factor meals are awesome, but rarely have i seen any that are high enough calories for a full meal (500-700 per box?), so it’s possibly actually more expensive than eating out if you have to eat ~2 boxes per meal (at least in my experience)
The fitness industry messed up the public perception of eating healthy, and I'm so glad to see influencers like you getting good information out there emphasizing eating what works for you and providing the fuel that you need
100% this, especially since for some reason average-joes/athletes have associated "eating healthy" with "eating like a IFBB Pro Bodybuilder" would love to see more vids in the future!
Just because he is eating enough doesn't mean it's healthy. Eating enough unhealthy food is better than undereating unhealthy food, but food choice still definetly matters a lot.
@@GeographyGeek what's your definition of junk? Stuff with a high carb to protein ratio like ice cream? Come on, the main reason sugar is seen as "junk" is because of health industry and zero calorie, zero sugar ad campaigns. There's nothing wrong with eating carb and fat heavy foods like ice cream, especially if your working out regularly, goes double if you're working at the level of a professional athlete.
"Underfueling is the worst thing you can do for your body" I know this my heart because I have gone through this during many of my runs. I thought that I ate enough then when we have after-school practice and I run many miles I feel underfueled and low on energy. I sucks really bad, so I have to prepare and make sure I am properly fueled beforehand.
hi :) I’ve watched this video a couple of times because it is super truthful. I am 16 and do around 3 hours of training most days (running cross training and strength) but have struggled with an eating disorder for 4 years. It’s really preventing me from achieving my potential in running. The message of this videos gives me a little bit of external reassurance that eating more will help me and not be bad. Thank You :)
Thank you for this, I'm working out daily (lifting weights plus yoga plus dancing and walking around for 3hours minimum lol) and I know I have to eat about 3500kcal but I constantly overestimate what I have eaten. I'm scared of eating too much due to an ED in the past, but this motivates me to fuel myself properly!
@@nanaisloved2736 Yeah! Think about it, your body is like a bank account. The caloric debt builds up with interest. This is hyper metabolism, according to dietitians.
I did a double take when I saw you ran green lake. We used to run the lake for XC practice in high school. Just getting into running again so thanks for the video! Cheers.
My buddy ran 13:57 off Taco Bell and Wendy’s. If you put in the work / mileage and you’re young you’re gonna run fast 🤣 you eat plenty healthy enough IMO
I’ve just started marathon prep, 3 weeks in, my god I’m hungry all the time at the moment. I eat well and a lot but I’m hoping that my body adjusts. I’m training twice per day most days so I’m just fuelling the best I can but don’t want to overdo it.
You’re pretty much the same size my dad was my entire life, even at 87 he was eating the way you do and never gained weight. I was blessed with his metabolism.
Lol, 3000 calories isn't really a lot of food. It's like an average amount for a male athlete. I need like 4400 calories to maintain my weight, but I don't have a 'blessed metabolism.' I'm just super active.
If you haven't tried it yet to resolve tummy trouble .. A lot of people swear by Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar Prebiotic Apple Cinnamon flavor. Just a couple of ounces of the stuff mixed with six to eight ounces of water, once a day, is enough to make a huge difference.
Loved youy video man you are the first honest runner i ever saw telling the true words! I struggled with low energy while running many times of my running sessions, and started to notice that i felt better when i had eat more the day before! Thank you for this honest video and opinions dude
I think this is a true issue. Serious runners or athletes whether amateur or pro, tend to be type a ‘overachiever type people. ‘ eating more can feel like we are letting go. I have eaten more, and as well as losing weight and feeling full, it feels weird eating more. You do perform better eating more. There is still a strong culture of ‘being skinny’ makes you faster as an endurance athlete, which i think scares people from running.
Honestly I'm a person who has trouble eating enough calories as a marathon runner I gotta eat basically the same as you at least. With only eating the foods that everyone knows are healthy, it's usually impossible to have enough calories. So now I'm gonna add your motto to how I approach my diet and see how much better I feel when even if some foods aren't the most healthy foods, as long as I feel good after, it's worth a try
Some of the healthiest foods are calorie dense! Nuts, cheese, full fat yoghurt, nut butters, seeds, salmon, beef, lamb, dark chocolate, egg yolks, extra virgin olive oil, butter. 'Low fat' is NOT healthy. I love pork belly, or beef short rib done in a slow cooker and the strength gains you get the next day are noticeable!
