Can a new or experienced runner really out run a bad diet? Nov 23 OPB
All the Thanksgiving nutrition tips for runners
Watch & listen to this newsletter here.
Hello to both the newbies and those who have returned.
It’s Thanksgiving in the USA (my homeland and my fav holiday), so I wanted to GIVE you an issue jam-packed full of food-related running tips and tricks that would be pretty damn cool.
When I got into running, I didn’t know what eating right for me was during my training. I just ate whatever I could that made me feel full. But there is a lot more nuance to it that I’ve been figuring out for the last six years around nutrition, fat loss, muscle gain, fasting and everything in between.
So as you get ready to eat a whole bunch of (insert what you eat for Thanksgiving) or not (non-Americans), have fun with this super jam stuffing-packed newsletter full of tasty (pun intended) running food ideas to help you run smarter, faster and better hopefully.
As usual, feel free to skim and stop at whatever piques your interest because I know, like most runners out here, trying to master their lives…
TLDR about what’s coming up;
Can you really out run a bad diet?
The Scary Consequences of Not Using a Seasonal Diet For Nutrition
Post run, these two secrets help you not eat the entire fridge
Running Gels: Love or Hate Them? Here’s What You Need to Know
Can carb depletion runs help marathon and ultra runners? (Physical thing to try)
Running Gels: Love or Hate Them? Here’s What You Need to know (Mental thing to try)
🏃🏾Can You Really Out Run a Bad Diet?
Some people start running to lose body fat, right? All their running friends are skinny, so losing body fat is what happens, right? Scientists have been saying for a while now that you can't outrun a bad diet, and I mostly agree. It's like jumping off a cliff and building a plane on the way down. I'm not saying it's impossible. But it's pretty hard to do. Most people can't actually do it.
But what if I were to tell you that there's actually a way that you can maintain and or lose body fat so you feel light, spry, loose, and free? Well, I think I might have actually found that way. Listen on to find out how to lose and maintain your body fat and more on this episode.
Major Disclaimer: While this was reviewed and approved by a certified dietician (Jordan Kain), since this deals with food and nutrition - this is just for informational and entertainment purposes only - please feel free to disagree with me. I am not your dietitian/nutritionist, so please consult a certified one who understands your personal goals, history and habits to ensure you get the best outcome.
Watch, listen and read it all here.
Feeling this? Why not…
The Scary Consequences of Not Using a Seasonal Diet For Run Nutrition
What is it?
This discusses the importance of adapting your eating to support different running seasons, using the analogy of clothing seasons.
Why is it important?
Understanding and adjusting your diet based on your running seasons can optimize performance and support overall health and well-being.
How to implement this in your running today?
Consider cycling between slow-carb, smart-clean eating, and high-carb diets based on your training needs while consulting with a nutritionist or dietitian to ensure individual suitability and address any specific genetic factors or health concerns.
Watch, listen and read it all here.
Post run, these two secrets help you not eat the entire fridge
What is it?
The challenge of resisting the urge to overeat after a long run, drawing parallels with toxic relationships and offering insights into breaking the "eat everything" mentality.
Why is it important?
Runners need to understand the relationship between post-run hunger and fueling their bodies appropriately to maintain a healthy balance and support their training goals.
How to implement this in your running today?
To implement this knowledge, runners can try the following actionable tasks: after a run, hydrate properly, focus on consuming whole foods and protein-rich snacks, and use portion control techniques such as waiting 20 minutes before deciding if more food is needed.
Watch, listen and read it all here.
Running Gels: Love or Hate Them? Here’s What You Need to Know
What is it?
Quick tips & tricks on running gels, nutrition and their importance for runners looking to improve their performance.
Why is it important?
It is essential for runners because gels provide a convenient and efficient source of energy during long runs and races.
How to implement this in your running today?
Runners can start incorporating running gels into their training and racing nutrition strategy by experimenting with different brands and flavours to find what works best.
Watch, listen and read it all here.
This newsletter has a lot of great information (at least I think!). But, without action on the information you consume, you may never become the runner you want to be. And… that’s where a personalized one-on-one coach comes in to transform you to be that runner.
The 2024 run season is just around the corner, so I’m offering limited coaching spaces (as I’m usually booked out) to help you becone the best run and life version of yourself.
Click below to schedule a quick 15 min call and I'll even do a free audit of your current training plan/routine to give you some insights on how we can make you one percent better each day.
🍞Can carb depletion runs help marathon and ultra runners? (Physical thing to try)
What is it?
Try a fasted or low carbohydrate run if you haven’t already in a safe way (and if you have, try going in a deeper deficit)
Coach Sage Cannaday (and running expert) discusses carb-depleted training sessions for a marathon and ultra-marathon runners, with the speaker discussing burning fat as a fuel source and dispelling the misconception that a low-carb diet is necessary for this.
Why is it important?
Efficiently burning fat as an endurance athlete doesn't require following specific diets like low-carb, keto, or paleo; instead, consistent high mileage and aerobic-based training can improve your body's fat utilization, emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet and avoiding excessive consumption of processed sugary foods.
How to do it:
For long runs and major workouts, you can reduce your carbohydrate intake to simulate carb depletion and experiment with different strategies, such as consuming fewer gels or having a lighter breakfast, to find the right balance between fueling yourself adequately and training your body to utilize fat as an energy source without sacrificing performance.
Watch it here.
Notable Quotable (Future mental thing to try)
“Many people are so worried about doing something great that they never do anything.”
© Derek Sivers
You destroy that paralysis when you think of yourself as just a student and your current actions as just practice.
Get out there and try something that you know you will fail at (safely!! do not injure yourself) just to learn. Then, go back and try it again. Give it three tries, and then move on to the next thing.
And…
… for November 2023. All the best on your Turkey Trot post-Thanksgiving races.
PS - Finally, evidence on why calorie counting is not a good thing (for most people).
PPS #1 - A good friend of mine, DEO is running from South Africa to London SOLO doing 40km a day (yes, 40km a day!!) and he needs as much support to finish as possible from the running community. Click here to donate and find out more.
I remember being in a masters swim program with some friends after Uni and we would go to training on the Upper West Side at 6am three times a week and I though, I’m going to be in the best shape ever going in each morning and thinking I can’t wait for a stack of pancakes on my way out. Didn’t lose a pound, maybe gained a few...