Athletic Performance vs. Muscle building

[realmimi]

I'm a thirty year old female just starting in bodybuilding but I also love to run and am training for a half marathon. I'm afraid that I may not get enough carbs from a diet indicated for body building to maintain my stamina for running. Does anyone know if there is a formula for carb, fat and protien consumption (in percentages) that would work best to increase athletic performance/endurance and build muscle tissue?

P.S The first week I tried to combine the bodybuilding and the running I completely exhausted myself,,shot my immune system and got sick- how can I avoid this?

[Hawkwind]

I don't run. but I do backpack and backpacking burns over 550 calories an hour. It took me a while to figure out how many calories I would need on my backpacking days, my lifting days and my non-training days. (I'm in my mid 40's.)

I used fitday.com to figure out what I needed for calories on a non-training day, then researched suggested intake for my backpacking.

I can't really give you any particular formula as it was a matter of trial and error for me. I now cycle my calories: 1,500-1,800 on non-training days, 2,000-2,600 on lifting days and 3,000+ on my backpacking days.

I try to keep my protein intake high on my lifting and non-lifting days and my carb intake high on my backpacking days. My other big problem was not getting enough fat.

My carb intake on a low day is about 150 grams, my protein between 150-160 grams.

Lifting days is about the same...but I try to get my protein up to 160 grams.

Backpacking days my carb intake can be easily doubled.

I learned not to worry about a formula per se and to listen to my body. The day after backpacking I sometimes find that I still need to refeed so I no longer stress about it. Better to feed my body after such a heavy depleation in my honest opinion. I have an immune disorder and don't need to run into problems with my cns.

My biggest suggestion would be to keep a notebook as you work out your specific needs. That is what I've had to do. That way when my backpacking season gets more aggressive or winds down I can adjust and see where I need to adjust. Same with my lifting. If I run into problems during my training having kept notes makes it easier for me to figure out where I went wrong. The great percentage of the time it is my diet that is off if I cannot seem to perform up to my own expectations.

[realmimi]

Hawkwind
Thank-you- that's exactly the type of info I was looking for!

[Hawkwind]

You're welcome. Glad to be of help.