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how to be a no-sweet athlete

To fuel or not to fuel--that is the question

I get the question all the time: "What do you eat and drink when you run?" and I know they're looking for the magic gel, sports drink, or protein bar to fuel their workouts.  The media, including popular running magazines and websites, may have you believing that in order to get the most out of your workout you need a certain amount of carbs per hour to keep it going.  

I certainly listened to that advice when I first started running longer distances.  The popular prescription was that you needed to take in one sports gel every 20-30 minutes.  If you've ever tried to do that you know it's a recipe for stomach distress, unscheduled pit stops, and more post-race inflammation than is really needed.

Yes, your body loves to run on carbs.  It's like lighting a bunch of dry kindling: it burns fast and hot, but only for a short while, and you have to replenish the supply on a regular basis.  Your body also loves to run on fat (and wouldn't you love that too?)  It's like putting a dense log on the fire that will burn more slowly, but last all day.

It's not something you can jump right into, however.  Just as we have to train our legs to run longer distances, and our arms to lift heavier weights, we have to train our bodies to switch from sugar-burning to fat-burning mode.  

How do you do that, you ask?  By ditching the sugars and grains from our regular diets, and using carbs only in a strategic way (such as when you need an extra burst of energy running up a tough hill or near the end of a long race).

Even the leanest athletes have enough fat stores to keep them going for days, but sugar burns off in a matter of minutes.  If your body is used to using fat as an energy source you can get off the sugar roller-coaster ride and cruise for hours.

"So what do you eat or drink when you run?" you ask...

Usually just water.  If it's really hot outside I might add some salt and/or other electrolytes in the form of premade capsules, pink salt crystals, or unsweetened Nuun drink tablets.  Unless you are going for more than an hour, though, you probably don't need any of that.

If my run will last longer than an hour I will take along a nut butter packet or a bag of almonds, but as I've gotten used to going longer and longer distances I find that I often don't even need that until at least the two hour mark.

If I'm running first thing in the morning I don't have anything but coffee before I go.  I used to eat a banana before my runs, and then wonder why I was starving halfway in.  Now I know--my body had already burned through the sugar and was looking for more fuel.  By training myself to run on my own fat reserves I can go quite comfortably for much longer.

If you're not there yet, no worries, but definitely don't get yourself started on the sickening sweet Gu train.  Have a half a banana with nut butter, half a Lara bar, or a couple swigs of a smoothie--just make sure you include some fat and protein with it.  

Whatever you do, don't buy into the notion that you need a sugary Gatorade to get you through your run.  Sure, the electrolytes might be needed, but the sugar (not to mention all the other added chemicals) won't do your body any good and will only add to the hunger and inflammation you'll encounter later.

Happy running, friends!

If you'd like to talk more about your No-Sweet health and athletic goals, I've got you!  I'm a certified Nutrition Coach who will create a simple, customized meal plan for you and coach you through how to implement it into your busy life.  We also talk about all the pitfalls that make it hard, and help you make it the anchor that keeps you healthy, energized, and sane through the whirlwind of your everyday life.

I'd love to talk to you about the program, so book a free consultation with me by clicking the Calendly button. I look forward to talking to you!



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