Tuesday TTRS ~ Hydration + Eating: Healthfully and Responsibly

The Complete Runner's Day-by-Day Log/2010 Calendar Training Tip:

"If cramping is a persistent problem, you are probably underhydrated. Start drinking water two hours prior to your workout."

Training Topic:  Eating and Running 

I think about food.   A lot.

As a diabetic.   As a runner.   As a foodie.

Each identity offers a different perspective, yet  each is equally important:   Health.  Fitness.  Life.  

As a diabetic, food is the tool to maintain sugar levels, keeping me healthy, required on a regular schedule, in proportionate amounts, with attention to make-up of carbs, proteins, and fats.

As a runner, food is the tool to maintain energy levels and provide fuel, keeping me fit, built around the running schedule, in proportionate amounts, with attention to make-up of carbs, proteins, and fats.

As a foodie, food is art.  Real food, not the processed "food-ish" products that the U.S. mass produces, is extraordinary with  color, texture, and flavor.  It contains all the things our body needs.  It is life.  It is culture.  (Shop farmers' markets...awesome!!!)

In the current issue of two favorite running mags, there's a feature article on nutrition's role in running.  Each offers food suggestions to enhance our running, which got me to thinking:  How strictly do 'non-elite'  runners adhere to nutrition?

Some days are more successful than others when it comes to eating, which shows in the extra 10 pounds and my not-as-lean-as-it-could-be frame.  :)  Being over 40 doesn't help either.  Gravity.  I'd like to be as lean as an athlete, but I'm just not there yet(?).  More miles? Less calories?  More weight training? Stricter adherence?  All of the above?  Hmmm.... (I'm not obsessive about this, but could definitely tighten up my habits a bit.)

I recently read a blog post in which the author talked about feeling run-down all day following her long run (which she described currently as a 7-miler). I found that post  interesting, because I feel the same way: a nap and lounging on the couch are post-long run activities for me! 

The solution, according to several commenters?  Change how she's eating - before and after her long run. A discussion about the proportion and types of carbs, proteins, and fats followed in the comments. Interesting stuff.

Another blog post showed pictures of food at a triathlon - greasy pizza was one of the items.  Seriously??

So, how does food factor into your running lifestyle? Do you eat enough?  Too much? Out of proportion?  Just right?  Do you eat processed 'food-ish' products?  If you could tighten up your eating, too, what do you think is standing in your way?  

Would love to know your thoughts on this.  It's okay.  No judging here.  :)   Just curious.

Other Random Stuff:    Locally grown food

Okay, not so random today since it's on the same subject, but I wanted to share these pics with you AND an idea:  Support your local farmers.  Buy food locally.  Think sustainability.  When you purchase foods grown locally, here are a few benefits:

1. 
   
   You're supporting your local economy. 
2. 
   
   Your food is fresher.  Did you know produce travels, on average, 1,500 miles, in the U.S., before it gets sold? Yep. You can read about it here.  How far did your apple travel today?
3. 
   
   You're helping cut down on toxins released into the air that cause global pollution and ill health effects such as asthma, when trucks/planes travel to deliver your food.

I'm  fortunate to have a wonderful friend/coworker who raises chickens and shares their eggs.  Jill and I talk often about fresh foods, humane eating, and all things 'green.'  During one of our convos several months ago, she offered to share her girls' eggs, which I thought was the coolest thing, because I had been reading about free-range, hormone-free chickens, and then looking at their egg prices in the grocery story (twice to 3x more).  Yikes.

 

Then, recently, much to my surprise, I arrived at work one day and Jill came down the hall.

Her:  "I've got something to show you."

Me:  "Really?" not having any idea what it might be.

We walked into the employee kitchen.  She took out and handed me this....

Now some of you may be thinking all the wrong things here... It's salad greens, folks!  :)  Fresh from her garden, first-harvest-of-the-season arugula and baby romaine.  Wow!  I was overwhelmed at her kindness and generosity to even think of hubs and me, and equally excited to have fresh, organic greens.  And can I just tell you, they were the most amazing-flavored greens, tossed with a little balsamic vinegar and extra VOO.... Take a look at my 'foodie art' produced from these little babies.....

Dinner, Day #1:

Lunch, Day #2 (with a few extras)

Not a big carnivore to begin with, I quit eating all meat last summer after seeing Food, Inc, a documentary narrated by Michael Pollan, about food production in the United States.  His philosophy:  "Eat food.  Not much.  Mostly plants."  Check out this short video of an interview with Pollan, an advocate for healthy, responsible eating.





Interested?  You can watch the Food, Inc. trailer here.  I encourage every person to see the full film.  Powerful.  Frightening.  Enlightening.  Gross.  Answers questions.  Raises questions. 

The movie forced me to think about my own eating, food production in the U.S., and what eating responsibly really means.  One of the things I've grown to understand is that eating meat responsibly can be healthy.  Enter: more options.

A local source that hubs and I *still need to visit is a ranch owned by a Facebook friend and fellow Slow Food advocate, and her family, who raise beef and lamb responsibly @ Deep Creek Ranch.  They often open their gates to the community for a weekend tour and BBQ as well as invite school groups to visit and learn about sustainable, responsible farming ~ not food production.  Do you have a local livestock farmer?  *Trish, I promise: hubs and I will visit!  (Their ranch invitations always seem to land on race weekends, so we're still trying to get out there! )

Just a little food for thought today!

Happy running (and eating), friends....

Robin