Hello Runner,
Welcome back to your weekly moment of endurance nutrition!
Happy Weekend!
How are you today?
I’m doing great! My week flew by with lots going on. Some things weren’t so great, but others were really wonderful!
When it comes to bad news and setbacks, I usually think that when something doesn’t work out, it’s because something much better is on its way.
As for the good news, this week I saw the Pope up close. I never imagined I’d get to see him in person. I’m Catholic, and I go to church fairly often. For me, it was a very emotional moment filled with gratitude I can’t even explain.
Just as I always encourage everyone to take care of their physical health, I also encourage everyone to take care of their spiritual side. And when I say spiritual, I’m not talking about religion. Regardless of what you believe in or follow, take care of your spiritual well-being.
Today I want to talk about the hacks we read and see everywhere, but that don’t actually work for runners. Some of these hacks can even hurt your workouts, performance, recovery, and so on.
One thing you should keep in mind when reading posts on social media or the internet in general is whether that information applies to you or not.
It might seem like a silly observation on my part, but the number of people I see who don’t pay attention to the type of information and don’t consider whether it’s relevant to them is HUGE.
There are many cool and useful hacks for all kinds of audiences. But the most important thing is that you, as a runner, know how to identify the ones that will benefit you and the ones that will harm you.
I’ve listed some of the most famous ones that aren’t great and that you should be careful of.
Hacks that don’t work for runners
→ Chia seeds cleanse
Fiber is great for everyone, including runners. But as a runner, you have to be strategic about when you eat it, and there are better ways to meet your fiber goal without having to stuff yourself in the morning just to “cleanse” your system or poop.
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→ 10,000 steps a day
Time spent on feet is time spent on feet. Whether you’re training hard or in the midst of a marathon training cycle and trying to hit 10,000 steps a day, you’re reducing your ability to recover and repair. Reducing your step count has a huge positive impact on performance.
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→ Intermittent fasting
Counterproductive. No substantial evidence that supports this as beneficial for any runner. Fasting reduces eating opportunities and results in poor training and recovery outcomes.
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→ High protein everything
Protein isn't the most important thing on your plate. You need all the macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat), but when you sacrifice carbs for protein, your running (and your body) are going to suffer.
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→ Gluten free just incase
Unless you have a genuine gluten sensibility/intollerance or suffer from celiac disease, cutting things out of your diet will be detrimental in the long term. If that is also reducing the ease of carbohydrate consumption, you’re holding a double-edged sword. “Gluten-free” has historically been a diet culture carb aversion.
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→ Drinking 3L of water
A set amount of fluid per day is not how your body operates, so prescribing yourself a dose is equally nonsense. This number could be far higher or lower each day depending on the environment, workload, hormones, etc. Sipping, drinking to thirst, and keeping a bottle handy is the best way.
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→ Low carb
Your body loves carbohydrates. It is the most efficient source of energy, and it is far preferred.
You can be eating enough in total and have low carbohydrate availability, which is hurting your running and the way you feel!
99% of the individuals I’ve worked with were eating only half the amount of carbohydrates they should have been when they first came to me.
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→ 8 hours of sleep
The more you run, the more you need to sleep. That recommendation of 8 hours of sleep per day is for the general population, not for runners.
In my previous email, I mentioned that sleep is the main source of recovery for every runner. So don’t limit your rest—allow yourself some extra sleep whenever you can.
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I’m sure you’ve been shocked by one or two of them, or maybe even more.
Before I dove deeper into learning about nutrition for endurance sports, what shocked me most was the advice on sleep and hydration. And as a runner, I experienced firsthand that these hacks make absolutely no sense.
Have you come across any hacks that left you wondering whether they actually make sense? If so, send me an email, I read everything and will get back to you!
Product of the Week
This week's Product of the Week is the Be levels Omega-3.
I found this omega-3 supplement really interesting because it contains a good amount of EPA and DHA.
Plus, this product has purity seals certifying that it’s free of heavy metals.
A great option for anyone who runs every day or competes in triathlons.
The brand also ships outside of Spain.
Track of the Week 🎧️
This week's Track of the Week is a new song I heard this week, and I thought it had a real summery vibe. It’s got a great beat to keep you moving while you run.
I’ve chosen Ti Vedo by LUCA SKETTI
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