This is my problem as well I also box so I got days where I run in the morning, and train boxing after work so I burn thousands of calories, and don’t eat enough, but at the same time though such I’m in a calorie deficit I’m pretty lean, low body fat percentage, but I definitely need to eat more so I feel more energized, and better.
As a sprinter it's basically a chore to about junk food in general. During January I has a habit of under eating but I thought it's just natural for a light diet. On a protein diet now and seeing you eat all this as a fellow runner makes me more comfortable to eat comfort foods to up my calorie intake.
Porridge is a great start to the day, i find exercise makes me lose my appetite, but i tend to eat mainly vegan nowadays and that seems to be working, i make sure i snack on high calorie options, my favourite is nairns cheese oatcakes with crunchy almond butter and cheddar cheese, yum
This video has me plowing through my post practice snack: So far I’ve had half a tube of ritz crackers like two handfuls of triscuits and like two handfuls of pretzels a banana and I might have a cookie now too Gonna crush some ice cream later 🤞
“I’ve had stomach issues my whole life”: it does not surprise me with the amount of sugar, carbs and processed foods you eat. Just not healthy. And your stomach is telling you that. Eat more protein and fat.
@@RunnersUniteCoaching there are bad and good carbs. Plain sugar for break fast would be quite bad for obvious reasons but something with a higher fiber content is what keeps the gut sane. No wonder spencer has stomach issues. Those simple sugars work wonders during long runs and long hard work outs. My back round being from cycling where 4 and 5 hour sets happen in a regular basis.
Screw the calorie count. 50% of that diet is some artificial crap and the other 50% has hardly any nutritional value. I mean no offense but I wonder how much you could improve recovery/performance if you where to optimize your diet! Kudos for keeping it real tho.
@@awxuh that doesnt justify anything because there is a Genetic component in being able to hang atleast a season or two in the pro scene. Yes its not all Genetic but imagine what his true potential is. Being better than yourself is the matter here. Ive been there following a diet similar to spencers and it would make me sick if i had to eat that during a 27 hour cycling week....
An easy thing I like to do for breakfast that’s is a good many calories and pretty light before a run is a bagel with peanut butter and honey on both sides. The peanut butter give some protein and calories and the honey works great to get some sugar in me and helps with my sinus.
Your body will adjust to a lower calorie intake. As you get lighter plus being more efficient at running, you will naturally need less calories. As long as you're getting all the micronutrients and enough protein, you're fine. You will find, if you have under fueled for a while, you will naturally crave food and be constantly hungry, don't ignore that, but try to increase protein and veg first and make sure you're getting enough sleep.
5:15 "Eat what makes you happy" Really not a good message to put out here as well as "Eating bad but eating enough, that's all that matters"... A lot of this processed stuff you're eating throughout the day like ramen, donuts, beer etc just isn't going to help you at all and you're gonna feel like crap with no energy. The reason you see any pros eating clean is because eating sugar and processed crap is not even close to the same as say a sweet potato. A sugar cube is going to instantly enter the bloodstream giving you a quick burst of energy followed by a hard crash as it's high on the Glycaemic index, A sweet potato is low on the Glycaemic index meaning it enters the bloodstream slowly and giving continuous state of energy without spiking blood sugar levels at such a drastic amount. Choose wisely, king.
I'm pretty sure eating anything that makes one happy is NOT what an aspiring athlete's approach to nutrition should be. It's not just about a balance of calories we eat and burn. Quality, variety, timing are key. Exceptions to treat oneself occasionally, e.g. after good workout - sure. Most of all - get rid of that fake American cheese poison 🤮
Yeah doing what makes u happy is shallow. Eating what is meaningful and purposeful is what keeps the energy levels stable. Sure its good to have the Occasional treat but to me spencers diet looks like dessert half the meals. To me its no wonder he cant run high mileage or progress if he puts the same effort into his sleep and recovery. My two cents. I think he doesnt live up to his potential. I cant over state the difference ive felt in dumping excess sugar and processed shit. Cycling 20 hours a week has become a norm and being hungry for more.
You couldn’t of said it better plus eating unhealthy so much sugar and greasy food leads to healthy problems doesn’t matter how young you are cholesterol diabetes and other problems but it’s fine to treat your self every now and then but don’t cheat yourself treat now and then not everyday maybe once twice a week and every 2 weeks change it up
Is there no difference in the quality of food? I get the concept of eating enough calories, but there must be a difference between 2000 calories of junk food vs. 2000 calories of healthier food.
