I’m an eater. Even when I’m not logging 30 plus miles a week on foot or training for a half/full/triathlon, I eat. I eat when I wake up. I eat an hour or two later. I eat lunch and dinner, and I have a huge peanut butter/flax seed/plain yogurt smoothie at night (oh, and don’t forget the banana added for potassium!)
In fact, I’m currently eating a bowl of shrimp, couscous, sun dried tomatoes and cheese – and it is barely eleven in the morning.
I have never understood people who don’t eat. I don’t understand how they can not eat, and I don’t understand how they can function when they don’t. (However, I have never had an issue with food, either, so that might be part of it.)
Food is Fuel
Food is fuel. If you aren’t eating, how are you getting out of bed in the morning? How are you wandering around half the day with a growling stomach and no gas in the tank? My mom never ate breakfast for the longest time, until I kept hounding her to get some protein into her belly early on.
Now, I’m dealing with the same kind of thing from a good friend. The worse part? She is a runner.
For breakfast, she has a container of low sugar yogurt.
For dinner: Spaghetti squash with red sauce, or sauteed veggies with cheese.
Then she will log ten miles on Saturday morning.
Look, you have to eat, especially if you work out. Your body must have protein for your muscles to recover, and in most cases needs some carbs to get you fueled up if you are doing any type of endurance event. You need a balance, too. You need protein and carbs, and you need them with each meal.
Even my daughters know this. It is a big conversation at our table. “What is our protein at this meal?” I’ll ask, and they will shout out, “Chicken!” In the morning they aren’t allowed to get up from the breakfast table without finishing off their protein.
Eat More to Weigh Less
I know that in my friend’s case, she feels she will lose more weight if she runs more and eats less.
Not true. She is basically starving her body of calories, so not only is she going to be hungry but she is going to hold onto weight because her body knows it is being starved and is holding on to what it has for all it is worth.
To lose weight, you have to eat. You just have to eat correctly. And if you are pairing dieting with exercise, you must find a good combination of the two. If you don’t know how to do this, splurge on hiring a nutritionist for a few hours to teach you the importance of doing this correctly. Don’t make it up on your own.
Here is a great link explaining a bit more about athletes and dietary guidelines.
If you are a runner or athlete, how are you eating to keep your energy levels up and your body on track with training?