What I eat before a workout and some tangents.

My food of choice before a workout is much like yours – complicated. It just depends on what I’m doing, when I’m working out, am I running or cross training, how long has it been since I ate, etc. There’s just no easy answer.

Snack today – half of a Dove milk chocolate bar. Healthy, no. Delicious, yes!

I do not understand those Olsen twins. That looks like the most uncomfortable thing ever. I hate it when I have to run more than a few steps when I’m in jeans. Its terrible, yet somehow, her outfit seems worse.

I currently cannot use my left foot. Some muscle in there decided to give out and I can’t actually lift my foot up. It will point just fine. Always a good thing when you have a marathon in less than a week! :)

I don’t like to eat before an early morning run either, although lately I’ve been having a little coffee which has been helping with energy levels a ton. Otherwise, oatmeal seems to be the best thing to eat for breakfast if I have some time to digest. It’s a tricky balance!

Ashley Olsen – Why would you run in that? So strange.

Tangent – I’ve been trying for a decade to get my husband to wear casual shoes instead of just running shoes all the time (not that I don’t love kickin’ around in my sneakers, but sometimes you need a medium between that and being dressed up.) His answer was always that he wouldn’t because what if he suddenly needed to run somewhere? Well, last month he was driving down the road and saw someone on his bike, that he didn’t yet know had been stolen right out of our garage the night before, but it’s a pretty distinctive bike. Anyway, since he was wearing his running shoes he was able to chase after the guy. No, he didn’t catch him, but one of his cycling team buddies drove past my husband running after the guy and followed him in the car as far as he could and later saw the guy walking down the street. My husband was able to recover his bike because they had a great idea of where the thief abandoned it.

I’ll never be able to get him to wear casual, non running, shoes. (Though I’m really glad he got his bike back! We have more $$ in bikes in our garage than in cars!)

If I run in the early morning I usually don’t eat more than a banana, like you, if anything at all. On long run weekends I always eat at least a banana, but occasionally a piece of toast or oatmeal. Sometimes I’m nervous before runs, and I can’t handle anything more than that.

I can’t believe she is running in the shirt! Haha, I just think if I had her money, I’d be running in Lululemon EVERYDAY!

Tangent – I’m considering buying one of the Jillian Michael’s DVDs to work on getting my belly toned. Thoughts?! I know you used to do her workouts a lot. I’m a little worried they’ll be WAY too hard and I’ll get discouraged.

Tangent: I was in the office kitchen with another employee, mentioned that the boss had brought in donuts and there were still some on my desk. She was heating up her lunch – eating late at 200 – at said that should felt she should eat lunch before having dessert. I told you, “You’re an adult.” She thought for a sec, and said “You’re totally right, I’m having a donut before lunch.”

I can’t eat before I run. Even before a half I force myself to drink about a third of a protein shake and that’s all I can handle. I should try something during a long run, but am too afraid! :)

Tangent- I convinced my family to go cheer on a friend at the finish line of the Marine Corps Marathon yesterday and it was awesome! We were in the last half mile, which is uphill, and it was amazing to watch how determined those runners are!

I never eat before I workout at 5am. It’s hard enough getting up early just to workout. There’s no way my brain could process getting up even earlier to eat. I need sleep more than fuel. If I’m working out later aka 7 or 8, then I have scrambled eggs white on eziekel english muffin with tons of sriarcha. I just discovered them and they are holly yum!

Love the quote. It sort of describes my life this year. After a very bad string of relationships that didn’t work out and my finally coming to terms with the fact that I might not get to fall in love again (first love died of cancer many years ago) I met someone earlier this year and slowly things fell into place. I can see so clearly why the others didn’t work out. They fell apart so that the right situation could fall together. :) #overthemoon

I didn’t workout today but I usually have a dry waffle or toast with butter before a run.
My snack today was a delicious cupcake. We celebrated my birthday at the office. :)

If I am with it enough in the morning before an early workout then I will have a banana. That’s about it. I will try to have a nice dose of carbs + protein afterwards. Side note: what is up with the Olsen twins? Who would run in that? I agree with you…. chafe city.

I used to hate having digesting food in my stomach when working out. I could not eat within an hour or so of working out. This past week, though, I’ve started a low-volume, high-intensity rowing plan and just eat whatever, whenever. It’s still too new to know what will work best.

Anything small and carb-y is perfect before most runs for me!
My snack today was a honey crisp apple and some pineapple. So delicious.

Usually toast and almond butter before a run for me, but lately I have been thinking about making the switch back to just coffee before the run and eating breakfast after, because I have been eating 2 breakfasts lately and I don’t think it’s really the best thing. Eh.

Chickfila cookies are THE BEST chocolate chip cookie in my opinion!!

If I’m doing a training run longer than 18 miles I’ll have a banana before hand. Of course if it’s a marathon then it’s a different story. But most I workout at 5a and like you and most of the other girls I can barely function or get out the door. Food is the last thing on my mind.

baking candy corn and white chip cookies tonight. I can’t wait!

Bananas are my favorite pre run food. If I am doing an easy run I usually don’t eat anything. Longer runs and harder runs usually a banana or sometimes a honey stinger waffle. I’ve also been trying eggs before my long run and that’s gone well so far! My morning snack today was a pear and afternoon snack was trail mix (almonds, cashews, and raisins). I have been eating sweet potatoes for almost every meal lately!

