RunningAHEAD - Topic: Your Basic Diet Thread

JakeKnight

posted: 11/4/2006 at 11:21 AM

Okay, how about some discussion on diet. Not to lose weight; for performance. And maybe to trim a few pounds, lower the body fat percentage a little. I'd really like to drop 5-10 pounds, and I'd like to have the 6-pack back ... but I'm more interested in eating healthier, specifically for running. Especially for longer distance. Here's my problem with all the diet advice I read elsewhere: It's either ridiculously complicated to the point where I just won't do it (as in, it'd be hard to do with out a trainer and a personal chef), or it's really restrictive - as in, eat nothing but skinless chicken breasts, egg whites, and skinned potatoes. What I'm looking for is advice about food that 1) is pretty simple, and 2) has a likelihood of actually happening, if you know what I mean. Suggestions?

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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rockenmamaof5

posted: 11/4/2006 at 12:17 PM

Well I do it all on my own, no personal chef, trainer etc. I also don't think it's all that hard to do on your own. You can't perform if your not eating much so that kind of a diet for a long distance runner is out of the ? as far as I'm concerned. I make sure to get lots of fruit, veggies and protein along with either some whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta or oatmeal each day. My morning stable is oatmeal with 2 eggs and my before bed meal is a protein drink with a table spoon of peanut butter. The key thing is to eat enough to fuel your running and workouts and making wise choices in what you eat.

Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

Wingz

Professional Noob

posted: 11/4/2006 at 1:06 PM

Here's a really simple and workable tip for ya. YOU know what your diet is like, right? Pick one thing... JUST one thing... that you think you might be willing to change to move you TOWARD what you already know is a healthy diet. (You do know, don't you? If not, the USDA has some basic guidelines. Check out http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for some basic tips.) Move your diet closer towards a healthy one before you start worrying about moving it towards a performance one. Otherwise you're putting the cart before the horse. Change that one thing and keep it changed for at least three weeks. Then, if you want to eat even more healthy, pick another thing to change. If you really have no idea how you could be eating better, log everything that goes into your mouth for a week, and take a look at it. If you still can't pick something, post that log here and we'll help you pick something. Big grin

Roads were made for journeys...

JakeKnight

posted: 11/4/2006 at 1:48 PM

Quote from Wingz on 11/4/2006 at 1:06 PM:

Here's a really simple and workable tip for ya. YOU know what your diet is like, right? Pick one thing... JUST one thing... that you think you might be willing to change to move you TOWARD what you already know is a healthy diet. (You do know, don't you? If not, the USDA has some basic guidelines. Check out http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for some basic tips.) Move your diet closer towards a healthy one before you start worrying about moving it towards a performance one. Otherwise you're putting the cart before the horse. Change that one thing and keep it changed for at least three weeks. Then, if you want to eat even more healthy, pick another thing to change. If you really have no idea how you could be eating better, log everything that goes into your mouth for a week, and take a look at it. If you still can't pick something, post that log here and we'll help you pick something.

Now that is some good advice. Simple is what I need. One thing at a time is how my brain works. I think I'll try this. But where to start?

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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Wingz

Professional Noob

posted: 11/4/2006 at 2:35 PM

Quote from Wingz on 11/4/2006 at 1:06 PM:

If you really have no idea how you could be eating better, log everything that goes into your mouth for a week, and take a look at it. If you still can't pick something, post that log here and we'll help you pick something.

Then start there! When you look at your log, look for things to include like... Vegetables. Fiber. Whole grains. And look for things to cut back on like... Extra beer. (Sorry, but it's true! Diet-wise, alcohol is just a really dumb thing to do if you're trying to lose weight. Add up all the calories in the beer you consume in a month and see if you wouldn't maybe be a pound or two lighter if you'd not indulged...) If you are using a computer program, look for things like % fats eaten, or % saturated fats eaten. Are you missing any major nutrients in your diet? (Again, easier with a computer program.) But just the simple act of writing down what you're eating makes you more aware of what is going into your mouth. Give it a try!

Roads were made for journeys...

amanda runs

posted: 11/4/2006 at 8:26 PM
modified: 11/4/2006 at 8:27 PM

There's a great book you can read called "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook": http://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Clarks-Sports-Nutrition-Guidebook/dp/073604602X/sr=1-1/qid=1162689784/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-1870044-7267863?ie=UTF8&s=books Pick up a copy- it's an easy read. It has tips to boost performance or simply eat right. Plus, there are recipes in the back of the book to get you started.

"The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

Wingz

Professional Noob

posted: 11/4/2006 at 10:11 PM

Thanks! I knew there were people out there who knew more about this than I do... Big grin

Roads were made for journeys...

Scout7

posted: 11/6/2006 at 9:04 AM

If you're looking for a good site to log nutrition, try www.FitDay.com. Allows you to track everything. And, like Wingz said, that's the key right there. Track EVERYTHING. How much, what, when, etc. Beyond that, I have Nancy Clark's book, and it's good. Easy to read, and not overly technical. Personally, I have found that eating several times throughout the day works great. I eat a smallish breakfast, then eat some more a little later, eat a good-sized lunch right after running, couple things through the afternoon, and have a small dinner. I'm like you, in that I want easy. Easy to prepare, easy to store, easy to eat. Granola bars, yogurt, bananas, and pasta are general staples for me. But, I don't get "bored" with food, so I can eat the same thing every day for weeks.

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