In recent years no aspect of sports nutrition has received more coverage than postworkout recovery foods (and drinks). According to many experts, we have a 30- to 60-minute window after finishing a run when the muscles are most receptive to carbohydrates, which are converted to glycogen in our muscles. This stored glycogen acts as fuel for the next workout.
Seems like a good deal. And it’s no doubt helpful if you’re an Ironman triathlete or Olympic marathoner who’s doing the day’s second long training session in four hours. Sound like you?
I didn’t think so. For the rest of us, this glycogen opportunity is more like the drive-through window at your local fast-food joint. It’s just another chance to consume calories we don’t need—a trap, really.
Lose five pounds and you’ll find yourself running better every day. Gain five and you’ll struggle more. That’s why the best postrun drink is a fresh, cooling glass of water. Have a little whole fruit—banana, apple, orange—if you like. Then stop. You’ll get all the glycogen-supplying carbs and protein you need at your next meal in just a couple of hours.
Most of the US adult population gains one to two pounds per year. Runners do much better, by 50 percent, but still gradually gain. Besides looking bad, this midlife weight gain increases your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, knee and hip arthritis, depression, and even cancer.
You might think new runners should lose weight, not gain. And many do. But too many succumb to an insidious “reward” habit. They run several miles, and then, consciously or not, feel that they deserve some tempting, high-calorie foods. When you do this, it’s very easy to eat more calories than you burned while running. Waaaay easy.
Beginning runners in particular must guard against this pitfall. The calorie math is stacked against you. So run, drink water, and wait for your next meal.
Calories do count, both “in” and “out”: Running increases your calorie burn for sure. But often not as much as you might imagine. For example, a 3-mile run burns 100 calories per mile, to use the simplest calculation. (For a far more accurate per-mile calorie-burn estimate, multiply your weight by .75. That is, if you weigh 150 pounds, you burn 112 calories per mile. If you weigh 200, you burn 150 calories per mile.)
So let’s say you weigh 150 pounds and burn 336 calories during a 3-mile run (3 times 112). Then, after your run, you decide to have a blueberry muffin and a low-fat chocolate milk. You’ve heard that low-fat chocolate milk is a good recovery drink. (It is!) The only problem is that the muffin and milk amount to almost 600 calories. That’s practically twice what you burned while running. No wonder the bathroom scale is headed in the wrong direction.
Drink water first (and mostly): The absolute smartest nutrition and weight-loss strategy a beginning runner can follow is to drink water before and after running. Substitute it for what you’re drinking now—soda, milk, fruit juice, even coffee or tea if you are adding sugar and cream to them.
Water is the perfect runner’s drink. It doesn’t mess with your stomach, it doesn’t add calories to your daily count, it doesn’t stain your teeth or promote cavities, and it’s incredibly refreshing and rehydrating.
Focus on fun: We tend to reward ourselves after we do something difficult that requires effort and determination. On the other hand, we don’t compensate in the same way if we’ve had fun, say by frolicking in a water park. So if you can turn your workouts into fun runs, you’ll eat healthier.
This was actually proven by a nutrition study. After a 5K race, researchers asked runners how much they had enjoyed the event. Then the runners were allowed to eat either a healthy oat bar or a not-so-healthy chocolate bar. The runners who had had fun during the race were more likely to select the oat bar. Those who had found the race difficult and fatiguing chose the chocolate bar.
So on your next run, think about what a pleasant time you’re having. Afterward, focus on the fun. After all, you could have been doing something much worse, like giving a speech or reporting for an income tax review. If you think fun, you’re less likely to eat badly.