A little less than two weeks ago, after I ran my races on Saturday at the Runner’s World Heartbreak Hill Festival, I attended a handful of free seminars open to any runner who participated in a race that weekend. I attended several informational sessions, but one that really stuck out to me that I thought might interest a bunch of you was a seminar about sports nutrition with Nancy Clark, a registered dietitian, board certified specialist in sports dietetics and the best selling author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook.
Nancy began her session by reading through a few of her personal food mantras.
Food is, and should be, one of life’s pleasures.
You don’t have to have a perfect diet to have a good diet.
I loved them and could immediately tell that the knowledge Nancy was about to share would be beneficial, practical and applicable.
Below you will find highlights from her informative discussion at the Heartbreak Hill Festival:
- Never Let Yourself Get Too Hungry
I LOVED the time Nancy spent addressing hunger. She opened up a discussion about hunger by stating, “Constant hunger isn’t a personality quirk. It’s a physiological response.” When you’re hungry, your body is telling you that it needs food. Waiting until you feel extremely hungry is unwise because then “all hell breaks loose” and you’re more likely to eat anything you can get your hands on at the moment.
Think about the way your body would react if someone held your head under water. When they finally let you up for air, would you breathe normally? Heck no! You’d gasp for air and desperately inhale and exhale. Same thing does with eating when you’re absolutely starving. You’ll grab anything and stuff yourself, often with less-than-healthy foods.
- When It Comes To Your Daily Activity, Look At The Overall Picture
Even if you work out first thing in the morning, if you sit at a desk the rest of the day, you may not be moving enough. Concentrate on maintaining an active lifestyle rather than just checking a work out off the list.
- Race Day Nutrition: Eat What Works For YOU
Use your training to figure out the best fuel for your body. On race day morning, eat your go-to pre-long run food that sits well in your stomach and makes you feel satisfied. Choose something that will last 60 – 90 minutes and consume 200 to 300 calories per hour if you’re running for 2.5 hours or more. For more information about proper fueling through long workouts, check out Nancy’s blog post How To Enjoy Long Workouts. When it comes to gus and gels, candy like Swedish Fish or jellybeans often has the same effect and is typically much cheaper.
- You May Need To Eat Something After A Race Even If You Don’t Feel Like It
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Even if your appetite isn’t raging after a race, you may want to pay attention to other cues from your body that may signal a need for food. Your body typically needs something. Try eating half of a banana. This may be enough to get your appetite back in gear and make you feel much better. Chocolate milk is a great choice after a race due to the combination of protein and carbohydrates.
- How Much To Eat Before An Early Morning Workout Is Individualized
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Whether or not you need to eat before an early morning workout is very individualized and may change day to day. If you wake up at 5 a.m. with no appetite and had a large dinner the night before, you may feel okay enough to work out on an empty stomach. If you’re used to working out on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, try eating something small to see if you feel even better. Grabbing something as small as half of a banana or a piece of toast before a 5 a.m. workout can make a big difference.
- Weight Loss Comes From Little Changes Over A Longer Period Of Time
Healthy weight loss comes from little changes over a longer period of time, not a quick diet. When questioned about the number of calories someone should consume for healthy weight loss, Nancy provided this formula: Your weight (or a healthy weight for your body) x 10 = The amount of calories your body needs to do nothing other than sit around all day. Add another 30 – 50 percent for everyday activity and then add in the amount of calories burned during exercise before subtracting 10 to 20 percent from the total. This is a good calorie goal for healthy weight loss. Nancy emphasized paying more attention to what’s on your plate than macros and calories consumed. She said focusing on incorporating protein, fruits, veggies and grains is a good idea and stressed the importance of starchy vegetables/grains in an athlete’s diet.
- Drink Enough Water
Drink enough water so that you have to use the bathroom every two to four hours. Urine should be light in color.
- Coffee/Caffeine = Fine
If drinking a cup of coffee or tea before a race makes running seem easier for you, it’s totally fine, but don’t abuse caffeine or make sugary coffee drinks part of your daily routine.
Big thanks to Nancy Clark for such an interesting discussion!
