Hello Runner,
Welcome back to your weekly moment of endurance nutrition!
Happy Weekend!
How are you today?
I'm fine!
This week I traveled to Vigo (Galicia) to visit family and relax. It’ll only be a week away from Barcelona, but it’s better than nothing.
This time, I got all my work done ahead of time and allowed myself not to bring my laptop. It’s rare for me to travel without my MacBook, but this trip deserved it.
Here, I’ve been spending my days relaxing, sleeping in, eating all kinds of food, walking a lot, and breathing in the fresh air from the Atlantic. A real gift during my birthday week.
This week I turned another year older and am getting closer to 40. While that’s a little scary, I feel good and happy with myself. And that’s what matters most to me.
Today I won’t be discussing a specific topic, but I’d like to share a very common complaint encountered in clinical practice in the form of a case study.
This happened to one of my clients, but it’s something I encounter frequently in my practice.
For privacy reasons, some data will not be shared; only the information necessary for analyzing the case will be provided.
A while back, a client came to me complaining of constant food noise, commented that she sometimes raided the pantry looking for foods high in carbohydrates or fats, and worried that she was eating too much.
Details
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Job: Marketing Exec.
Trains: 3 times per week, AM
Goal: Valencia Half-marathon 2025
Typical day of eating
Pre-exercise → A glass of water + espresso (40ml)
Post-exercise → Low-fat Greek yogurt or protein-rich yogurt + oats + berries + chia seeds
Lunch → Salad + grilled chicken breast + roasted veggies
Snack → A piece of fruit or a handful of nuts
Dinner → Lean protein + stir-fry veggies + one small boiled potato
Sweet treat → sometimes chocolate 1 hour after dinner.
Mid runs → Sometimes an energy gel (20 g of carbs) during long workouts (> 60 minutes).
My Analysis
Underfuled
Constant food noise is a sign of low energy availability. It’s your body trying to drive you to eat more, and it’s also called mental hunger. The fear around overeating will also be contributing to this.
Three Things I spotted
1- Training on an empty stomach
2- Very low carbohydrate across the day and minimal fats
3- Heavy focus on protein at the sacrifice os other macronutrients
What I changed
Meal | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
Pre-exercise | nothing | Half a banana, a toast with jam, cake rice with honey, dates, orange juice I explained she needed to eat something before running because this would help to reduce food noise later in the day and help her body to keep up with energy during the runs. |
Post-exercise | Low-fat Greek yogurt or protein-rich yogurt + oats + berries + chia seeds | Greek yogurt + honey + granola + chía seed + berries or other fruits I swapped the low-fat Greek yogurt for regular Greek yogurt to add more fat, added honey and granola to add more carbohydrates, and offered other fruit options besides just berries. |
Lunch | Salad + grilled chicken breast + roasted veggies | Salad + grilled chicken breast + soba noodles or regular pasta + roasted veggies + citrus fruit as dessert I added pasta to boost the carbohydrate content and a citrus fruit for dessert to help with iron absorption. In addition to the pasta (which can be mixed into the salad), I offered the option of rice or couscous. |
Snack | A piece of fruit or a handful of nuts | A piece of fruit + a handful of nuts + edamame or cottage cheese or protein bar I suggested eating fruit and nuts and adding a source of protein to make it a complete and balanced snack that would keep her feeling full until dinnertime. |
Dinner | Lean protein + stir-fry veggies + one small boiled potato | Lean protein + stir-fry veggies + one medium/big boiled potato or rice or noodles or sweet potato + kiwi or a citrus fruit I suggested increasing the portion size of the potatoes or swapping them out for another source of carbohydrates. I explained that the dinner she eats the night before her training days needs to include a good amount of carbohydrates to provide the energy she needs for her run. Kiwi fruit here helps with sleep and iron absorption. |
Sweet treat | sometimes chocolate 1 hour after dinner | chocolate + banana or another fruit (apple, orange, grapes) + a bit of peanut butter I explained to her that chocolate is fine, but that it would be best to add some fruit and a little peanut butter to make it more balanced and provide more nutrients. |
Mid runs | Sometimes an energy gel (20 g of carbs) during long runs (> 60 minutes) | An energy gel during long runs (> 60 minutes) and, after the 60-minute mark, one more gel every 20 minutes. I explained to her the importance of fueling during a run and added more gels depending on the duration of her training. That way, we train her gut to handle larger amounts of carbohydrates and avoid hitting the wall during the half marathon. I also suggested other options for her to try besides gels. |
The client began gradually incorporating the changes and suggestions into her daily routine. She started by drinking a glass of orange juice before running and, over time, moved on to toast with banana and honey, as well as other carb sources.
The same thing happened with her other meals. The changes were made gradually so she could get used to them and not give up halfway through.
Over time, everything improved, from her food cravings to her lack of energy, her snacking binges, and, consequently, her performance.
In her case, patience and 100% personalized care were the key to achieving her goal of successfully completing the training cycle and running the half marathon in her desired time.
Remember, what works for one person may not work for another, and everybody has their own needs.
Product of the Week
This week's Product of the Week is the Alpro Blueberry Plant-Based Yogurt
This is my favorite plant-based yogurt.
I don't buy it all the time, but every once in a while. It tastes delicious and isn't overly sweet.
I think it's perfect for eating just with granola or oatmeal.
I know it comes in other flavors, but this one is still my favorite.
Since it's made by Alpro, it should be available in countries other than Spain.
Track of the Week 🎧️
This week's Track of the Week is a song I hadn't heard before from Disclosure. I loved the beat for running. It seems to give me more energy.
I’ve chosen She’s Gone, Dance On by Disclosure
Any questions or something you would like to share? Drop me an email
Wishing you a great weekend and week ahead!
Here’s to health and good runs⚡️
Ana Paula Alonso