45 hr bike on Sunday I only ate 1500 calories each day (including what I ate/drank on the bike/run). Monday I did an hour open water swim and 1 hour bike and ate about 1000 calories. I’m just not hungry. And when I am, nothing that I normally eat (and is in my house) looks good.
I’m very good at getting 9-10 hours of sleep a night, I have a job that allows me to sleep in until I wake up (about 8 AM).
"I started to track my calories this weekend…and that’s what was really shocking. After a 4.5 hour bike and a 1 hour run on Saturday and a 2 hour run, 1:45 hr bike on Sunday I only ate 1500 calories each day (including what I ate/drank on the bike/run). Monday I did an hour open water swim and 1 hour bike and ate about 1000 calories. I’m just not hungry. And when I am, nothing that I normally eat (and is in my house) looks good. "
You are under-caloried, I’ll bet under-electrolyted, and stressed. Your body will start to shut down in an effort to keep you from not being able to digest. I am glad you gave up diet coke, but that’s a stressor also: you may be going through withdrawal (it has a major brain amino acid component which is hard to explain).
Go get a full spectrum electro, start looking up how to have real, nutritious calories, and spend time de-stressing. Your weekend really shredded you and you are in some serious overtraining and under-nourishment and under-hydration…
When you figure it out, sell me the ‘virus’ cause I need to catch it. Pack in the calories with smoothies and your appetite will come back eventually. When I lose mine, I always seem to find it and it is bigger than when I lost it.
