Nutrition/Running: off-season eating & nutrients for recovery
I wanted to talk a bit this week about nutrition after a big race or other type of athletic endeavor (or even if you’re taking some time off from your workout of choice!). A decent amount of my runner clients and friends have recently (or will soon) run their fall goal races, and I always find this time to be full of varying emotions. The huge high of running an exciting race, the “post marathon blues,” the disappointment of a race not going as planned… they really run the gamut. All the feelings combined with some time off from running and/or movement can also bring about behaviors around food that have been somewhat dormant during a training cycle.
Do I deserve this snack? I haven’t run in a few days, maybe I shouldn’t eat carbs. I can only go out to eat if I’ve run today. I’m hungry before bed but it’s fine because I don’t have a workout in the morning. I should probably count calories during my time off so I don’t gain weight.
Sound familiar? Fueling for running during a training cycle can be pretty straightforward and easy to manage even if you have a challenging relationship with food, because there is a clear purpose. It is also quite easy to fall into the trap of equating food to running/exercise and vice versa, and to start to believe that the sole purpose of food is to fuel your activity.
Flipping the switch
I truly think that taking running away - whether from injury, illness or time off - is a great time to really work on your relationship with food and learn about your body if any of the above sounds familiar. That’s because a big distraction (running!) is removed and eating/food choices are less about performance and more about what sounds good to you and how your body feels. It’s easy for me to tell you your body still needs energy (food!) when it’s not running or exercising, but it’s so much more meaningful learning it in real time by tuning into hunger and fullness cues.
Energy needs (the real deal, in brief)
Most people are often surprised to learn that the majority of our energy needs are for things like keeping your heart beating, lungs breathing, brain thinking, blood circulating, other organs working, food digesting, muscles contracting, etc. A small percentage (5-10%, sometimes less) of our energy needs is for physical activity. What this means is: your body still needs energy every day, throughout the day, even at total rest. It’s doing a lot of important things, even if we don’t realize it.
Nutrients for recovery
There are some specific nutrients to make sure you’re getting enough of to help support the recovery process. Some may not come as a big surprise, but are always important to think about and prioritize.
Protein - essential for muscle recovery and repairing damage to broken down muscle fibers. Try to include at least one protein source with every meal and snack: Eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, tofu, meat, pork, Greek yogurt and other dairy products. Nuts and seeds, beans and whole grains also contain protein and can be useful!
Omega-3 fats - have important anti-inflammatory properties and can support healing and muscle recovery. Think fatty fish like salmon, tuna, anchovies, chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts and soybeans
Carbs - yes, you are reading this correctly. Not only do you still need carbs for energy, but they have what is called a “protein-sparing effect” that is really important. If you’re not eating enough carbs, the body will have to use some protein for energy, which leaves less protein, if any, for muscle recovery. Eating enough carbs means protein will be “spared” from use as energy and will be able to be used for recovery.
Antioxidants - can help reduce oxidative damage in our cells. Antioxidants are found in colorful fruits and vegetables, and my advice is always to eat a variety of them, throughout the day
Vitamin C and zinc - specially help support tissue repair. Aim to include vitamin C rich foods like citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, carrots, sweet potato, leafy greens, etc., and zinc-containing foods like meat, shellfish, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and eggs, in the diet every day
I’ll end with the important reminder that regardless of whether you’re training for something or not, you need and deserve regular nourishment every day.
Thanks for reading!