I’m glad I’m not the only one on a candle kick. Just stocked up at Bath &Body Works. My absolute fave…. Toasted Marshmallow from Bath & Body Works. Go get one now. Then go back the next day and get 6 more because it’s seasonal and you’ll burn through them even before Christmas arrives.

Snack today was string cheese, an apple and some almonds. I have been so hungry since yesterday’s marathon but also so tired. Basically just grabbing whatever I can and shoveling it in. Also I wake up so hungry, I always have to eat something like as soon as I get up. Funnily, this early morning hunger disappears during taper/ recovery?! who’d have thought haha.

I think adidas makes the MOST comfortable running shorts. They are light and loose in the legs but stay fitted in the waist. LOVE em.

Love Brooke’s sweatshirt. Wish I could have it in adult size!

I am in a total minority in that I always eat before I work out — no matter what workout — and it’s kind of a lot: 2 eggs, toast, apple, banana, coffee w/ a cup of almond milk! And then I go running, walking, swimming, cycling or whatever. I guess I just have just trained my body to be able to handle it because there is no way I could go without any fuel.

You should see me on days I have to do a fasting blood draw. I am kind of a baby about it….

I have no words for that picture of her running in a button down shirt….
(???)

my snack today was dried mango from trader joe’s– SO GOOD.

I usually eat a banana or 2 when i run in the morning… or nothing at all if it’s a short run like 3-4 miles. sometimes nothing at all if it’s 10 miles, but always try for a couple bananas before a long run. if it’s in the evening, i try to stick with as much fruit as a i can throughout the day as the i don’t want anything heavy in my stomach when i run. Smoothies are probably my favorite post-run snack/meal for sure!! :)

my snack today was banana-strawberry-beet smoothie :)

I don’t normally eat before I run (so worried about having tummy issues and needing a bathroom). I’ve only done 1 half so far ( and I didn’t eat before that race either). Once I start gearing up to my full marathon training I will have to try and test different fuel strategies.

Tangent: The highlight of my daughter’s week is when we get Chick-fil-A for an after school snack….I think she might be addicted….which makes me her dealer doesn’t it? It’s soooooo good though!

Lately I have been drinking coconut water on my early morning runs. It’s my new secret weapon. For my long runs, I’ve been eating Applegate hot dogs – it sounds so gross now that I typed it out!

It took years for me to be able to eat before running. Now I like to have oatmeal with fruit, nuts, and a dash of Greek yogurt before a long run. Otherwise, I usually do a banana with almond butter or a piece of toast. For ridiculously early runs I have either a banana or clif bar on my way out the door.

Chick fil a cookies are hands down the best ever. On valentines day they give one to every customer for free…so be prepared for that!

I do the same thing with food before running. Seems to work and I love coming home and making a big breakfast!

I usually do a 4am boot camp, so no food before that! If I’m working out at 8am or later, I will do something light (banana) beforehand. Otherwise, I eat a full breakfast within an hour of finishing my workout.

I had a frozen banana and a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin for a snack.

I don’t necessarily remember the most uncomfortable thing I’ve run in, but I do remember that time that my underwear chafed me. Oy.

I usually eat a little of my homemade granola with some milk before my long runs, plus a few sips of coffee. Its been working so well for my training that I think on race day (3 weeks till half marathon!) I’ll eat it too just so I don’t jinx myself ;-)

Most uncomfortable thing I have worn while running were those very popular Soffee shorts while running HS Cross Country – what was I thinking? Chafe city.

Tangent: I work as a Product Development Chemist (sounds fancy but it really isn’t). I was in a coworker’s lab and chit chatting about our new sample request process for customers, when another coworker walks in with a CHOCOLATE-CHOCOLATE cupcake. That’s chocolate cake WITH chocolate icing. Literally, mid sentence about the sample request process I run out of the lab to snatch a cupcake. When I get there there are 4 cup cakes – yellow with LIGHT BLUE icing. I literally gagged and turned down the cupcakes. I DON’T do colored icing – its weird. Seeing that blue literally ended my cupcake craving. Silver lining: I saved 300+ calories :D

Have a great day Janae!

Like you-it really depends on what time of day it is. Bananas are always a good option though!
My snack was apple cobbler! Not very nutritious, but it’s good apples, right?
I used to run in cotton shirts and shorts. Chafing all over and so much sweat!
Random tangent: When I have children, I hope they are half as fashionable as Brooke is. She’s gonna have to start her own fashion blog!

Well…I wake up hungry pretty much 100% of the time. But I don’t eat unless I know that it’s going to be a long run or workout. If that is the case, I usually eat either a banana smothered in almond butter or a toasted waffle almond butter sandwich (for REALLY long runs)

Any tangents to share?
I’m on day three of a rest week. I’ve ran 3 marathons + 1 half in just over four weeks. This was the end of a pretty intense racing season (for me). My husband pretty much demanded that I take a week off all exercise….I think he just wanted more happy hour dates….but I’m going a little crazy to be honest. I watched over an hour of trail running videos and I want to lace up! BUT….I know this is good for me yada yada yada :)

Brooke is adorable – seriously, her braids and the baking … ugh, my heart is melting <3 (Just like the choco chips in your pancakes ;) )