Food for Fuel: Energize your Run

As we often remind our runners, running isn't just about hitting the pavement and getting in the miles.  Strong, healthy running requires a holistic approach to health, including strength, flexibility, cross-training, sleep and good nutrition.  We have been lucky to have Christine Turpin, RD, LDN, CSCS serve as a resource for our runners.  Chrissy is a Registered Dietitian, specializing in sports nutrition, and the founder of Nourish2Perform.  We thank Chrissy for guest blogging for us and offering our runners these important words of advice when it comes to fueling your runs:   

Think about why you run!  Do you run to advance your fitness, increase self-esteem, improve your health, relieve stress or to lose weight?  I am a Registered Dietitian, specializing in sports nutrition, who has a passion for running like most of you who are reading this post. 

I also work with triathletes, marathoners, ballet dancers, law enforcement agents, recreational exercisers, and middle/high school athletes.  I am consistently amazed by the number of people who don’t fuel their bodies properly.  So many people short change themselves, especially those who run to lose weight.  Each athlete is different, and eating plans must be individualized, but one thing for sure is that running on an empty stomach is setting yourself up for failure.  An athlete’s body is like a car and you need to fuel your body (food) as you fuel a car (gas) to perform at your best. When your primary source of gas (carbohydrates) is not available, your body may dip into protein stores and break down muscle for fuel as well. 

A low carbohydrate intake causes fatigue and decreases performance.  A simple way to fuel the muscles before you hit the pavement is to eat a carbohydrate mini-meal or snack 45-minutes before your workout!   Try a piece of fruit + yogurt or a granola bar for immediate carbohydrates to provide your muscles with energy and a little protein to power through the run.   If you run in the wee hours of the morning and your stomach cannot tolerate food, a snack before bedtime will help fuel that workout!  This snack can include a bowl of whole grain cereal + low-fat milk + fruit!

On the other hand, running does not give you a free pass to eat anything and everything.  So before you indulge in that second piece of cake or that extra piece of pizza, remember your goal is to “fuel the engine” by increasing those carbohydrate stores for the next workout – not “load the trunk” by stuffing it full!  The basic rule is calories in should equal calories out.  Anything above and beyond your energy needs is stored as fat.  You can count on burning 100 kcal / mile of running.  So for a three mile run, that is 300 kcal (about a tall white chocolate mocha with 2% milk).  And that is without the whipped cream!  Better yet fill your belly with a nutrient dense snack like an 8-ounce low-fat chocolate milk (143 kcal) + Kashi Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bar (140 kcal). 

I would not consider running on an empty stomach and neither should you!  Use food for fuel to energize your run!   I challenge you to fuel your body before your next run and let me know how you feel. 

Healthy Running,

Christine Turpin, RD, LDN, CSCS

www.nourish2perform.com

nourish2perform@gmail.com

Feed Your Body to RUN STRONG!

Chrissy Turpin, RD, of Nourish 2 Perform, speaks to our 10K/10-Miler group about eating well

We have been so impressed with the progress and dedication of our 10K/10-miler group runners! This morning we had groups running 3.5, 6 and 9 miles along the Millennium Trail in beautiful conditions. The 10-miler group in particular is becoming very well-acquainted with the dreaded "Tower Oaks hill," but we keep reminding everyone that hills make us stronger runners! Special thanks to Coaches Tish and Erin who joined us to help lead the groups along today's routes.

Our runners know that we are always reminding them about the role of good nutrition in both performance as well as recovery and injury prevention. After this morning's group run we were lucky enough to have the chance to hear from an expert about the importance of what we put into our bodies. Chrissy Turpin, a Registered Dietitian specializing in Sports Nutrition, owner of Nourish 2 Perform (Nourish2perform@gmail.com) and an avid runner and cyclist herself joined us for bagels and our own personal favorite recovery "meal," lowfat chocolate milk, to answer all of our burning questions about what to eat, when to eat, and how to best fuel an active lifestyle.

Chrissy's takeaway message was the importance of making good food decisions in order to run strong- she emphasized the importance of eating when hungry and not depriving ourselves; instead, runners should be eating nutrient-rich meals and snacks several times a day (every 3.5-4 hours). Chrissy talked about the importance of complex carbohydrates, protein, iron, Omega 3, Calcium and Vitamin D in our diets and their role in recovery and performance. Our runners appreciated the practical suggestions for good, quality nutrition that is also convenient: nuts, fruits, yogurt, lowfat chocolate milk, natural peanut butter, etc. Chrissy also addressed how runners following vegetarian, gluten-free, and Paleo diets can modify those diets to make sure they are getting the complex carbohydrates and protein so important to running.

A HUGE "thank you" to Chrissy for bringing expert advice to our runners and reminding all of us about the importance of fueling our bodies to perform.

Runners enjoyed our favorite post-run recovery "meal"- lowfat chocolate milk!

Fuel Your Running

It's Valentine's Day, and the chocolate is overflowing in our homes, stores and offices today! If only that chocolate could efficiently fuel our running as well as some of those so-called superfoods and be calorie free...we can dream. For new and even veteran runners, what foods to eat and when to eat them is confusing, particularly because there is no single magic formula and the science continues to evolve. Nonethless, we do know that an appropriate combination of the right carbs and protein, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables, will efficiently fuel your running, regardless of your training goals, and satisfy your appetite.

WHAT TO EAT

Ideally, a runner's diet should consist of 60% carbs, 25% protein, and 15% fat.

Carbs: Carbohydrates are essential for runners, and not all carbs are created equal...i.e., Wonder Bread is not a wonder food! Embrace the whole grain and look for foods that are 100% whole grain. Any of the following whole grains provide excellent running fuel--100% whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, 100% whole grain cerals, such as Kashi brand, steel cut oatmeal, beans, quinoa (rich in protein too), and whole wheat pasta, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Protein: Another component of a runner's fuel is protein. Protein helps the body rebuild muscle fibers stressed during a run, which helps to minimize running-related injuries. Some superstar protein sources include eggs, nuts (particularly almonds), lean meats, fish (particularly salmon), beans, and low-fat dairy (particularly Greek yogurt).

Fats: Good fats are good for the heart and the appetite--eating good fats protects the heart and provides a sense of fullness. Avocados, nuts, peanut butter, olive oil are all excellent sources of good fat.

WHEN TO EAT:

Whether you choose to eat six small meals, or three meals and some snacks, just try to have a small carbohydrate meal or snack one hour prior to your run. More importantly, within a half hour of completing your run, make sure to refuel your glycogen stores and rebuild those muscle fibers with a protein/carbohydrate meal, such as yogurt topped with fruit and granola, or one of our favorite treats, low-fat chocolate milk--yes chocolate is a runner-friendly food! Most importantly, enjoy your food and don't stress about it. Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Eating!