If you are a runner

[Needmorewine]

What do you eat ? I’m trying to shift about a stone but rather than focusing solely on diet like I’ve done before I’m trying a whole new mindset. I love running and want to get my time down and know this will be easier if I can shift the last stone of baby weight. At the moment I’m averaging about 4-5 runs a week generally a 10.20 minutes / mile
Pace. I’m losing weight steadily but Pre preg I was about 9.30 minute mile pace which I want to get back to / improve on !!! I was just wondering those of you who have lost weight through running and diet what sort of thing you had to ensure the right nutrition for improving running time . Low carb means I struggle to find the energy to run and I can just never sustain it past the first couple of weeks.

...worthwhile noting that low carb diets have been in the press recently for not being healthy for the vast majority of people. Too little fibre, too few whole grains, too much saturated fat, too much animal produce, and most often unsustainable for both the person doing the diet, and the planet. Curiously, this is never discussed on Mumsnet.

I don’t ever do low carb but I tend to put limitations on it. Eg I’ll weigh out the pasta before I cook it, rather than just dump it in the water, same with rice etc- it always gets measured out. It’s easy to make portions too large, so if you measure out the carbs and protein, then it’s easier to bulk a meal/plate out with vegetables. I eat very little sugar too- chocolate is usually a couple of squares of dark chocolate at most, and I’d find a bowl of sultana bran way too sweet! If you drastically reduced uneccesary sugar rather than eliminating carbs, you might notice a difference.

At your pace and mileage, you definitely don’t need to be adding extra food. Just keep on with the running and regular healthy meals. Fasted running is good for fat burning, but be aware it doesn’t work for everyone and the usual running advice is not to do it more than once a week. I can’t do it as it makes me puke...must be a genetic thing as my son is the same!

At weekends I run first thing and don't eat beforehand.

Weekdays I run in my lunch break.

Week day menu looks like:
B: yoghurt and granola or porridge or a croissant

L: lentil curry and rice or salad or hot chicken wrap plus chocolate bar and coffee

S: poached egg on toast plus chocolate or beans on toast or soup

Snacks: apple, Wotaits, couple of biscuits

Run for your health and don’t overeat. Eat as wholesome as you can without adding unnecessary fat and suger. Job done 😀

I’ve run for years, never been on a diet but don’t overindulge on a regular basis. Still 8 stone in my 50s. Running is the quickest and simplest way to health and ideal weight in my experience

If you want to improve your time try your local park run on a Saturday Morning .