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Good Morning! I hope you are staying warm where you are – I know I shouldn’t complain about the cold being in North Carolina but it is just plain cold – not my favorite. It’s hard to stay hydrated when it’s so cold, but I have to remember to keep drinking water!

this Post!

Welcome to the midpoint of the week, “What I Ate Wednesday” aka WIAW. Thanks, Arman, for letting us showcase what fuels our bodies.

My week hasn’t been too extraordinary, so I figured I’d share something a little more unique at least – a day of eats after a two-hour run on Saturday. I get really interested (and excited!) in the role of food and nutrients as fuel, so bear with me here.

To preface, a long run (or intense workout) can lead to unpredictable eats. It’s weird, really. Sometimes, my stomach will be growling all throughout the run and I just can’t get enough food in me the remainder of the day. But others, my appetite is pretty steady/normal the day of the run, but the NEXT day, I feel famished and eat twice as much as normal.

So, you just never know what you’re gonna get – I kind of just give my body whatever it craves and go with it without thinking too much. I’d love to hear from other runners how your eating habits are after a long run.

Long Run Day

6 am – Wake up. This is earlier than normal  on the weekend, but I had a little sports nutrition presentation to give before my run. So, up and at ’em!

615 am – Pre-run fuel. I had a messy rice cake with pb + pomegranate seeds, and a side banana with pb. Also, a small cup of coffee. Fortunately, caffeine before a run works well for me and helps get me in the right mindset. I know some people avoid it though.

7am – I chatted with 25-30 runners about sports nutrition, then I headed out for my long run – 16 miles. I took two huma gels during the run for some extra glucose. The first, I took after about 8 miles, and then the second at 12 miles. I actually felt pretty good and probably could have gone without the second, but I’m all about getting some glucose into those contracting and working muscles.

1030 am – After the run, I grabbed an ice coffee and headed home to make a smoothie bowl.

Post Workout Nutrition

After a long run or bout of endurance exercise, the combo of carbs and protein is so so vital for replenishing depleted glycogen muscle stores (your stored carbohydrate reserves), and rebuilding those muscles that have just experienced some tough stress.

They need the protein to start the rebuilding process so you can function and perform the next day. I’ll typically make a smoothie right away because it’s mindless and gives me straight up, easy-to-digest protein and nutrients, while I build up energy to make an actual meal.

I made it with Vega One Vanilla (my absolute favorite protein powder with tons of nutrients and great taste), and added 1 cup almond milk, frozen bananas, spinach/kale, and frozen blueberries, and topped with it hemp seeds, leftover brownies and peanut butter.

And a side of these coconut peanut butter bites. I always keep a stash stored in the freezer and these things are quick life savors. While meant to be a quick snack, I amped this up pretty good and this kept me full for a few hours!

130 pm – When I was hungry again a few hours later, I made scrambled eggs with cheese and veggies over a homemade tortilla, with a side of apples – extra phytonutrients!

We did some housework for the afternoon, and I had an afternoon snack around 330 pm. This key lime Chobani flip. Have you guys tried these? They’re so good!

Dinner was literally a little bit of everything. Salmon, quinoa, veggies, roasted beets, brownies, protein bites, etc. I cooked up excess of everything to have some extra on hand for the week, though we didn’t have as many leftovers as I thought we would!

Of course, I had to end the night with something sweet. The sad truth was that we didn’t have real ice cream in the house for dessert. We’re boycotting buying some in hopes that we don’t eat it 4 nights a week. True story. So, I made due with some “protein” ice cream.

Basically, ice, frozen bananas, vega protein powder, xanthum gum, guar gum, topped with peanut butter, raspberries and honey bunches of oats. Not the same as my cookies ‘n cream ice cream addiction, but pretty good.

Are you hungry the day of a hard run/workout or the following day?

What’s your favorite dessert?