Food is Life

I love to eat…A LOT.  So when multiple people this week asked me to write about what to eat to fuel properly for a run, my little heart was so happy!  

Let’s get something out of the way though.  One of the hardest things when it comes to running is learning how to eat.  For one thing, everyone’s body reacts to food differently. And once you figure it all out, your body can throw you a curveball and suddenly what has worked doesn’t cut it anymore.  Don’t be discouraged by this, just know that if you don’t get it right all the time, you’re not alone. Food is life and life is hard. 

So.  Let me share what’s worked (and not worked) for me over the years.  

Fast or Fast?

I don’t know the perfect answer here, but I know 100% that running (or any workout) on an empty stomach is not for me.  Make me do burpees on an empty stomach if you want to see me pass out (please don’t though). How much I need to eat before a run depends mostly on distance, and sometimes the intensity.  I’ve used energy bars but found those a little hard to digest, especially at 5am. Oatmeal gives me bubble belly. Toast and peanut butter with a banana is ok, but not always enough.  

Lately, my go to has been superhero muffins slathered with a little nut butter.  I’m absolutely obsessed with Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopeky’s cookbooks “Run Fast. Eat Slow” and “Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow”.  They have 3 varieties of these muffins, but essentially they are all gluten free, hearty, packed full of fruits and veggies, healthy fat and are just plain DELISH!  I have no affiliations with them other than wanting to become besties, so if you want to buy the books cool…or you can just go here. Bottom line is they capture all the things that sustain a good run for me.  Carbs (check). Fats (check). Protein (check). Enough fiber to be filling but not cause a situation (check). I’ll do one muffin before any run up to 5-6 miles. Beyond that I’m going to eat two, probably throw in a banana before a 20+ miler.  Fueling during your long runs is another topic altogether.

Don’t be afraid to play around with it and see what works for you.  Stay away from dairy, greasy food, and anything generally heavy that’s going to cause a wonky stomach and an emergency potty stop.  I wonder how many days I can go without talking about poop. Hmm.  

My run is done, FEED ME!

OK, once your run is done…ooh that’s where the magic happens.  Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. In fact, I probably consume a highly disproportionate amount of my daily calories before lunch on any given day.  Recovery food is so so important.  

A typical morning looks like this for me:

1. Superhero muffin(s) with nut butter.
2. Run, strength, or cross-train
3. Recovery protein drink
4. Stretch, shower, yada yada yada (Not like Seinfeld, people!)
5. Eggs, turkey bacon, avocado (sometimes on toast because bread is a gift from the gods), berries
6. Decaf coffee (more on that later, if you caffeinate it’s totally cool)

If that seems like a lot of food, I get it. It’s taken years of training to eat at a professional level. 🙂 That’s pretty standard for me, but let’s be real.  After a marathon I’m having ALL. THE. PANCAKES. No regrets. 

Beyond that…I try to make smart, whole food choices the rest of the day, making lunch smaller than breakfast, and dinner my smallest meal of the day.  Both trainers at the gym and a nutritionist I spoke with told me that was optimal for digestion (and preventing snacking, which is a HUGE problem for me).  But again, you really have to see what works for you and your body and schedule. I’m well aware that my lifestyle lends itself to being able to eat what I want, when I want.  I don’t have to worry about feeding little ones, or getting anyone off to school. The only one who suffers from my choices is me. Bless all you mom’s who are out there crushing it while keeping tiny humans alive.

The moral of this story is that there’s no one size fits all when it comes to proper “run eating” but there are basic principles and I hope this has helped a little.  Also, to be super clear I know some of you reading have seen me eat at parties and the above is me at my best but I can and do throw down buffet line style and have to wear stretchy pants sometimes. That’s why I can never stop running, I have to keep up with the calories. 😉  Anyway we’re all human so don’t beat yourself up for not being a perfectly clean eater. Just live your best life.