Change of Appetite

I am currently training for the VLM (just planning on getting round as its the first time I have done this distance!) and I have found over the weeks, that the longer the training runs get the less appetite I have had. I find that my meal portions have almost halved (and I am not eating more often).I had to force myself to eat anything at all after this weekends long run. 

I have not lost any weight apart from a couple of pounds (Boo, hiss. . . . ) so I don't think I need to worry about wasting away , but just wondered if this is normal, and should i be worried about taking in enough fuel before the Marathon? 

If you're not losing huge amounts of weight, then from that perspective you don't need to worry.

From a fuelling perspective, you do need to ensure that you're taking on sufficient amounts to get round without feeling wretched.

I lose my appetite with longer distances. How do you find drinking? Fluids are often more tolerable than solid foods, so if you can manage smoothies or milkshakes that may be a way of optimising your intake

Hi Sarah,

thanks, yes drinking is easier, especially fruit juices. But even so, I find i get full quickly! I'm just not as hungry as I used to be, perhaps I'm getting more efficient at converting food? 

anyway nice to know i don't need to worry too much

will have to try out a few more smoothies before London though.

this is happening to me too so i think its pretty normal.  after a long run i am just not hungry and dont fancy eating anything at all - my appetite goes completely and i normally have a HUGE appetite.  i just open cupboards and stare at food but dont want to eat any of it!

i have found that if i have a bit of a nap later in the afternoon then i feel a bit hungrier in the evening but as long as you are not losing weight i wouldnt worry too much! 

good luck with the marathon! 

Thanks Trixee, its good to know I am not the only one!

I'm going to take STB's advice and construct some nutritional smoothies and see how i go.

I'm glad to see someone else experiences this.

I mentioned it happening to me in another thread (in which everyone was talking about runners' munchies and wanting to eat anything sugary in sight) and I ended up feeling like a freak of nature.

It gets worse if I just get in from a run over 10 miles and cook straight away. I have a dull sense that I should eat, rather than any real appetite, and take more than 20 minutes to eat food that I would have wolfed down in years past.

The body doesn't really register calories taken in as fluid, as Sarah suggests (why it's so easy to get fat on sugary drinks), so a milk/cream/banana based smoothie is probably a very good option.