I'm totally lost on what to eat. I cannot go to the all healthy side, that is just too dark but after burgers for example I feel like I have a brick in my stomach. I try to eat a little bit of everything, some junk but from the better part, I like fish so I'm fortunate. What is not clear to me is what could fuel me when I run, it is just not consistent.
Been injured a while 2-3 weeks so i haven't been running much just eating a lot of bread and meat. Did my first proper run in a while and ran really fast. Nutrition is key.
I am a rower and burn between 500-1000 calories most days during our workouts. So I end up eating over 4000 calories a lot of days (am trying to put on some weight). But I am rather new to eating this much so its a mindset shift and hard for sure.
Great and fun video. Even more potential to make it better but that ending was very anticlimactic. No lessons learned about your caloric intake, no feedback on how you felt, no summary of doing what works for you...
I’m not surprised you have a history of stomach issues, you eat quite a lot of processed food. I get making up calories from having a high output but the types of nutritional choices you make are equally as important.
Not sure if you have this problem but I cannot eat enough (just can't get enough calories in), then I wake up at 3am hungry and can't fall back asleep so it's a double wammy. I do about 10 hours a week which also comes out to about 3000 calories a day for my BMR + exercise. I also feel that "sort of junky" food is better than underfueled.... which is what I am. Or I feel like I'm just finding food all day long.
Better to not eat as many fruit and veg and be able to eat enough food in general. Fruit and vegetables are great but they aren’t ideal for people who chronically under eat because fiber causes satiety. Once he is able to consistently meet his caloric needs, the next step would be finding a way to include fruit and veg. The same course of action is taken for those who are underweight due to EDs or poverty :) its all about manageable steps in the right direction
People criticizing donuts for breakfast but the Kenyans literally eat white bread and drink tea with giant spoonfuls of white sugar before and after their morning runs and don't get any protein until nearly afternoon.
@@DriveandThrive. I was actually thinking of Kipchoge and some other Kenyan elites, who have been followed around by video crews at training camp; they basically have sugary teas and white bread before and after their morning 10-miler, then a nap or downtime, then finally a balanced meal for lunch. Not everyone can do it that way; I need some fat and protein in the morning. Do whatever works for you.
@@thankyoujesus2836 read between the lines. All I'm saying is that what one person deems an unhealthy breakfast, to another person is their gold standard fuel in the morning. Besides, everyone needs a little fat, so your point doesn't automatically strike down a donut. If you eschew trans fats, I understand, but refer back to my first point.
Huh...G, I run on average 70 miles per week...plus cycle maybe 20 miles. Walk to and back from my job. Work on my feet all day. And I literally need to diet/track/weigh my food YEAR-ROUND just to stay under 145lbs at 5'8". If I don't track my food I will EASILYYYYY eat 4500-5000 every day and still feel hungry. I'm really jealous of this... for me, it's like I will perpetually be hungry and feel I'm dieting for the rest of my life in order to keep my weight near race weight. I don't understand most runners who struggle to eat enough...for me, I just feel constantly deprived. I go out to eat one night and not track my food and gain weight.
All good using processed foods to get extra calories in,. Usually because they are processed they are easier on the stomach. But how are you only on 2.5k kcal? I don't understand how you can perform on that.
I disagree the more I eat the more food messes with my hormones and you feel like ****. But theres really 2 ways to do it, eat like a pig or hardly eat. When I eat your way I frequently get what they call overtrained and heavy legs but I figure out the problem is too much food. It's much easier imo to eat way less, but fueling before your run is def important if you dont want to drag. And agree junk food can help when you eat your way. Plus as a runner I dont feel hunger so I'd rather listen to my body then eat when not hungry.
I am female doing track and i have been put under 2800/3000kcal a day. I was eating 2000 and wonder why i was gas out all the time. ..but Now i am afraid i will put on weight.
bruh I laughed when you said your range because that's MY range TOO and I don't even work out that much! XD Different bodies different needs. I definitely focus on "healthier" foods. Use lots of ghee and nut butters to bulk up my diet. Also homemade baked goods are GREAT for healthier "bulking" foods (eg. banana bread smothered in butter!)
