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paleo diet and running (Read 308 times)

    I've been eating a pure paleo diet for about three months now and feel better than I've felt in a long time. I'm training for a marathon and my long runs are getting into the 2 hours + range. I've been reading Loren Cordain's "Paleo for Athletes" (as well as a lot of web sites for paleo runners) in order to get a better handle on what/when to eat during my training. For any paleo runners out there, what do you eat/drink during and immediately after a long run?


    Hip Redux

      I love dates and dried mango.    I haven't tried either while on a run, however, as they are kinda chewy.  Smile

       

      I have seen suggested carrying cooked potatoes... I just am not that dedicated lol

       

      Buzzie


      Bacon Party!

        Define long.

         

        I generally don't bother with fuel in training until I'm running more than 4 hours. After a run, I like to get in some protein and fat in an easy-to-digest format (grass-fed whey concentrate, MCT, avocado with a small handful of berries).

        For marathon racing, all bets are off - I use gels.

        Liz

        pace sera, sera


        Running Rev'd

          I eat about a 1/2 portion of protein + some fat before a long run (like 1-2 hardboiled eggs and some avocado or some homemade chicken salad w mayonnaise). During the run, I use date/nut balls, dates, dried fruit, or Huma gels (they have some added sweetener, but they're SO much better than anything else on the market). Afterwards, it's carbs and protein, like an omelette w veggies or some sweet potato.

          Called to Endure - Blog

          "Everyone gets the sunset. Only the dedicated earn the sunrise."

          GC100k


            My son is a college decathlete.  He and a teammate tried paleo for athletes and even though they're not distance runners, they just couldn't make it work for their 3-4 hour a day training.  He's now a vegan and that somehow is more workable than the paleo.

              I've been eating a pure paleo diet for about three months now and feel better than I've felt in a long time. I'm training for a marathon and my long runs are getting into the 2 hours + range. I've been reading Loren Cordain's "Paleo for Athletes" (as well as a lot of web sites for paleo runners) in order to get a better handle on what/when to eat during my training. For any paleo runners out there, what do you eat/drink during and immediately after a long run?

               

              What websites or blogs do you read and trust. I am new to this paleo stuff. I am trying to lose weight and I am willing to let my running suffer some to lose weight.

               

              I have been been laying off of the fruits some as I was addicted to that.

              ”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

              “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

               

              Tomas

                Here's my general logic (right or wrong):

                 

                You can't be overweight and run a marathon.  If you get in good enough shape to actually run a marathon, then you can shift your focus away from weightloss a bit, and more toward performance.  Surely, you could keep mostly paleo, and then just do whatever other marathoners do to fuel during that long of a run.

                 

                As for short runs, there is no need to fuel during.  Some dates or other yummy fruit before hand will give you an extra boost of energy to make that short run of 3 to 10 miles (arbitrary cutoff on my part).

                 

                As for being paleo and skipping fruit, that sounds like crazy talk.  A whole fruit is a great dessert or also serves as an energy snack.  I wouldn't suggest eating 10 fruits a day while trying to lose weight.  But sure 1 or 2 fruits a day will be fine, and keep you on the paleo good list.

                 

                Did I say I like dates?  3 before a 5 mile run makes me feel like Superman!  But if I was to run 26.2 miles, I'm sure a bagel or whatever else is in vogue wouldn't hurt.  Unless you are completely adverse to wheat, then there's got to be some form of wheat free thing marathoners use.  Maybe just a fruit.  Or do they use something different?

                ulikunkel


                  Since you haven't started Paleo, I would say DON'T.  Why would you want to follow a trendy diet which is akin to a rebranded Atkins?  If you want to lose weight and you aren't, run more...I'm at a point where I can't gain weight even if I want to.

                   

                   

                  What websites or blogs do you read and trust. I am new to this paleo stuff. I am trying to lose weight and I am willing to let my running suffer some to lose weight.

                   

                  I have been been laying off of the fruits some as I was addicted to that.

                    Anything that helps a person break the cycle of carb addiction can be useful for weight loss, but for very active people, some carbs are necessary, at least in my experience.  Before going to the extreme of paleo, I think I would try something more moderate first, such as the South Beach Diet.  Avoiding refined sugars and refined grains is really the critical factor.  I lost 60 pounds and went from obese to normal BMI by basically doing that.  Now I follow a no sugar, moderate carb, mostly vegetarian diet which seems to work best for me.


