Be careful, because what I have said so far about nutrition may make you think that you can eat more than usual.
Really, it is just a smarter way to eat to fuel your body, but should not affect your total calorie intake much. If you are content with your weight, you should eat between 100 and 150 calories more for every mile that you run on top of what you normally would eat to maintain weight without those miles. If you want to lose weight, know that you lose about 1 pound for every 3,500 calories you save (from diet or exercise). If you want to lose 1 pound per week, and you maintain your pre-running diet, you need to run about 25-30 miles per week.
Running is great for helping maintain weight loss, but running itself doesn't make the pounds come off - because you will be hungrier when you are burning more energy. You may have heard on the news recently that studies have shown that exercise is great for maintaining weight: women who exercise regularly are more likely not to put on "aging pounds," but...it is not a guarantee for weight loss. Diet has to be involved as well. The best thing to do if you want to lose weight is to follow the guidelines for running and eating that I discussed before.
If you cut out empty calories in your diet from sugar and saturated fats (especially sugary drinks and candy, and saturated fats like margarine and fried food), your energy level will remain high and you might achieve a net calorie deficit....and that is what weight loss is all about. These are just some tips on nutrition that you can take for what they are worth. I know that I still indulge in some sugary and fattening foods. I mean, Katie is an amazing cook, and it would be a shame to pass up her raspberry pie, banana bread, chocolate cake, cinnamon scones, or anything else she whips up - but I also make sure that I have a good balance and don't over-indulge too much. So, eat sensibly, get the fuel your body needs, understand nutrition and the principles of weight loss, and you will feel better and more energized and ready to run.
God has blessed us with bodies that are able to do amazing things, so lets take care of them with a healthy diet and exercise!
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New for 2010! Running and fitness tips from elite athlete and Bright Hope supporter Chad Ware.
How Does All of This Affect My Weight?
Chad Ware - Monday, May 03, 2010
Coordinating Eating & Running
Chad Ware - Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Every person is different and can handle food differently, but in case you have had some nutritional or intestinal difficulty with running in the past, or are worried that you might, I have learned some things that increase my chances for a strong, comfortable run.
If you are a morning runner, you have it best - at least as far as food goes. Have a banana, half of a bagel, or half of an energy bar and a small glass of water or orange juice 10-15 minutes before you run and you should be good. Then come back and have a full meal within two hours after your run. Make sure to get some protein in the post-run meal - it makes for happy muscles.
If you run at other times of the day, be careful how much you are eating throughout the day. If you are going to have a big meal of 600 calories or more for breakfast or lunch, make sure that you give your body plenty of time (at least 4 hours) to digest. Otherwise, make sure you have 1 hour to digest for every 150 calories you consume (e.g. 2 hours if you eat a 300 calorie bagel or bowl of oatmeal). Try to leave the more inflammatory foods (the usual culprits like spicy food, but also the high fiber stuff) until after you run. If you are going to have a big meal, try to leave it until after you run, also.
The other side can be even worse. If you don't get enough energy, your run will suffer also. You have to fuel your run with good food, which I will discuss in my next entry. All of this goes with planning out the time of day that you run, as discussed in a previous entry. Don't just plan when you run, but plan what you eat before you run, and your body will thank you later.
Running Nutrition
Chad Ware - Monday, April 26, 2010
What kind of foods are the best sources of energy for a runner that also allows you to run with the least food-related discomfort?
This is my own carefully-phrased question because my biggest problem is not the energy portion, it is the running comfortably portion.
My next couple entries are going to be about nutrition from a runner's perspective. I am not a nutritionist, but I do know a fair amount about what a runner should be putting into their body based on my own positive and negative experiences. What works for me might not work for you, but it will at least give you a frame of reference and something to think about.
Ever since I started running about 9 years ago, food and I have had a love/hate relationship. I love it going in, and the energy I receive from it, but I hate the way some foods can affect me in the middle of a run. I have learned that I have to avoid some very healthy foods, especially before a big workout or race, because my body does not handle them well. Foods like: apples, lettuce, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and anything high in fiber is on the *do not eat* list for me the day before a fast-paced workout or race. I still love to eat the foods that I listed, I just make sure that I do it in moderation and not before a race. This might be something to consider the day before the Run for Hungry Children. Fiber is good most of the time, but you might want to lay off the bowl full of raw broccoli on May 14 and have a light pasta meal instead!
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