Part 1 of your new diet!

Monday, September 03, 2012 · Mike Davis

You wake up, put on your running gear, brush your teeth, eat something like an English muffin, drink some water and head out the door for a run. Seems like you have covered all the bases required for a great run, right? Maybe not! This past week we had a diet coach speak to my half marathon training group and much of the discussion was on our “diets”. Having trained over 250 runners and witnessed the mind set of many others, I have become an opponent of dieting as opposed to a good diet.

What am I trying to say? What is the difference between dieting and a good diet? Isn’t having something to eat before a run something that is preached from 5K training all the way through marathon training? What exactly should you eat and should it be the same before, after and during a run? All fair questions that are universal with runners and many that are trying to lose weight as well.

First of all I am not a trained nutritionist; I am a certified running coach that studies all aspects of running, fitness and healthy living. In training both men and woman to train for 5Ks all the way up to marathons I work with people of all size and shapes. No more do you see only the long legged skinny runners, but more often than not you see runners that are larger, who are trying to lose some weight through running. So for me, I look at nutrition as being important for multiple reasons when it comes to those I work with. One, I want to help people become more fit. Two, carrying less weight means better running and healthier running. Three, smart choices provide a runner with extra energy and fuel during a run. So you have three good reasons to think about what you choose to eat.

Reason one: Become more fit

Many come to be expressing the desire to run and lose weight. Yes, running will help them lose weight, maybe. My wife says I am a bit too harsh when I say; “Running alone will not help you lose weight!” I am probably a bit too harsh, but my point is that while running is a great part of a life style that helps with weight loss and weight control, a good diet is also part of that life style. Not going on a diet, but instead changing your diet. As I said earlier, I am an opponent of dieting as I feel they attempt to mask poor nutrition choices for only a designated period of time. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great programs out there that help people get their weight down, however I prefer that people look at what they eat and make educated choices that become “their diet”. Going to a weight loss program usually means cutting down on calories, eating certain special foods or cutting out certain foods. Not necessarily bad ideas, but in many cases, isn’t something that is maintained long term. My advice is to consider healthy choices that become a life style for you and one that benefits other facets of your life.

Many have heard of the “glycemic index”, but may not understand its value to them. Without going into the science of glycemic, I will tell you that low is good and high is not. High glycemic items tend to be those that have greater sugar (glucose and sucrose), or turn to sugar in our bodies. So even some fruits are high on the glycemic index as well as some vegetables such as Sweetcorn and potatoes. High glycemic means sugar which turns to fat as it processes through our systems. Every feel like you are always tired? High glycemic foods break down in our blood faster leaving us void of stored glycogen (energy). So not only are we essentially ingesting calories that become sugar, but we are zapping ourselves of energy that might impact the idea of working out. The low side of the glycemic index consists of fruits such as apples, cherries, grapefruit or dairy products like milk and yogurt. Whereas the high glycemic items breakdown faster in your blood system, the low ones breakdown slower providing more lasting glycogen (energy). Low glycemic doesn’t have the sugar so you don’t take on those calories that eventually turn to fat. Great for helping to bring down your weight and have energy!!

My next post will be part 2 of your diet.