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Run Nutrition Tuesday

Weekly Thread

Rules of the Road

  1. Anyone is welcome to participate and share your ideas, plans, diet, and nutrition plans.

  2. Promote good discussion. Simply downvoting because you disagree with someone's ideas is BAD. Instead, let them know why you disagree with them.

  3. Provide sources if possible. However, anecdotes and "broscience" can lead to good discussion, and are welcome here as long as they are labeled as such.

  4. Feel free to talk about anything diet or nutrition related.

  5. Any suggestions/topic ideas?

Posted Sep 6, 2022, 4:01 AM UTC

2024
[deleted]•

[deleted]

10
DpressAnxiet•

For me after switching to plant based I just feel I run and recover a lot better. Kind of surprising as you'd think the opposite would be true. I'd typically deal with swelling when eating a more traditional diet and now having mostly grains, beans and vegetables there just isn't that swelling ever.

I'm not sure I believe in the blood type diet but supposedly for my blood type I do great on a plant based diet.

9
shaun5565•

Yes please I’m really interested in knowing what a runners diet should be because I have no idea.

6
RedHotSillyPepper00•

I agree with the other answers you've gotten, but also, my sister is a marathon runner and every time she gets ready for training she meal preps out of a recipe book called Run Fast. Eat Slow. It's authored by Shalane Flanagan, a four-time Olympian and marathoner, and chef Elyse Kopecky. It's got a marathon training plan in it, but more than that, it has a food-plan for it as well. I've tried several recipes in it and they're really good! If you're trying to eat healthier/more balanced, it could be a good resource to start with. It's really good for meal prepping if you're into that as well. It includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and dessert!

5
shaun5565•

I don’t eat breakfast as I fast in between 8 pm and noon the next day. A lot of talk I’m seeing from people is that as a runner you should if not began being a vegetarian. I can’t see myself giving up meat.

0
RedHotSillyPepper00•

Ah, I'm physically unable to fast, so sometimes I forget people do, my bad. That being said, I also eat breakfast food for dinner! I also can't eat most vegetables, so you definitely don't have to give up meat. The book has vegetarian options for if you don't eat meat, but it definitely has recipes for beef, pork, chicken, and fish (my favorite recipe is a pulled chicken dish that I use for burrito bowls, enchiladas, and tacos!). I like the book because it taught me how to plate a balance of things.

1
shaun5565•

Mmm that sounds good those meals

1
BottleCoffee•

A balanced diet.

2
g0918204•

everything in moderation has been what I do

2
AltruisticCompany961•

This is just my opinion and anecdotal evidence, but if you make a consistent diet that is balanced, you will do well. I have noticed that staying away from processed foods like pop-tarts, donuts, and similar stuff does help improve performance. It's not necessarily a huge improvement time wise, at least for me, but it does make you feel a whole lot better when you go running.

A wide variety of healthy foods is what I strive for, eaten consistently. Not just the same one or two things over and over.

2
RichardEstevez•

What to eat leading up to a half marathon and during the half marathon?

5
ledgreplin•

Nothing special. Eat normally and you won't need anything else during a run of that length.

8
AltruisticCompany961•

I agree with this, as well. Don't change your diet right before you run a race. You will throw off your digestive system. At least, that's how it has been for me personally.

2
Philosorunner•

Intermittent fasting, with a 4hr eating window (usually 4-8pm) has solved so many dietary issues for me. It basically gives me two medium-sized meals, with a protein shake in between. I train fasted (up to 2hr runs) and have never had a crash on a run like I occasionally used to when I tried to time eating and running/gym.

I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but as an overweight 40m, it worked wonders for me.

5
RotateTombUnduly•

Protein sources for vegetarians? Or pescataraians (other than fish all the time)?

2
newappeal•

I honestly think the vegetarian protein "problem" is much over-hyped. When I consulted a nutritionist about my diet shortly after becoming vegetarian, they actually told me that protein was the only thing I was definitely getting enough of.

That being said, the one thing I think you should bear in mind is that legumes and nuts don't each, on their own, contain sufficient quantities of all essential amino acids. So if you're not eating a lot of soy or dairy products, you will need to eat both legumes and nuts. If you are eating soy or dairy on a regular basis, then it's very easy to get enough protein, in my experience. I read a systematic review of protein nutrition studies a while ago that said that only "elite" athletes (the threshold was a little under 1hr/day of intense exercise) need to be paying attention to protein intake. As long as you're not eating a lot of processed foods (which have a lower protein-to-carbohydrate ratio than less-processed foods), you should be getting plenty of protein even if you're doing high training volumes, since stuff like whole grains (millet and bulgur in particular, and honestly I think they're better than brown rice - millet is also pretty cheap) have a good amount of protein, even if it's not as much as nuts and legumes do. I actually try not to overdo it on protein-rich foods, since having a bit too little protein one day is far better than not eating enough carbohydrates and being undernourished.

8
kick0push•

Lentils

3
DpressAnxiet•

Quinoa! I love a quinoa salad, add in some beans and it is super protein packed meal. I'll take a colorful pepper like red or yellow, chop that up, chop up onion, chop up celery, really any vegetables you like, I also love herbs so I'll add chopped fresh herbs like cilantro and mint, then add in red wine vinegar, a bit of lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper -- so delicious and refreshing! An especially delicious and filling meal is this with some steamed pumpkin like kabocha or butternut, man that is delicious and healthful, all those colors!

3
stepp246•

Soy is a great source of plant protein. Also look at combinations that help to provide a more complete protien profile.

2
stepp246•

Check out combination charts that pair a legumes with nuts, seeds, or a grain. Beans and rice is classic combination to provide complete protein profile.

2
jkcmb•

Ground chia seeds and quinoa

2
30000LBS_Of_Bananas•

Eggs and cheese, (I love making quiche, with potato, broccoli, and onion fillings). Also TVP is a great substitute for ground meat for things like tacos (make sure to season heavily) (doesn’t stick together though so not great for burgers) and bean hearty soups. And lastly don’t forget about your classic PB&J.

2
jenifalafel•

"Running on Veggies: Plant-Powered Recipes for Fueling and Feeling Your Best" by Lottie Bildirici is a good source for ideas.

2
medhat20005•

In general training I'm a fan of both calorie tracking in total and in specifics (protein, carbs, fat), although for a segment of the population this can be a rabbit hole to eating disorders (def not a problem plaguing me). Strong believer that trying to do both weight loss and performance training are difficult if not impossible, so diet for weight loss (in my experience) is done before serious training, which is kinda where I am know. Ideally I should be about 5-7# lighter, and I'm making some initial attempts at getting their, which is primarily by watching my portions and snacking less. I still run and train, but will more modest expectations. Look forward to following this thread for helpful hints.

2
doylemartin•

This is the best place to talk about diet and nutrition!

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1