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Morning runners, breakfast, eating healthy... (Read 1208 times)

deonk1


    So I've been running for about a month now, and I run in the morning, simply because it's the only time of day I can commit to exercise without procrastinating or risking being too drained to do it (both student and full time employed=crazy life). 

     

    So I know I"m not supposed to run on a full stomach, but can't function without eating something before I run, I'm just too faint. So I've been eating a banana before I run (my cousin is on varsity cross country and told me they don't give cramps). But when I get back in I'm not hungry for a big meal like I used to be in the AM. I usually am on of those people who eats a huge breakfast, then snacks at lunch then has supper... So I'm wondering if you're a morning runner, what types of things do you eat and when in relation to your morning run? The last few days I've done banana before, then a carnation breakfast after (had a few left over from dental work, know they're not healthy), I stopped drinking tea cause I'm too hot after a run to drink tea, and now this all messes up my lunch ritual...

     

    I love running in the AM but it's screwed up my food system and would love to learn how to get it back on track. Thanks in advanced. 

      I usually just have coffee before I head out (5 AM). I'm not hungry for awhile after I get back, either. I eat some PB toast or eggs when I'm ready for breakfast. Lunch has become my bigger meal--I'm okay with that.


      Feeling the growl again

        If you're a big breakfast person, I'm not sure what to tell you.  I never feel hungry for a big meal immediately after a run either.

         

        When I was running a lot and often twice a day, 70-110 miles per week, my standard breakfast when doing a morning run was either a bowl or grits with brown sugar or two pieces of buttered toast with a Mountain Dew, before the run and nothing after.  I know, I know.  Back then I needed the calories.

         

        I still find a couple pieces of toast easiest on my stomach.  Bananas are a bit heavy for me to run anything more than easy on.  Grits and oatmeal also work well.

        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

         

        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

         

        deonk1


          Yeah, it's funny, I'm starving after yoga, or riding (horses) but this whole running thing is new to me, I find it odd to not be hungry afterwards... 

           

          I guess my next question is... anyone have any non boring packable lunch ideas that can be snuck into the library Big grin. I usually skip lunch cause I don't want to take a break from studying and you can only smuggle so much into the places where food isn't allowed..  lol (I know not the healthiest reasons, but such is the life of the student). 

           

          Never thought of oatmeal... thanks. 

          LedLincoln


          not bad for mile 25

            Just how faint are you?  Maybe with a little adaptation, say short runs at first, your body will be okay with running first, eating afterward.

            deonk1


              I'm faint in the mornings just cleaning my house or doing routine tasks if I don't eat right away, so it's more so just general faint not brought on by running itself.. I tried running on empty, and just was too fatigued to do my full (yet tiny) route, if that makes sense. 

               

              Also only running 1.4k each morning with a break mid point (this is what I've worked up to over the last month). I am dealing with some asthma that's coming back from my childhood, and until I have my dr. appointment I haven't been pushing myself a lot. 

                I've discovered that I need to eat many smaller meals when I train a lot.

                 

                Breakfast #1: cereal w/ milk @ 5am

                     (workout #1)

                Breakfast #2: snack (protein bar & banana) 7:30am or 8am

                Lunch #1: peanut butter crackers @ 11am

                     (workout #2)

                Lunch #2: salad, apple, crackers, ... @ 1:00 or 1:30

                Dinner #1: family meal @ 6pm

                Dinner #2: cereal w/ milk @ 8:30pm - 9:00pm

                 

                I get very hungry at dinner time (in fact... I'm dang hungry now thinking about it).  Otherwise, earlier in the day, I do not get overly hungry (big meal hungry).  I just have hunger and need to have some food.

                Life Goals:

                #1: Do what I can do

                #2: Enjoy life

                 

                 


                Feeling the growl again

                  I've discovered that I need to eat many smaller meals when I train a lot.

                   

                  Breakfast #1: cereal w/ milk @ 5am

                       (workout #1)

                  Breakfast #2: snack (protein bar & banana) 7:30am or 8am

                  Lunch #1: peanut butter crackers @ 11am

                       (workout #2)

                  Lunch #2: salad, apple, crackers, ... @ 1:00 or 1:30

                  Dinner #1: family meal @ 6pm

                  Dinner #2: cereal w/ milk @ 8:30pm - 9:00pm

                   

                  I get very hungry at dinner time (in fact... I'm dang hungry now thinking about it).  Otherwise, earlier in the day, I do not get overly hungry (big meal hungry).  I just have hunger and need to have some food.

                   

                  I wish I EVER had that kind of metabolism.... Sad

                  "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                   

                  I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                   

                  deonk1


                    Yeah maybe I'm just going to have to change my diet and food schedule. My fear is I'll be more snacky instead of big meals, and when I'm snacky I have a tendency to eat junk, rather than healthy stuff. And well frankly it used to work when I was 15 and rode 3 horses a day and cleaned 22 stalls, I may be relatively young still, but something tells me 2-3 chocolate bars and kraft dinner aren't going to process as well 8 years later. 

