Last week, Kelly and Madeline commented on how they couldn’t believe I could stomach a full breakfast with dairy before a run. I certainly had never thought twice about it before; I guess I must have an iron stomach because these days I couldn’t imagine running without a full breakfast and a snack(for an example, look at my Food As Fuel page).
Certainly there’s no “one size fits all” food that’s perfect for everyone to eat for a workout. That same question is asked on every nutrition forum I’ve ever perused(yes, people still “peruse” in the twenty-first century) and every time you get a plethora of answers. You might be able to guess some of my favorites:
I love dark chocolate or peanut butter for a snack right before I jolt out the door. And, yes, once I even had another serving of dairy 10 minutes before running. In general, I look for something that fits these 3 qualities:
- Energy
- Filling
- Compact
If you’re in a workout for the long hall(90 minutes, or even 140 on some runs), certainly you want to make sure you aren’t going to be starving half way through. That’s why something with protein and fiber seems like a good choice to me. At the same time, you don’t want to eat too much filling food; the last time I had a banana before a run I was running to the bathroom.
So what’s the answer? Well, there’s still no one sized fit all food. The best you can do is to take suggestions from other and see what works.
After a workout is a little different. There are very good, proven things to strive for. Nutrients are very readily absorbed after a workout, so nutrient-rich food is important. On top of that, you generally want a blend of protein and carbs. A cardio based workout might call for more carbohydrates to replace the glycogen lost. But protein is a good idea for both. My solution? Eat a meal.
I will usually whip up something simple like a one pan wonder. Today in my pan went olive oil, scrambled tofu, onion, and sweet potato.
Delicious!
With a fresh baked sweet potato, because on rest days like today you actually have time to bake potatoes.
And you always need an onion with eggs, just to add that special extra umph.
Is there anything you swear by before or after a workout?
PS. There’s a special ice cream surprise and recipe coming tonight. I can’t wait to share both!
I’m exactly the same…I can’t go for a run, or any other workout for that matter, without eating something beforehand. I’m a swimmer and most of my swim workouts during the summer are in the morning. Before swimming I have to get in a full breakfast or I won’t survive in the pool. My usual pre-workout eats are fruits, with another carb source, and a fat/protein source. For example, today before heading out to swim I had 2 lychee nuts; 3 figs with brown rice, unsweetened almond milk, and a mixture of nuts on top; and the same fig mixture but with grapes. It kept me full and energized throughout the whole workout. My ultimate go to meal before a workout is: 1 banana and a whole wheat english muffin with nut butter and honey on top.
I just have to say that your one pan wonder looks DELICIOUS!
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Yeah, I agree– it definitely differs from person to person, and workout to workout. Sometimes I can’t stomach anything, and other times I can have a whole sandwich, then go out for a run and be fine!
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I workout powered by hot super sweet coffee. And lots of it. I am a jacked up sugary crazy lady and that’s ok, I can lift, run, walk, whatever with the best of em! haha!
Love your post about helping change family/others and showing them a better way or a different way…thats awesome! I will say that for me, with blogging, I feel (or am told that I do it) help other not be so dogmatic in all their thinking on issues from raw to vegan, it’s balance, not dogma.
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I tried to stomach a full breakfast before a long run and it was a complete disaster. If I’m going out for the long haul, I like to eat something easy on my stomach. A NVGB with a little PB might work. Or, like yesterday, a handful of crackers/cereal. Nothing too big! Otherwise I pay the price.
I’m amazed that you can fit all that food and cook it in one pan! My kitchen would be a mess
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I think I’ve got an iron stomach too…sometimes I eat before a workout and sometimes I don’t, but I don’t ever see any change in my energy level except when I’ve gotten little sleep or haven’t properly recovered.
And just to let you know, all your peanut butter pictures are making me crave PB big time. I checked at the grocery store here for it, and all they have is a little jar full of hydrogenated oils for around 6 euro. I think my PB craving will have to wait, haha.
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I am STILL amazed that you can eat dairy pre-run. I always need to eat something too but dairy…no way! I feel like heat makes it curdle in my stomach and then….well you get the idea! haha!
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pre workout/race is always bread/bagel and pb. on race days i always add an apple. or a banana, but usually an apple because it sits better.
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I usually eat apple & almond butter or something of that nature before a run. People say not to eat anything too fibrous, but I think that applies more to people who don’t consume as much fiber as we do in a normal day, haha!
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The only thing I swear by before and after a workout is water
But your dark chocolate looks SO good!!! Also that one pan wonder looks, well, wonderful! I love the big chunks in it!!!
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Love your blog!! I love a nice smoothie after a workout. Before I usually grab a handful of nuts. My body is crazy, and takes ages to digest. So I just need a little bit of something to get me going, then once Im in the mode, nothing else matters!!
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These days I’ve been grooving on a pre-run snack of toast with a Laughing Cow wedge and jam. Yum. Post-workout, I eat breakfast!
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A saw a study that said that milk was one of the best things to drink post-workout. So dairy before a workout doesn’t seem to weird to me at all… except for the 10 mins right before part! If I eat anything less than an hour before I am not feeling at my best.
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