Food Intake and Running

by Ro Moore
(New Zealand)

I leave for work at 0645, and have breakfast about 0620, usually fruit and yoghurt. A sandwich at about 1000 and then I run in my lunch break, and eat again (Fruit and yoghurt) about 1500. Usual meat and veg dinner at about 1800.

So far I have lost no weight, and sometimes running at lunch time seems really hard, as if I have no energy. Am I eating enough at the right times, or is there a better way to do this?

Answer by Dominique:

Hi Ro,
Thanks for your question about food intake and running. I am not going to claim to be an expert on this.

My usual advice for people wanting to lose weight is run and eat healthy, which is what you appear to be doing.

If you feel without energy at lunch time then this could be a function of a low carbohydrates intake. I understand that you want to restrict your carbs if you have weight loss goals, but carbs do give you energy for running. Runners do need them.

With the weight loss: despite the described healthy lifestyle, you need to see how you can break through the status quo. That means eat less or exercise more.

What's that expression? It's simple, but not easy, or something like that?

Not sure if the answer is in the food intake. Unless you are eating big tubs of yoghurt or that sandwich has got 12 layers, I am not sure how much you can take out of your diet, given you are already feeling depleted when you run.

My concern is that you are not eating enough. More or less putting your body into starvation mode. And as a result, it is hanging on to every little gram of you. If anything I'd recommend eating a bit more to get your metabolism fired up.

I am not sure how much running you get to do at lunch time. I know from experience that those lunch time runs are usually too short because you have got to shower, get dressed, get back to work etc.

You may want to see if you can lengthen those runs a bit or get some cross-training in a few nights a week, e.g. get some weights and do some weight training in the comfort of your own home or do body weight exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, star jumps etc.

That may help getting that metabolism going at night time.

For more running and weight loss info check out Running for Weight Loss.

Hope this helps a bit.
Kind regards,
Dominique