                     

                    I guess I managed to do the 21 days of repetition to make running every day a habit, time to try a month of healthy snacks. Big grin Ideas? I forced myself to buy a ton of fruit this week for groceries. But I like salt, chocolate and carbs, NOT GOOD ... 

                      usually eat 1 hr or so before run in the morning with 1-2 cups of coffee.  usually 1 egg on ww tst or pb toast w/banana slices.  sometimes oatmeal w/banana. if run is under an hour sometimes don't eat before, but hr or more run always eat something.    then 2-3 small snacks during day, dinner & snack before bed.  unfortunately snacks are not always "healthy" 


                      sincerely silly

                        I know it's the same ol' advice (which I don't even really manage to follow...) but I guess even if you end up being snacky, just try and have healthy snacks around?  I like to make large batches of hard boiled eggs to keep in the fridge (I like them with a bit of soy sauce =P...first dipping the egg whites and then the yolk soaks the rest up!) and obviously fruit works.  I might still be in the honeymoon phase with greek yogurt, but that's also a snack of choice!

                         

                        The few times I manage to get a run in in the morning I try and have a small bowl of cereal with some fruit (briefly thawed frozen blueberries or a banana) an hour before, eat an egg right after or grab some yogurt or make a simple cold cut sandwich (just ham/turkey with mustard/italian dressing in a pita/bread) and out the door to work! 

                         

                        I don't know any non boring things to smuggle. :-) I'm a fan of Clif bars and as far as I know they're not horrible to have sometimes as a small meal replacement type of deal.

                        shin splints are my nemesis

                        deonk1


                          I think I need a time machine to create more time in the day... My daily ritual is roll out of bed, feed dog, eat minimal thing while putting gear on, and warm up then force myself out the door, before I'm awake enough to decide it's too cold out Big grin. I wish I had an hour in the mornings before my runs that would solve everything Smile. Something tells me getting up earlier doesn't work when you stay up all hours of the night studying. 

                           

                          This is all great advice though, thanks everyone. It seems like if I want to maintain this routine I'm going  to have to change some stuff either way, whether its the time of my run or my diet, I'll have to figure that one out. 

                          Julia1971


                            I'm similar to KerCanDo70.  When I'm training hard, I usually have coffee and toast or half a bagel before my run (7am-ish), something like cereal or eggs with toast for breakfast after my run (8:30/9am-ish), yogurt with granola, fruit or a pastry with coffee depending on my mood for second breakfast/am snack when I get to work (10am-ish), a salad or sandwich for lunch (1pm-ish), a second snack (4pm-ish), and then spaghetti or a fish dish for dinner (8pm-ish). 

                             

                            I think a lot of it is about experimentation because some tips/tricks just don't work for everyone.  For years I thought I couldn't eat before my runs without getting sick but after some convincing by a friend, I realized I was just eating the wrong things and I could train my stomach to tolerate something.  I haven't had much luck with fruit or dairy and I still can't manage a full meal, but breads and fig newtons are fine for me. 

                            deonk1


                               

                              I think a lot of it is about experimentation because some tips/tricks just don't work for everyone.  For years I thought I couldn't eat before my runs without getting sick but after some convincing by a friend, I realized I was just eating the wrong things and I could train my stomach to tolerate something.  I haven't had much luck with fruit or dairy and I still can't manage a full meal, but breads and fig newtons are fine for me. 

                               

                              Yeah I'm discovering that. I had a banana today, and well I really don't like bananas, but they really do settle well. I ate and ran. And well I've been trying to figure out if I have asthma or am just plain out of shape, cause I have an inhaler that says, "take as needed" which is the most annoying thing in the world. Seeing I haven't "needed" it for like 10 years (don't worry it's not a 10 year old inhaler), so I honestly don't know when I need it. I have a dr appointment next week to request testing to assure I don't damage myself. But this morning it was super cold and I took my puffer to be safe, and I had the best run I've done yet. Ran the whole 1.4k not needing a break, and in a decent time Big grin (sorry needed to get that brag out I'm so proud cause there was a frost warning out and I still ran). 

                               

                              Kinda hungry now, so maybe I'm not working hard enough in my work out... lol obviously that'll come with time. 

                                you guys are making me feel bad.  Clearly I'm not the most healthy person here.  I don't eat anything, I grab some water and head out the door, regardless of the distance.  If I have a race or something and want to avoid being hungry, I'll eat a peanut butter sandwich.  I think I'd rather the extra two minutes of shut-eye.  I'll likely eat a peanut butter sandwich afterwards, if I hadn't eaten earlier.  Usually with a coke or diet coke...mmm coke.   

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