Questions of the Morning
- For the distance athletes out there: How do you fuel yourself through a long race/training session?
- What is your favorite pre- and post-workout snack?
- Do you consume caffeine before a workout or a race?
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Thanks for sharing that information!!
Sure thing!! 🙂 I took a lot of notes because I thought it might be of interest. I loved her talk!
I love this information!!
Before going out on my long runs, I feel that I need to eat minimum 3 hours before, otherwise it’ll cause some sort of digestive issue. I’ve experimented a lot and have definitely had some bad experiences. As little fibre and protein works for ME, but that’s right what you said – something different works for every body. You need to figure that out. I love my oatmeal, banana, cocoa powder & peanut butter in the morning – yum!!!
Such great info! I workout first thing in the AM and then sit at a desk job all day. I definitely check off my workout and think I am good for the day. Makes sense that I should be active throught the day and evening too! Thanks for sharing!
My favorite breakfast before a race is a Clif bar, or even a Bonk Breaker bar. Something light but packed with carbs and energy!
And I sometimes have caffeine before races, depending on the time of day, and length of the race 🙂 Advocare’s Spark is such a great pre-race energizer!
Nancy’s got a great philosophy on sports nutrition! If I am not feeling a workout in the morning, I will take the time and drink a cup of coffee. By the end of it, I am warmed up and ready to go. I don’t typically eat before a workout, but am sure to eat a good breakfast after I finish. I really love egg muffins or greek yogurt parfaits!
That last point about coffee/caffeine is great! I’m glad to hear someone else say that it really is ok, just don’t abuse it! Everything in moderation!
I do half iron mans and the race fueling part is a constant work in progress but so crucial to a good race. I eat a pretty big breakfast and then eat another banana or gu an hour before start. On bike I start taking fuel about 20 minutes in. I have nutrition in my water (I like Skratch) and take a gu/1/4 a bar every 45 minutes. On the run its gu’s every 30 minutes or so and honestly whatever I need at that point. Sometimes a little coke = jet fuel!
“Little changes over a longer period of time…….not a quick diet” Agreed!
I remember being discouraged after gaining 50 pounds with my second child and the OBGYN nurse telling me, “the weight didn’t come on in a day and it’s not going to come off in a day either. Be patient and keep at it!”
I took her advice and made steady changes that worked for me. At first, it was giving up all friend chicken for baked chicken (And it turns out that was easy) Then substituting a Wendys Frosty for a power banana/chocolate smoothie.
Little changes make a world of difference!!!
I usually eat a Kashi waffle thats been toasted with 1/2 a banana and a little almond butter before heading out on a long run or anything over 5 miles.
Favorite post workout snack would be an apple and nutbutter or a health protein bar.
And yes, I like my coffee before I workout. I need to be alert!
I need caffeine too!! Otherwise I feel sluggish. Caffeine gives me a boost and gets my head in the zone 🙂
LOVE THIS! I love a super balanced approach! I just know, for me, if I deprive myself of the things I love, I’m more likely to go crazy and binge on them later.
I don’t do caffeine, it makes me SO jittery and I hate that feeling. And I’ve found that Accel Gels work best for me during marathon training, they are not too goopy and digest really well for me!
For a morning run, I usually do just a banana or a larabar with LOTS of water. It’s really nice when you finally (after lots of trial and error!) find what works for you.
Great info! I like to eat a banana with almond butter before a race or long run (8-13 miles). Then during the run I fuel with GU and electrolyte drink and water. I am working up to marathon distance so I will have to experiment with solid foods during the run.
Julie, this was so interesting! Thank you so much for sharing her tips with us. I definitely agree with the hunger one. I know if I go too long without eating, I become ravenous – not to mention super cranky!!
I love that “you don’t have to have a perfect diet to have a good diet”!
Really love this – I love the very first quote she said. I think that is SO true!
I’m so strict about my diet right around long runs/races. Light pasta the night before, done with eating at least 12 hours before the run, two slices of toast with nut butter and a tiny glass of orange juice pre-run, and Clif Bar Shot Bloks every five miles for runs seven miles or longer. I’ve worked with trainers who’ve suggested doing different things, but man, I am just not at all willing to mess around with that kind of nutrition. I know what works well for me, and I’m perfectly happy to keep it that way!
