What to eat before and after running.?

Question

I started running to loose weight and that is still the overall goal. I have started running a lot longer now and I am trying to train for a 10k and then half marathon. So my questions are what and when should I eat before and if I am running to loose weight. And is there a different eating routine as my runs start to get longer?

Answer 1

First of all: don't make the mistake of avoiding pre- and post-run meals hoping to burn more fat this way.

You could skip a meal before running in the morning if you know it's gonna be short (<30mins). In this case make sure you drink some apple juice or eat a banana. For anything longer you'll be better off if you eat something. Don't eat just before kicking off though, leave it at least 30mins before the run.

Before: some carbs, e.g. banana, apple, toast with honey

my favourite pre-run meal is ... oatmeals with some rasins and/or honey (but you have to tolerate pre-workout milk)

After: carbs + protein, e.g. yoghurt with muesli,  banana, nuts, tuna salad/sandwich

Some water before and a bit more after.

Answer 2

I just answered a similar question.  I lost 45 pounds in the last 1 1/2 yrs, and I eat like a banana or pear or other fruit 20 minutes before running, and then after, I eat carbs!!  Yes, you can have spaghetti or mac and cheese and still lose weight.  It's becasue your metabolism is in like hyper-drive, so your body will burn the calories easier, but you need to eat the carbs soon after you finish.  If you think you are craving something, like peanut butter or some juice or pasta or steak or ice cream -anything- there is a reason, because you just worked out and your body needs to replace the nutrients it lost

The most important thing is that you do not overeat.  I learned that I can basically eat whatever I want as long as I work out and don't stuff my face and still lose weight.

Answer 3

carbs before,lasagna is good 1 hour before you work out so it has time to settle. after,eat oats,grains,andome fruits and veggies all in small amounts.

Answer 4

Be very careful with a “Diet” while training for a ½ marathon.  Most coaches will tell you training and weight loss does not go well together.  So while you may loose weight during a ½ training schedule don’t make that the focus.  That does not mean go crazy and eat junk.  It means just continue eating what you normally eat assuming of course you are eating healthy now.

After a good long run John Stanton the CEO and a Canadian Running Guru recommends chocolate milk as the perfect after run recovery drink.  It has the right proportions of Carbohydrates, Protein and fats.  So when you run your LSD run grab a glass of chocolate milk and enjoy.

A before hand snack really depends on how long you wait until you run.  The closer to the run you are the more snack like it should be.  Apple and Cheese or Peanut butter and toast make excellent snacks 30 – 60 minutes before hand.  Proteins are harder to digest so if you want to add a bit of protein like eggs I would recommend at least 2 – 3 hours for a meal.

Harry

Harry

Answer 5

eat carbos

Answer 6

Try a power bar or nutrient enhanced beverage they are made exactly for people like you.