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Feeding a Marathon Runner or Cooking Healthy with Carbs
 Posted by Michelle Butler Oct 23 2011, 9:34 pm in cooking, eating healthy, exercise, fitness, food, Michelle Butler, Michelle Mondays Last week, we talked about whether carbs could be part of a healthy diet. It may surprise you that after asking that question I was a carb-centric cook this weekend. As I mentioned before, my fabulous boyfriend is running the October 30 Marine Corp Marathon in DC. I wanted to cook him some healthy meals for the week that would set him up for a good run just like I did for his last marathon. They once again needed to be Weight Watchers friendly yet healthy, nutritious, delicious and heavy on the carbs. I made his two favorite items from the last pre-marathon week menu – a lasagna and 4-way chili (aka chili mac). He’s already talking about when his next marathon will be, and I want to find some new menus ideas for food that is Weight Watchers friendly yet healthy, nutritious, delicious and heavy on the carbs. Do you have any suggestions? What meals are good to feed a marathon runner (or other long distance athlete) the week or so before the big event? For that matter, what meals are good to feed him or her after the big event? I’m guessing those would be more protein-focused. In the last few years, I’ve learned a bit about the nutrition needs for various workouts. I remember that was shown dramatically on the Biggest Loser last year when the contestants went to the Olympic Village and saw how various athletes were fed. Certain sports required very different nutritious requirements. What have you learned about sports and nutrition? Has it helped you become a healthier writer and person?
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10 Responses to “Feeding a Marathon Runner or Cooking Healthy with Carbs”Leave a Reply |
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Michelle –
The New York Marathon cookbook has loads of great recipes for runners and their families. For example, an apple crumble or a minestrone soup. Michel Roux also did one a few years back.
My husband ran the Marine Corps about 10 years ago. It is a good marathon with lovely atmosphere.
I thought of you last week when I read The Secrets of A Former Fat Girl by Lisa Delaney. She is the former excutive editor of Health magazine and has kept her weight off for the past 20 years. She was once very large. She did it through jazzercise, running and Weight Watchers. But her book has lots of tips about how you get your head around things. And how you create the conditons to succeed. I found it really useful as I am currently transitioning from God I will never lose the weight, ever to I have lost the weight and now need to tone and maintain. It is a different mind set.
Thanks, Michelle! I don’t know why I never thought about looking for a cookbook for marathon runners. I’ll look into the 2 you suggested. I’ve heard good things about the marine corp marathon. It will be fun to see it close up. I doubt very much I’ll ever be a participant.
Thanks for the other book recommendation. I just looked it up on Amazon and will look into it further. It is quite a journey – and the emotional/mental side may be harder than the physical. Help is always appreciated.
p.s. Michelle – I just bought the NYC marathon runner cookbook online. I look forward to some good recipes and info. on nutrition. Thanks again for the rec.
I’m not very up to date on the nutrition side of running, Michelle, as it’s been years since Keith ran a full marathon and has stopped doing the half-marathons too.
When I was researching my hockey books, one of the fascinating things I learned was the way they ate before a game. A lot of lean protein – grilled chicken breast was a favourite – pasta and vegetables or salad. Plus a lot of ranch dressing to make up for the blandness! If they’re in the middle of a long play-off series and going to extra overtimes, they’ll eat more pasta and even pizza! But generally, not too much fibre which can bloat.
One of the other things is making sure they don’t eat too big a breakfast, especially when it’s an early game.
One of the common things after a game is chocolate milk, believe it or not! Then, a similarly balanced meal of lean protein and carbs with veg/salad.
That is interesting, Anna – especially the chocolate milk! The Washington Post magazine did a feature on the diets of 3 top athletes in DC in the last few years, and one was a defensemen for the Washington Capitals. I do remember he ate a lot (to fuel the workouts) but was struck by how lean the protein was – lots of grilled chicken and fish – and how relatively simple the menu was. Some of that may have been because he was a young, single guy who didn’t have much cooking skill.
The pre-game and post-game food is provided by the team (or by the team they’re visiting), so during the season, they rarely have to cook for themselves.
It is all very simple, I think because it’s easier to digest.
Delicious, delicious carbs!! Too bad we can’t all eat like marathon runners every day!
I think that’s why some athletes who get hurt or stop competing start having so much trouble with their weight – they’re used to eating whatever they want and burning it off with all their intense workouts. I’ve got to make sure I don’t start eating like a marathon runner since I’ve no plans to start running that much.
I love the marathon cookbook idea–I wouldn’t have thought of that, either. And you’ve reminded me to check in with my dh, who also has a big sporting event this upcoming weekend, to see what he wants to eat over the next few days…
A copy of the marathon cookbook is already making its way to my door. I will show it to you the next time you are over. It was published in 1994, and I hope the nutritional advice is still accurate. I know that some conventional wisdom has changed since then.
Good luck to D on his big sporting event!