Love this post as well! I like how she compared an empty stomach to being held under water…such a great reminder. I try and eat small meals/snacks every 3-4 hours to keep my metabolism up. I usually workout in the morning on an empty stomach, then have some fruit. I’m not a big coffee drinker, as it usually messes up my stomach a bit.
I get up at 4:30 everyday to workout and there’s never a need to eat for me and I workout intensely until about 7. There is no way I could get up any earlier to eat. I always make sure I have a Vega protein shake after my workout and coffee lack with a dash of cinnamon.
you workout every day for 2.5 hours? wow.
I get to the gym by 5 so not just 2. 🙂
This is great! As an endurance girl, it took me awhile to figure out what would/wouldn’t cause an upset stomach before, during and after workouts. I found that an english muffin and banana with peanut butter does the trick for me pre workout and post workout I always enjoy some sort of smoothie!
Thanks for this information, I loved it & couldnt agree more with what she said!
These are great tips! I love the idea of subbing Swedish Fish for gels/gel blocks. I usually do the blocks, but they can be so hard to chew and make me really thirsty – not ideal in a race! I think the candy would be easier to consume and way cheaper! Plus who doesn’t want an excuse to buy a bag of Swedish Fish!?
Right! Swedish fish are the jam! 🙂
Great information!
I really don’t ever consume caffeine before a workout. If I’m waking up at 5 a.m. for a 5:30 run, I usually don’t eat anything if it’s under 6 miles. Anything over that amount, I’ll eat a half of a banana or something similar. If I’m going to spin class or doing some weightlifting, I may eat something a bit more substantial like a bar or a piece of toast with nut butter. Since I typically work out in the mornings, my favorite post-workout “snack” is a hearty breakfast!
did she talk about nutrition during a race (not just before and after?)? I feel like this is also a mysterious (and highly individualized) area of sports nutrition.
i’ve found that taking a Gu every 30-50 minutes during a marathon gets me to the finish line. even though i feel fine at mile 5-6 and think i don’t need one, i’ve learned that it’s better to fuel up before it’s too late. coffee pre-race is a must, too!
Thank you for sharing all of this useful information! I sometimes consume coffee before doing cardio and it does help me keep my endurance.
I got my Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, working on my Master’s in the same thing now. I am also a fitness instructor, so I’m all about incorporating food & fitness together, all while helping others understand what I know, too! Nancy Clark is definitely the expert in that area! Very jealous you got to hear her speak in person. She’s a genius!!
Awesome post Julie! I ran my first 25K last year and while I NEVER used to eat before a race I crashed around mile 13 at the 25K- lesson learned – I did a 30K about a month later and had a banana and 1/2 a granola bar and finished feeling fabulous. (: Nancy Clark’s book may have to be my next pre-race investment.
This was very informative! Thanks for sharing!! I need to get better about my hunger pains. Sometimes I just run out of my food for the day and don’t get a chance to grab something to eat before I’m starving!! I need to purchase quick healthy go-to’s that are STRICTLY for those times. Keep a few in my car, at my desk, in my purse, wherever hunger might strike! I’m really working on my water consumption right now! I definitely don’t get enough.
Awesome post! Definitely one of my recent favorites of yours. I’m glad you took so many notes!
Such great information! Thank you! I really like her quote at the beginning 🙂
Thanks for sharing this info! That quote you included is SO true. So many people strive for perfection when it’s not necessary and actually kind of boring. I like following the “most of the time” rule. Most of the time I do the things that are good for me and sometimes I indulge with the things I love. Works for me!
I love that her advice is realistic and tailor-able to each individual. I recently got a Nike Fuelband and realized that apart from my workout, my life is way more sedentary than I would have guessed (and I actually already thought I had a pretty sedentary life since I have a desk job), so her advice to “look at the overall picture” really resonated with me today! Thanks for sharing – very interesting to hear her take on this!
I love drinking chocolate milk after long morning runs in the summer. It fills you up and leaves you with lots of energy!
