Add these to your grocery list
Best foods for runners to eat before and after a run
Jan 22, 2019, 7:02 am
Add these to your grocery list
Jovan Abernathy is an international marathoner and owner of Houston Tourism Gym. To claim your free tour, contact her at info@tourismgymhtx.com
I'm looking in my email inbox. One thing is clear (other than I really need to delete some emails), race season is beginning. There is the Hot Chocolate Run, the Bayou City Classic, and Run Like a Diva Marathon. I'm getting totally excited thinking about all the medals I can get. Then, I think about last running season. My habits were pretty sloppy last race season. There is a reason why you haven't seen my finish line picture. My nutrition was shotty. So I went to my friend, Google, and did some research on the best foods for runners. Here is what I found:
As an experienced runner, what you eat before you run is of the utmost importance. It is no fun to run out of steam due to not eating. It is also no fun to eat the wrong thing and get gassy. It is no fun to eat something that makes it hard to move and slows your time down. Once before a long run of 16 miles, I grabbed a plum from my fridge in haste. I forgot that a plum is really a prune. I got what they call runner trots (that's diarrhea) around mile 11. And that's really no fun. So what are the best foods to eat before a run or a race.
Banana
Bananas are full of potassium which help regulate the body's muscle contractions and prevents cramping. It also has enough starch to provide the glucose (where energy comes from) for your run and is easy to digest earning the name Old Fait.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal
If you are in the mid point of training for a half, full marathon, or a spartan race, you will have long strenuous workouts and runs. Oatmeal makes a perfect choice to get you through. Like the banana, it is easy on the stomach and is full of carbohydrates to get you through your workout. It's a wonderful source of protein and because it has a low glycemic index, it provides sustained release of energy thus making sure you finish strong.
NutButter
Nut butters, like peanut, almonds, and cashews are great to eat before and after your run. Nut butters are full of fat and protein making you feel fuller longer. What's cool about that is you can eat less and you won't run the risk of cramping and sluggishness that comes with eating too much. Pair it with Ezekiel Toast (bread made with all the ingredients found at Ezekiel 4:9) to have a light meal made from complete plant protein. And its quick and easy to make. Just add honey to taste.
ProteinShakes
Protein shakes are great to consume before your workout, whether it is running, cross fit, or lifting weights. They are full of protein like the name suggests. If you are on a specific diet, they work well into your daily calories and nutrients. They come in amazing flavors like chocolate chip cookie dough and salted caramel. Chose a plant based protein powder over whey for running. It sustains you without weighing you down and is easy on the stomach. I recommend AdvoGreens Salted Caramel by Advocare.
Eggs
One of the best things ever created was the egg. Eggs are an inexpensive solution to many dietary problems for runners especially. Forget about them being a complete protein, but a little goes a long way. One egg over Ezekiel toast before a run will last until the end. After a run, you can enjoy an omelette to not only fight hunger, but inflammation. Also, eggs are full of Vitamin K which promotes bone health. Let's just say, the egg is awesome!
Some foods are great for runners to add to their overall diet.
Sweet potato
Runners need their carbs. You can't just eat Doritos and think that's going to cut it. Instead try adding sweet potato to your diet. Sweet potatoes are good carbs meaning they don't cause your sugar to spike which is great for runners because you can last a lot longer on the track. They are also full of antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and iron. You can eat them stuffed, in a hash, or baked them as fries with salt and vinegar drizzled on top.
Yogurt
Yogurt is also great for runners as it helps boost your immune system by its many strains of probiotics. Nothing can ruin a training schedule than getting sick over and over again. Yogurt is another great source of protein as well as calcium. It is a very diverse food. You can enjoy it off the spoon, as kefir, or as a smoothie with your favorite fruit. I'm thinking a berry, banana blast with pineapple (pineapple is great for preventing injuries).
Avocado
I can't have enough reasons to eat avocado. Avocados are a runner's best friend. Avocados have as much as 60% more potassium than bananas. Because of their high fat and fiber content, they keep you feeling full for longer. They possess Omega 3 Fatty Acids and other anti-inflammatory properties. This reduces muscle and joint soreness and assists in recovery between workouts. Although amazing by themselves, avocados are great on sandwiches, with eggs, and just about anything.
Legumes
Like eggs, legumes are an inexpensive solution to many dietary problems for runners. They are a complete protein-carbohydrate combination that will give you sustained energy and helps repair your muscles. They are full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals and will fit into a vegan, vegetarian, and a meat eaters diet. Think lentil stew or a bowl of chili to satiate your hunger after a long run. I would wait to enjoy after the run. They could cause gas.
So next time you go to the grocery store, be sure to include these items on your list. Better yet, pick out a couple of recipes to try out.
Stefon Diggs caught two touchdown passes and Joe Mixon rushed for 159 yards and another score Sunday to help the Houston Texans close out a 29-27 victory against the Indianapolis Colts.
Houston (1-0) won its second straight road game in the series for the first time in franchise history and its ninth straight road game in division play.
The Colts (0-1), meanwhile, extended the NFL's longest active opening day winless streak to 11 despite getting two TD passes of more than 50 yards from Anthony Richardson, who also ran for a late score.
He was 9 of 19 with 212 yards and one interception and, ran six times for 56 yards including a 3-yard scoring run with 2:14 left to trim the deficit to 29-27.
The Texans, meanwhile, leaned heavily on Mixon's 30 carries to wear down a defense that spent 40 minutes on the field. Ka'imi Fairbairn also made three field goals from 50 or more yards.
C.J. Stroud, last year's AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, finished 24 of 32 with 234 yards and the two TD passes. Diggs caught six passes for 33 yards and Nico Collins had six catches for 117 yards.
But Houston controlled most of the game.
Just three plays after Fairbairn opened the scoring with a 51-yard field goal, Richardson launched a perfect 60-yard TD pass to a wide-open Alex Pierce for a 7-3 lead.
Fairbairn made a 50-yard field goal before Diggs gave the Texans a 12-7 cushion with his first score, a 9-yard catch. Fairbairn started the second half with another 51-yard field goal.
The Colts then capitalized on a blocked punt with Jonathan Taylor's 5-yard TD run, but a failed 2-point conversion left Indy in a 15-13 hole.
Mixon responded with a 3-yard TD run, one play after a defensive holding call erased a Colts interception.
Richardson connected with Ashton Dulin on a 54-yard score to make it 22-20, Diggs' 2-yard TD catch on fourth-and-goal with 4:42 left essentially sealed it. Richardson's score got the Colts within two, but they didn't try an onside kick and the weary defense couldn't get off the field again.
The first half ended on an unusual note with the officials erasing a spike that stopped the clock with 5 seconds to go so they could review whether Dalton Schultz's 7-yard reception was actually a catch.
After determining it was a catch, referee John Hussey announced the clock would be set to 15 seconds — prompting the Colts to call timeout. Before play resumed, Hussey “apologized for the confusion,” apparently rescinded the timeout, enforced a 10-second runoff for the review to put the clock at 5 seconds and started it on his signal. But the Texans didn't have their field goal team on the field and time expired before the ball was snapped.
“It's on us on the sideline,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We've got to be better.”
Indianapolis installed new turf during the offseason and both teams struggled to stay upright. Stroud slipped on two consecutive plays on the Texans first series and when Colts rookie Adonai Mitchell slipped on a screen pass in the first half, it messed up the timing. And Kylen Granson's bad footing led to Calen Bullock's interception at the Texans 8-yard line late in the first half.
Be sure to watch the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap reacts to the game live on YouTube!
Texans: Host Chicago next Sunday night.
Colts: Visit Green Bay next Sunday.