Nutrition in general is an area I have never paid too much attention to; I eat when I’m hungry and I’m hungry if I don’t eat. I eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of food and luckily, I have no dietary restrictions or allergies. Most of all, I never constrict myself of anything I want to eat and, I regularly fill my face with treats and have zero guilt! However, I am by no means a “text-book perfect-fuel savvy runner”, and I have had my fair share of bad eating habits (pre-during-post training and racing) some of which have become routine and, as a long distance/endurance runner have not set me up to reach my greatest potential.
One of the biggest bad habits that I have proudly over come is my lazy attitude towards food. Yes, you read that correct lazy, there’s honestly no better way to describe it. This gal has no issues heading out of the door, playing in the mountains, running/hiking/walking for hours upon end but, the moment I finish a long day outside and have little to no appetite the post run food-lazy kicks in. I will delay eating, become lethargic, progress to tiredness and then sometimes I ‘forget’ to eat. Finally, when hunger pains kick in (hours later), I’d eat but, I’d eat something small like a couple of pieces of toast or some cereal. This is likely why I couldn’t get a grip on extremely low ferritin and iron levels that had become a chronic issue over the years (Not to mention my general fatigue) – the two go hand in hand.
Low ferritin/iron levels have been the norm for me for quite some time and this is due to a combination of factors (Not eating enough iron, not eating enough period, losing Iron through vigorous workouts, and not replenishing nutrients as quickly as I should post workout). If you’re not familiar with the effects of low iron (in a very quick – non scientific context) it can affect red blood cell production and oxygen delivery which affects the muscles and overall output (Not exactly soup for success for endurance endeavors). When my iron levels finally stabilized themselves this year (Even after a 7-month build towards a 120-mile goal) I knew I had to pay attention to what I did differently to combat this and I believe it came down to what was on my plate and more specifically, to the timing of each meal.
First off, I looked at my breakfast. Fortified cereals have SO much Iron in (triple the amount in say a tasty healthy-looking bowl of yoghurt and granola) so now I find I always opt for a big bowl of Raisin Bran to get the day going. If I am heading out on a long run, I would double up and eat this plus some wholewheat toast smothered in peanut butter washed down with a mug of large black coffee. I am a breakfast girl, and I can always stomach a solid brekky no matter how early of a start my day is. I also digest food quickly, so I have no issues eating this 1-hour pre run and if it’s any earlier I’ll always eat a sugary snack prior to starting the workout such as a XACT Energy Fruit Bar to make sure I’m starting my workout with as much energy as possible.
During a long run I aim to eat anywhere between 100-200 calories an hour. I like to believe I am fat adapted, so I don’t need a lot to sustain myself (This has been proven during races when nausea kicks in, calorie intake starts to dwindle yet, I can still maintain a consistent output). Regardless, when I am training and essentially training my body to eat during longer periods my favorite go-to energy source is the XACT Energy Fruit Bars. I start off with the fruiter flavors (Orange, Strawberry and Apricot) and as workouts get longer and depending on how I feel, I will add more of the Blackcurrant flavor if I need a Caffeine hit (50mg) or the E-Beet which is high in Iron – delicious!
Post long run, the most critical period to consume calories is the 30–40-minute window after. I always knew this but, I never acted on it. Now, no matter how tired or unappetizing food might seem I have found that if I eat something right away, it increases my appetite to eat something more substantial once I am home and the quicker I consume food, the quicker the recovery starts. I always thought protein was the most sought-after food source post workout (This has likely been drilled into me by marketing of protein shakes etc. over the years) but, I have found a good combination of Protein, Carbs & Fats speeds up the recovery process. Post long run I will always have a XACT Protein Wafer bar on hand. The Coconut bar is my favorite flavor and with 15g of Protein, 16g of Carbs and 14g of Fat I find that the protein enhances muscle recovery, the carbs assist with restoring glycogen levels and fats well they should not be feared! It’s good to have them in the diet.
Once home, showered, stretched etc. I will delve into more carbs, protein and fat-based ingredients to really re-fuel. My go to is 1 piece of wholegrain toast, 1 poached egg, half an avocado and a few tomatoes. I like to sprinkle salt and pepper and drizzle some balsamic vinegar too, I’m a huge fan of food flavor! If I am really hungry, I’ll double up on the eggs and/or the toast. I’ve gotten to the point now that I look forward to my post work out meal whilst I am running which has been a huge change for me this year. A good habit that I have gotten into is making sure I have the ingredients already at home and easily accessible so that I can make it right away and not have to procrastinate about grocery shopping.
Later, when I am looking for dinner options it really depends on my mood. If I am feeling fuller than usual, then I’ll cook up some style of veggie-protein bowl with sweet potatoes as the main ingredient (Sweet potatoes are high in potassium and great for sodium replenishment which is lost through longer workouts/sweat). Sometimes I opt for a homemade beef burger with a side dish of leafy greens to get a good source of iron and vitamins and other times I make a very dense pasta dish or succumb to my favorite, pizza! Again, I make sure I have the ingredients and I make fun out of cooking. Before, I used to see it as a chore and that would often lead to me neglecting dinner but, now I see it as an activity I enjoy, and I value because it’s replenishing fuel that I need to perform. Putting on some music, pouring a glass of beer, cooking with my partner is something I really look forward to.
(& on the beer note, if it’s low in alcohol percentage, fruity and is kept to 1 glass then this could be seen as re-hydration, right?) 😉
Ultimately being lazy with food can lead to under fueling and under fueling can lead to an array of issues that can affect performance. Some of those issues are:
-Nutrient Deficiencies
-Tiredness / poor recovery that can lead to Chronic exhaustion
-Decreased responsiveness to training / over training
-Decreased performance
-Disordered Eating
-Metabolic Dysfunction
Although some of the issues mentioned are extremes and are brought on over time, I feel like it’s really good to get into a healthy habit with fueling and really listen to what your body needs. We’re all different, all training at different levels and setting ourselves out to accomplish different goals but one thing I have learnt, and which has really made a difference is realizing that food is fuel and you can run all of the hours and do all of the training but, if I personally skip a meal or, don’t time it correctly for my own needs then this plays an effect on my heath and ultimately decreases my own performance. When I am out there trying to push myself continuously and grow physically and mentally through the sport of endurance then fuel is at the core of it and I am excited to keep trial and erroring to see what works best for me but, over the course of a year, I have never missed my post workout snack and my ability to eat after training. It’s been key to restoring my deficiencies.
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