I used to not consume caffeine before I worked out, but lately, that has been great for me. I plan on consuming a tiny bit before races now. It affects me big time, so I only have a tiny bit.
This is great advice, thank you so much for sharing! It’s crazy how simple being healthy actually is–it’s just remembering to make these healthy decisions, which is hard. With all the fad diets out there (low fat, high fat, no protein, only protein), eating well is extremely confusing–but it doesn’t have to be!
I love the quote, too. Thanks!
Exactly!!! She did such a great job of simplifying healthy eating.
Love this! That quote is right on the money too. 🙂
Wow very informative post! If you don’t mind sharing what do you typically eat before early morning workouts? If you eat anything at all 🙂 Thanks!
I was actually the one who asked her the question about eating before a 5 a.m. workout! 🙂 In the past, I usually would not eat anything but I’ve now been eating something light and loving it. I’ve been taking Nancy’s advice and grabbing something small like half of a banana or a small apple before heading out the door.
Race day breakfast for me is always toast with PB and banana, eaten at least 2 hours before the start!
As a high school soccer player this kind of information is the best. There are some weird fads in food for athletes but these rules are what I go by! Great info and it reiterates everything I’ve learned in the past!
Excellent points! Glad you took notes to share with us 🙂 I am always interested in learning more about athletic nutrition, especially since I am toying with the idea of a Spring 2015 marathon!
Before a long run I will have either toast with PB and banana or a small bowl of oatmeal with a scoop of PB for extra protein. Otherwise for shorter runs, if I am super hungry I will have a banana and some dried fruit like raisins for quick energy. Pre work out I like to have Nuun in my water to rehydrate, and I’ll have something like a smoothie with protein powder. OR I will schedule my work outs around meals so I can refuel with a hearty lunch or dinner 🙂 Generally I don’t consume caffeine before a run – races especially as my tummy is already feeling nervous! If I am running on my own for fun, I’ll have my usual morning coffee and head out a bit after.
I like her open approach and how she sees breakfast early in the morning. We’re all different, that’s for sure. Oh, and I’ve learned the hard way how important it is to eat RIGHT when you’re hungry and not wait! Haha
Pre-workout: fasted + black coffee (always!!!) + BCAAs
Post-workout: protein shake in the summer, protein pancakes/waffles in the winter
I, like many people, am addicted to toast with PB and banana before a race or big training session. It works for me. I also love a little oatmeal as a pre-workout snack, or even as a post-workout with some yogurt.
Great info!
If I am going to workout at home, I wont eat before. If I am going to the gym or if I have a long run, I will have toast w/PB and chia seeds; then eat eggs when I get home.
This was a great entry! Really helpful guidelines, and I love that she stressed how individualized nutrition is!
I love this: “You don’t have to have a perfect diet to have a good diet.”
Great advice and a great post!
I use Gu for nutrition during races and usually have a pb&j on a sandwich thin or a granola before the race. For the longest time I wouldn’t eat before races. It took me a long time to realize how much better you feel when you have some food to fuel you through!!
Great post! Nancy Clark is an awesome RD with great advice! Glad you were able to spread her knowledge!
Nancy Clark’s nutrition book is one of my favorites!
So true! I LOVE explaining hunger to people. If anyone goes too long without eating, they’ll crave the higher fat, higher calorie, higher sugar foods. It’s just the body’s normal response. For people who are used to dieting, hearing that restriction typically leads to binging is a huge change in perspective.
I like to run right in the morning, and usually grab a handful of raisins or dates. Something small before I head out!
What wonderful advice and such a sane food philosophy! Love this woman already – we are definitely on the same page 🙂
This post was so informative. Thanks for sharing! I don’t get home until close to 6PM, so I usually eat dinner before working out. If I’m not eating a meal beforehand, I like greek yogurt and and a banana.
There are days when I check the workout box, and am sedentary the rest of the day. This was a good reminder to maintain an active lifestyle. Thanks for the post.
So interesting and enlightening! I”m fascinated by the way our bodies work and always enjoy reading and learning more. Thanks for sharing!!