@@Ratsfrom42 look it up. Butter is comprised of mostly saturated fat and is also high in calories while containing minimal nutrients. On top of that, saturated fat increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other health complications.
@@JuicyDiaper Saturated fat is the most stable fat type so it cannot easily become oxidized (which in high amounts found in industrial oils is a burden on the body causing increased inflammation and stealing nutrients that could be going somewhere else needed) and conversely contains a lot of nutrients when the source is of good quality. The cardiovascular argument is currently being questioned because of old science or studies not being done with appropriate standards. High-calorie foods are also not a bad thing. If saturated fat is something you are concerned about then you do you and avoid it as you please. Adding butter, ghee, and quality cheeses has actually helped improve my health on multiple levels. It's what works for me and my history and I don't profess that it should work for you. I think, though, that we should not be run by fear. Putting butter on bread now and then is not going to suddenly give you a cardiovascular disease. It is a MULTIFACETED disease. I respect you have your own personal opinions and I hope you have a good rest of your day. :)
@@Ratsfrom42 you stated that butter, contrary to what I said, actually contains a lot of nutrients. Can I ask what nutrients you may be referring to? And as for the cardiovascular argument, there have already been multiple studies that have all come to a pretty consistent conclusion that butter DOES cause an increased risk of heart disease in individuals.
Having been raised in a restaurant and a cook...I could never eat dirty. It's so nasty and unappetizing. Bleh...kinda like living a dirty lifestyle with a shitty household that's unclean and cluttered. Kinda like that to me mentally.
Anyone else around my metrics? 25 Make 5’3 ~146 Currently running 70mi weeks most recent PR is ~37:00 10k Would dropping to 140 or even ~137 be better?
Eating a lot of calories isn't hard, but keeping it healthy is hard. You can only down so much chicken, rice and broccoli before you need a change. The trick I've found is figuring out some relatively high calorie healthy recipes and mastering them, the internet is your friend, people are creative as hell on here. Also finding quality takeout is always a time and effort saver, can be expensive though. Also ketchup is real unhealthy, I'd recommend limiting how much you eat by adding some mustard to go with it, if not to replacing it with mustard entirely.
This, I try to refrain from eating before my run, and then right after I have not much of an appetite so I'm left trying to cram a bunch of food in the later hours of the day
You should opt for large/calorie-dense meals many hours before your workout to not let digestion interfere. If you run in the morning or you desperately need some fuel before a workout, you should eat something light with fast carbs about 1 hour to 30 mins before your run. 1 or 2 bananas is literally the most perfect thing you can eat for fast energy as a runner.
I find it fucking mad people seem to "struggle" to hit their caloric intakes.. Like..nearly every day I'm running 6-7 miles nonstop, and I STRUGGLE to eat UNDER 3500 cal a day. I overeat so damn much, it's absolutely crazy some people seem to "struggle". I'm not even eating junk. It's tons of fiber-full protein food. I literally have to walk 2 HOURS at night to attempt to offset the calories everyday which I'm still failing every day.
You know you best, but I'd bet you need at least 3200 to maintain at your activity level. I think you'd be best off eating like 3400-3500 calories to maintain at ~145. You'll feel the difference with a bit more weight on you.
He's got that small person appetite, so he has to utilize the hyper-palatable, low-satiating, high energy density foods to hit such a measly goal at 3,000kcal/d (that would be a joke to anyone with an obesogenic phenotype, i.e. easy gainers a.k.a. high appetite people)
@@mcfarvo yeah I can kind of relate. This guy is complete nonsense. His diet is 100% junk and he keeps advocating for for some reason. And also I don't understand how he."struggles" to hit his calorie goals. I literally eat like no junk food or outside food and I struggle so hard to eat under 3500 as a routine runner.
“I dont have a car, so I can’t go to the grocery store” is the most American thing I have heard for a long time😂😂😂 Have you heard of using a bike and bringing a backpack for your groceries, bro?😅
@@Chunkylova53 the funny thing is there is probably a McDonald's half a mile from any house lol. Dont make sense why the obesity is nation wide issue if its that common for a simple grocery store to be such far away.
Yeah, blame the individual for societal problems. The reason some Americans don't have access to a super market isn't because it didn't occur to them to just use a bike. It's because our society is built in an environmentally terrible way that sucks for poor people and or people without cars.
