Eating before you go for a run or exercise is a mandate. You don't want to starve or stuff yourself. It's best to eat 30 minutes before you go running. Know 3 foods to have and avoid just before you go running.
Half victory is already won when you start your day with exercise. Yes, running is super fun and extremely healthy but one question that is often asked is, if we should consume food before running. One, we grow up with the notion that it causes stomach ache and two, we think it will not help in weight loss- sadly, you are wrong. Eating before you go for a run is a must. Remember that you don’t want to starve or stuff yourself while you go to run so, it’s best to eat 30 minutes before you go to run. Here is what you should eat:
1- Dairy products: Smoothies, Greek yogurt or a glass of milk will do wonders. Just bring on your blender, add fruits, milk and blend it to make a thick smoothie. Trust us, it is as yummy as it reads!2- Low-fibre fruits and veggies: This one is a personal favourite- have zucchini, tomatoes or grapes. Anything that’s low on fibre and rich source of energy.
3- Refined carbs: You can have processed white foods like regular pasta or white rice or even plain bagels or bread before you run. One good idea is to have plain bagel with some peanut butter. Don’t forget to have a glass of water before you run. Although processed foods are not as healthy as unprocessed foods, they are easier to be broken down by your stomach.
While we strongly advocate that running on an empty stomach is a bad choice, here are 3 things you must avoid:
1- High-fibre foods: Eliminate whole-grain foods, vegetables, legumes and fruits that are high on fibre as they may cause stomach issues if you are up for a long run.
2- High-fat foods: Foods that are filled with lot of fats like fried foods, cheese, hamburgers take longer to be digested and will make you feel heavier. So avoid these before you head out to run or exercise in general.
3- Caffeine: This is a tricky one. While yes, most of us can barely open our eyes without a coffee, it is not the best food choice if you want to go for a run. It causes stomach issues or diarrhea in case it is consumed before running.
In all, make sure you head out after drinking a glass or two of water and some nutritious pre-run meal. Starving yourself before running will make little or no sense because you are low on energy and totally uncharged.