Q: I've read various articles about good recovery foods to eat after running, but how important is this? I usually eat breakfast, then head out on my morning run, and don't eat again until lunch several hours later. Is that okay?
It really depends on the adequacy of your breakfast and the intensity or duration of your run. If you are eating a good balanced breakfast before your run that provides you adequate carbohydrates, protein, and calories, and going on an easy 30 minute run, then you might be fine until lunch time. But if you are going on a more intense run closer to one hour, it is more important to have a snack within an hour after your run to allow your body to optimally refuel and recover. After running for an hour, your
body will have burned the equivalent amount of calories (500 to 600) in a typical breakfast, and you need more calories to get you through the rest of the morning, especially since most of the energy we burn while running comes from glucose, and is the same energy source our brains depend on. Having a morning snack with carbohydrates and protein will give you more sustained energy throughout your day, and if you eat a snack during the first hour after a run, your body is more effective in utilizing the
carbohydrates and protein in food that help refuel and rebuild your muscles, allowing you to recover more quickly after a run. Some tasty and simple morning post-run snacks that contain carbohydrates and protein include a slice of whole grain toast and nut butter, yogurt with fruit, or a granola bar with seeds or nuts. If you have a hard time eating a snack in the mid-morning, you could also go for a glass of milk (soy and rice milk are okay too!), which gives you the added benefit of hydration.
Shauna Pirotin is a registered dietitian, runner, and a member of the LMJS women's racing team. She looks forward to hearing your questions on nutrition and fueling!
