Do You Pack Snacks to Eat Throughout the Day?

No matter what is on my agenda for the day, my snack schedule is always taken into consideration before leaving the house. Packing snacks to bring to work is essential to ward off hunger pains that come in the mid-morning or homestretch hours between lunch and quitting time.  

Even with a weekend day full of shopping and various errands, I make sure there is always a small bite handy.  Trust me, packing a healthy snack helps avoid poor food choices that occur last minute at the peak of hunger. Healthy snacks between meals can help control hunger which would prevent you from overeating at the end of the day.  I often refer to snacks as “mini meals” because they should be just as balanced as a “regular meal” including: a carbohydrate, protein, and healthy fat.  In fact, a small portion of leftovers can often act as a good pick-me-up during the day. 

Try these packable and portable snack options:

•  Individual bags of trail mix or nuts
• Dry roasted edamame 
• Whole fruit (apple, orange, banana, etc)
• Whole grain crackers and cheese or peanut butter
• Half of a PB&J sandwich on whole wheat bread
• Low sodium beef jerky
• Granola bars with fiber and protein (try to get at least 5g fiber)

For healthy snacks that require refrigeration and would be more ideal for work vs running errands:

•            Yogurt and fresh fruit
•            String cheese and fruit or whole grain crackers
•            Cottage cheese with berries and nuts
•            Hummus and vegetables – carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, celery
•            Half a turkey sandwich – low fat cheese and whole grain bread

Just remember, keeping a snack handy during the day will keep you from binge eating later.

Types of Foods That Fuel Your Body When Training for a Half Marathon

There’s something about setting your sights on 13.1 miles that is exhilarating, nerve racking, yet attainable all at the same time. At least, these were some of my emotions when training for my first half marathon.  Choosing a training program was pretty easy with a little bit of research. However, figuring out what, when, and how to incorporate meals and snacks around training was a bit trickier, but nonetheless possible. Whether you’re running to finish or running for your personal best, maintaining proper nutrition can help you accomplish any goal.

While proper nutrition should be a part of your every day lifestyle, during your 10-15 weeks of training, using proper nutrition guidelines can help you excel. Optimal nutrition both before and after a run will help increase nutrient stores allowing your muscles to repair, become stronger, and increase/sustain energy production.

FYI: training for a half marathon is not the time to cut calories to lose weight because getting enough calories for your body is important during training. It's essential to eat enough during the day to avoid fatigue during your workouts. In addition to daily balanced meals, have a carbohydrate based snack before your run to maintain a source of energy. Here are some ideas of the type of foods you should be eating as well as the time you should consume them.

Pre-run foods

10-15 minutes before a run

o   Whole piece of fruit – orange, apple, grapes, etc

o   Applesauce

o   Pudding

30-60 minutes before a run

o   Cereal – try varieties with quickly absorbed carbs to avoid cramping and bloating

o   Dried dates

o   Greek yogurt with fresh berries

60-90 minutes before a run

o   Hummus and carrots or whole wheat crackers

o   Instant oatmeal – plain is best, sweeten with cinnamon and berries

o   Sweet potatoes

30-60 minute run aim to consume 150 calories

60-90 minute run aim to consume 200-250 calories

90 minute-120 minute run aim to consume 250-300 calories

I do understand that not everyone can handle solid food before a run, so if you are one of those individuals, have a sports drink.

Post run foods

Fueling up after a run is just as important as adequate intake during the day. Consuming a snack, ideally within 30 minutes of our run, helps your body replenish glucose stores. Your post run snack should consist of a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. Chose a snack similar to your pre run snack – whole grains, fruits, etc.

Approaching race day

Two weeks

As race day gets closer, about 2 weeks out, adding more complex carbs to your daily diet helps to build up glycogen stores in your muscles. Whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and vegetables are a good source of complex carbs. Throughout all of your training (and when you’re not training) drinking lots of water is necessary. During long runs, drink water every 20-30 minutes, or as often as needed; especially in the Louisiana heat.

Three days

Three days before the race, your diet should be around 70% carbs. Stick with foods you are familiar with and how your body digests them. These complex carbs will provide your muscles and brain with the fuel needed to get through the race.

Night before

The night before the big day, eat a nutritious meal, continue drinking water, and don’t experiment with anything new. Dinner should consist of whole grains, veggies, and lean protein. If you found complex carbs did not sit well with you during training, having white pasta, rice, etc is okay.

Morning of race day

The morning of race day, eat a healthy breakfast consisting of 400-600 calories of something familiar. Drink water and have a cup of coffee if that’s something you’re use to – the caffeine can help.

Happy training everyone!

How to Train for a Half Marathon

If you’re reading this post more than likely you want to learn how to train for a half marathon. Congrats! You have already taken an exciting first step into achieving this goal. Maybe this is your first, second, or third time racing, nonetheless we are here to guide you along this journey.

Recently I began training for a half marathon that I will be running in a few months, so I’d thought I’d walk through the process for anyone else wanting to learn!

Pre-Training

Let me just start off by saying that if you’re already running a 3 mile for your long runs, then you are in good shape to begin training. However, if you are not able to currently run 3 miles, then you will have to do some pre-training. 

Before you start training you need a good foundation to build upon so you should already be running at least 3 days a week and you should be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping. Aim to make your weekday runs around 30 minutes and your weekend long runs at least 3 miles. From there give yourself about a 15 week time frame for training.

Training: Create a schedule

You should be running 3-4 days a week. On the days that you are not running, incorporate activities such as: strength training, stretching, biking, swimming or participate in a cardio class. The goal is to maintain the cardio, but not to wear your body down by running only.

In addition to running and cardio, it’s important to remember to include at least 1-2 rest days in your schedule. Your body needs to recover so taking those days of rest allows your body to recuperate from one run to the next. Your devoted rest days will be a great time to ice down any soreness. You’ll want to do all of the right things to minimize your chances of injury.  

Every week increase your long run by 1 mile until your running up to 13 to 14 miles for your long runs. However, your longest long run should be about two weeks before your half-marathon. Then in the final weeks leading to your race you should taper off to allow your body to recover from training and therefore be strong on race day.

Stay focused

Building mental endurance is crucial.  It’s easy to be motivated in the beginning phases but it’s another thing to stay motivated every day… especially after a long day at work. Developing the proper attitude and staying motivated is fundamental to crossing the finish line.

Don’t push yourself too hard

Listen to your body. It has a great way of communicating to us when something is not right. If you’re experiencing a pain that has not subsided after a few days, maybe it’s time to dial down and focus on activities that do not aggravate the ache. It’s also vital that you stay hydrated and feed your body with the proper nutrition during this training process. Do good for your body, and your body does good for you.

Final note

Do not try anything new on race day. Stick with what you know and prepare your body for what it needs to complete the race. Put on your headphones and enjoy the run!