Or even if there’s a grocery store within biking/walking distance it might be across a really terrible/unsafe intersection. I’ve got one of those, 2 highways with associated on/off ramps, 2 in-town roads with 4-5 lanes each, NO crosswalks or bike lanes whatsoever. Did it once on the bike and once walking , was afraid I was gonna get hit by a car the entire time.
I've known too many sub 30 10K guys that eat the breakfast, lunch, and dinner from hell yet they still put up great times. Oh, and if you're into chocolate ice cream pop on over to Safeway and grab some Extreme Moose Tracks. It ROCKS!!
"Eat what makes you happy" unless you get a heart attack Actually I'm curious, is it possible for a skinny runner to have the same heart risks as an obese eater???
5:10 well that’s ok and you’re not eating that terribly but I’ll tell you eating delicious healthy foods will pay off in the long run. I love burgers. I’ve had one burger in 3 months but don’t miss it because the meals I replaced it with are equally delicious. This is going to sound stupid but you can eat calorie dense food that doesn’t contain harmful ingredients that will damage your overall health a decade from now. All it requires is a readjustment period and suddenly greasy burgers won’t even sound appealing anymore.
I agree with you a hundred percent. I actually find healthy foods a lot more yummy and declicious than junky or unhealthy foods. Salads are practically like a desert for me
Um, 3000 calories is like an average amount of food for a male athlete. Yet, you are complaining that it's so hard to eat enough to fuel your workouts. Especially if you're eating calorie dense foods like in this video, it should be a joke to eat that many calories. Well, I guess that it's the true definition of a hardgainer. Also, some fruits and vegetables and less minimally processed foods overall would be nice in the making. You can still get easy calories from whole foods if you are struggling, like avocados, nuts, blended shakes, or some olive oil drizzled on some of your recipes. I found that as an endurance athlete myself that when I eat mostly whole foods as opposed to 'eating what makes me happy,' I feel better in my workouts and in my overall body composition. Also, my maintenance is like 4400 calories, and have no issues eating that everyday with solely whole foods.
3000 barely keeps me going, Some days I gotta hit around 4,000 to perform correctly. Sounds crazy? Nope, my body totally waste energy, that's something nobody talks about, some people have inefficient metabolism, it's just like my body bypass calories,
Not eating enough as a runner is something I've noticed about myself recently, as well. About 2 months ago, I was 6'1" 142lbs, and then I got sick and didn't eat for like a week. I lost 5lbs within a week, and I changed my eating habits after that illness, and I gained 10lbs in a month. I then lost 10lbs in two weeks after that because I was very depressed and I starved myself. Immediately changing eating habits is not good for your mental health (I was also dealing with other, more personal, problems at the time. Different eating habits contributed very little to that weight loss). I changed eating habits once again, but this time I incorporated working out and lifting every day to balance out that feeling of being full all the time. I was gaining weight while still feeling hungry most of the time. Calorie intake went from about 2,000 a day to 3,500 a day. Currently, I am 157lbs and my eating habits are 10x better than most runner's eating habits. The trick is to start with something consistent, like waking up 20 minutes earlier and making breakfast instead of rolling out of bed and starting your day without anything. then invest in an extreme mass gainer powder. it's pretty expensive, but it's definitely worth it. it provides loads of carbs for quick fueling. the one i have contains 100g of carbs per serving (and 32g of protein). I usually add some fruit and blend it into a smoothie instead of the boring flavor it comes in. drink like 2 of those a day and you'll have so much more energy. usually, i'm too busy with schoolwork and classes to even have any lunch, so i'll just eat a banana and a protein bar (i recommend the gatorade ones... they are amazing). then i'll have practice for track (or xc depending on the time of year) and afterwards i'll try to eat a big dinner with plenty of carbs and lean meat for protein. before bed, it's good to eat something else too since dinner would've been about 4-5 hours before i go to sleep, and it's bad to sleep on an empty stomach... but worse to sleep on a full stomach. so something light is good, like some yogurt and some fruit. just enough to not feel hungry anymore.
You dont need to eat 3k everyday thats a lie because when your a runner you dont Burn the same calories everyday because you dont run same distance same pace everyday somedays you will run less or more distance just use the calories that mark in the watch as reference and eat that extra calories
This diet is awful processed, saturated fat and cholesterol loaded crap and people who perform well on diets like this do so dispute their diet. Trade in the eggs and bagels for some overnight oats with blueberries and walnuts, that’s be a start.