                    running > all else

                      I followed the paleo diet a while back, and really felt the best too, that I had ever felt. Lots of energy. It tooks some getting used to, and it was hard in the beginning stages. The main problem I had with that diet however, was trying to find interesting/creative dishes to make, that would keep me sustained, and sticking to the plan. With technology now, I didn't see a need to forego grains, so I can honestly say I wasn't 100% paleo back then. For a PWO meal on paleo, how about a sweet potato (baked then mashed?) (you would bake this long before your workout and heat it up as necessary after the workout) or an egg white veggie omelette? Is whey protein allowed on paleo, can't recall. If so, you can just buy a good quality whey protein in chocolate or whatever flavor you choose, and have that as a PWO. (just mix with water)

                       

                      I like the idea another poster gave you to bring along dried fruits during your runs, but...yea, that might get too chewy. lol

                       

                      Good luck on this! Smile

                       

                      I've been eating a pure paleo diet for about three months now and feel better than I've felt in a long time. I'm training for a marathon and my long runs are getting into the 2 hours + range. I've been reading Loren Cordain's "Paleo for Athletes" (as well as a lot of web sites for paleo runners) in order to get a better handle on what/when to eat during my training. For any paleo runners out there, what do you eat/drink during and immediately after a long run?


                      Best Present Ever

                        I'm not paleo, but lately I've mostly been eating dates or those date/coconut rolls that are in the bulk bins at health foods stores and Whole Foods.  I don't find dates too chewy to eat while running (unlike other dried fruit) and the date rolls are made of pureed dates.  I doubt they are 'healthier' than Gus and whatnot (sugar is sugar, right?) but they are cheaper and don't come with packaging to throw away.  The date rolls are about 110 cals each, all carbs, so about like a GU.

                        AmoresPerros


                        Options,Account, Forums

                          Here's my general logic (right or wrong):

                           

                          You can't be overweight and run a marathon.  If you get in good enough shape to actually run a marathon, then you can shift your focus away from weightloss a bit, and more toward performance.  Surely, you could keep mostly paleo, and then just do whatever other marathoners do to fuel during that long of a run.

                           

                          Observation suggests otherwise, methinks.

                           

                          ...

                          Did I say I like dates?  3 before a 5 mile run makes me feel like Superman!  But if I was to run 26.2 miles, I'm sure a bagel or whatever else is in vogue wouldn't hurt.  Unless you are completely adverse to wheat, then there's got to be some form of wheat free thing marathoners use.  Maybe just a fruit.  Or do they use something different?

                           

                          It sounds like you're talking about eating a bagel or fruit during a marathon. A lot of people who race marathons cannot tolerate much solid food during a marathon race.

                          It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                             

                            You can't be overweight and run a marathon.  If you get in good enough shape to actually run a marathon, then you can shift your focus away from weightloss a bit, and more toward performance...

                             

                             

                            "Overweight" is not really a binary thing for runners. Most of us probably have an optimum weight for maximising performance, and for most of us that weight is probably lower than our current weight.

                             

                            Hence many of us can probably improve performance by losing some weight, irrespective of the actual running that we do. That's not to say that the running isn't important too - that improves performance as well; but (if you care about times) it's not a good idea to ignore the gains you can make by losing weight (assuming you have some to lose).

                               

                              "Overweight" is not really a binary thing for runners.

                               

                              I was using "overweight" in the sense that if you are too fat to run a marathon, you are overweight.  If you are not too fat to run a marathon, you are not overweight.

                               

                              I am too fat to run a marathon Smile


                              running metalhead

                                I'm not paleo, but lately I've mostly been eating dates or those date/coconut rolls that are in the bulk bins at health foods stores and Whole Foods.  I don't find dates too chewy to eat while running (unlike other dried fruit) and the date rolls are made of pureed dates.  I doubt they are 'healthier' than Gus and whatnot (sugar is sugar, right?) but they are cheaper and don't come with packaging to throw away.  The date rolls are about 110 cals each, all carbs, so about like a GU.

                                 

                                Hey, dates are CARBS Smile

                                I am quite amazed about this paleo thingy: Carbs ar ebad as hell... but in a typical diet they include, dates, avocados, and "Vegetables"...

                                So, no carbs but vegetables, specially leafy greens

                                 

                                I am maybe a bit uninformed, but AFAIK there are only four types of macronutrients: Proteins, fat, carbohydrates and alcohol. So, working by elmination: Vegetables and dates are not alcohol, and they contain little fat (well, avocados do), and only a small-ish amount of protein... and leafy greens, well, what can I say; they are almost devoid of proteins and fat... and a kilogram of kale does  definitely not look like a pint of lager to me (I maybe wrong, as I am a bit headstrong and not very well informed in these matters).

                                 

                                And when I look at the composition tables what I see is actually a lot of Carbohydrates. So, maybe carbs and carbohydrates are not the same.

                                Or maybe dates and leafy greens are protein? Or fat? I learned that they were actually carbs... but hey, I may be wrong Wink

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