Two Rules lead me to confusion

For context, here are my stats.

19 years old, 5'3''

CW: 125

Activity: 20+miles/week running - otherwise, desk job 9-5, light activity at night

So two rules I generally hear is that you should not eat under your BMR (1200-1400 calories ish) and that you should only eat when you're hungry.  I'm never hungry for 1400 calories.  NEVER.  I'm a runner and I love eating fruits and rice and seafood and stuff, which is all really NOT calorie dense. 

So, whenever I follow the first rule, I always feel uncomfortably full and I don't like it.  I feel like I have to force myself to eat when I'm not hungry.  However, if I follow the second rule (only eat when you're hungry), I rarely reach 1000 calories a day.

I'm not even 100% I want to lose weight - just kinda tone up some.  And I'm training for a marathon.  What I don't get is why I'm just not hungry for that many calories when I'm running 20+ miles a week.  :(

I don't want to screw up my metabolism and I want to be healthy, but eating what I like to reach 1400 calories is just a lot of food. 

Does anyone have suggestions or reasons why this might be happening?  Thanks so much!

Didn't you answer your own question by explaining that what you eat now is foods with low calorie densities? 200 calories worth of celery is going to be WAY more filling than 200 calories worth of chips isn't it? SO maybe to get your calories up a bit you exchange caloric density?

.:.:.:.:.

Well, for starters, how about eating some food thats ARE a little more calorie dense once in a while?

"I don't want to screw up my metabolism and I want to be healthy..."

If this is really the case then you should know that running 20+ miles per week and eating an average of 1000 cals a day is FAR from healthy. There is no possible way that you are getting even close to an adequate amount of nutrition for even a sedentary person, let alone for someone expending the amount of energy that you are. If you are OK with that, then please continue under eating. If not, maybe read up on how to get more calories and nutrition in your diet without a whole lot more volume.

"If you are OK with that, then please continue under eating."

Wow. I appreciate the condescending tones in your replies.  Thanks, guys.

My point was that I'm eating what I like and what I crave and I never feel energy depleted and never feel hungry.  I know I have to eat more calories, and I guess I was looking for more specific suggestions than eat more and consume more calories.

Clearly, by my concern in the post, I realize that when I eat only when I'm hungry, it's not enough calories.  Most days I get around 1400 cause I force myself to eat more. 

"If not, maybe read up on how to get more calories and nutrition in your diet without a whole lot more volume."

Thanks.  That's what I was trying to do here by asking for help.  Clearly, this is not the place to ask for help and information.  Instead, this is where you go to get lectured. 

I didn't mean to sound condescending, but you didn't really sound to be concerned at all actually. You didn't ask the question, "What can I do/eat to increase my calories for the day?" in any way really. Which FYI, if that was in fact what you intended, there are TONS of posts on that exact topic. Search the forums and you will find a wealth of information. Maybe I took the post the wrong way, but to me it sounded like you were more looking for justification for your current behaviour, more than you were looking for a way to modify or improve it.

All it comes down to is if you really want to be healthy, and you really don't want to "screw up your metabolism", then you know you have to eat more. Plain and simple.

If you need to, check out the Weight Gain forum for ideas on calorie dense foods that you can eat without filling up.  Buy regular foods instead of "fat free" or low-fat foods.  Make sure you snack on something more than a chunk of fruit (i.e. add some cheese, cottage cheese, or other form of protein to it).  Peanut butter is a good source of calories as well.

I know I've found that by eating healthy, it's tough to eat all the calories I should in a day (at times). 

Clint

Hey, I'm training for a marathon, too, and one thing I've learned is how important nutrition is. When you're exercising this much, you need to be very vigilant about what you put into your mouth (referring to food here).  ;)

A lot of runners don't get enough healthy fats...that's one thing you can work on. I eat banana and peanut butter before a run...about 350 calories. I also eat a lot of eggs (including the yolk). Avocados are another great source of fat..put them on your sandwiches and salads. 

If you don't eat more, your training will suffer. I tried restricting to about 1300-1500 for a couple of weeks, but I became so weak I almost passed out on a run. Not smart, lol! I don't count my calories now, but I probably eat at least 2500 calories a day. And I'm still losing weight slowly. 

If you're not really trying to lose weight, then I wouldn't count calories. I'm kind of like you - I'm not really looking to lose weight, but I wouldn't mind toning up. I just try to make smart food choices  by eating a balanced diet of carbs, protein, and fats. I also have incorporated weight training, which has definitely toned me up! 

Anyway, good luck. Remember - just try to get more fat in your diet! You'll perform better and you'll feel healthier!

Nuts and seeds, my dear, nuts and seeds. These little blighters are full of nutrients, calorie dense and you can sprinkle them on everything. Sesame seeds and poppy seeds go really well sprinkled on a peanut-butter sandwich with honey. I sprinkle a tablespoon of salty pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds over my salad every day. Slivered almonds with rolled oat muesli, chopped apricots, brown sugar and whole milk (wipes drool off keyboard). If you are really, really struggling to get your calories in before the end of the day, nothing beats a warm cup of horlicks or other malt based drink before bed. Mmmmmm!

I wouldn't suggest eating more than your body wants to take. However, everyone gets thirsty.  So, try carrying around a bottle of juice w/ the amount of calories you want to add (maybe some V- 8 splash, lemonade, orange juice, anything.)  You can easily drink your calories.  If this kills your appetite, you can try fortifying the food that you eat.  It's simple.  Just add a tasteless store bought fortifying powder to something like your milk or mashed potatoes.

.....I  should use my own advice. I only consumed 800 calories today....and I ate McDonald's.......and I'm rounding up to the nearest hundreth....

The juice idea is really good advice. I suggest a smoothie drink or something with a ton of nutrients, and natural sugar. Not capri-sun. :) With how much you run, sugar is actually probably a good thing for your body. I know this goes against EVERYTHING, but eat a candy bar that you like on days when you are low on calories. Your body is a fat burning machine if you run as much as you say, and the sugar will benefit you. Sounds crazy I know. It's not though. Cheese is also something that most people stay away from that would probably be appreciated by your body.

Here are some yummy and calorie dense foods:

• Potatoes
• Coconut
• Avocados
• Nuts and any type of Nut Butters
• Stuffed Atrichokes
• Breads
• Pasta (including ravioli)
• Pizza
• Chowder (seafood chowder is yummy)

I understand when it's possible to eat little and not have an appetite, even with extensive exercise.  I've been there.  The only reasons I can think of would be illness or as my niece once suggested, a "shrunken stomach" (meaning your stomach can't hold very much for food and you have to eat often).  Try eating as often as possible--even if it's just a small amount.  Initially you may have a bloated feeling (I did), but that is only temporary.  Once your body is used to being nourished regularly,  you will feel (and be) healthier--also, running will greatly improve!!! 

I'm not sure where the second rule comes from but I've never seen it.  A lot of time when you're counting calories, you'll end up having to eat when you're not hungry.  The idea is to eat a specific number of calories per day.  If you don't eat when you're not hungry, then you run this risk of having too large of a deficit.