Should I run fasted or fueled?
Athletes want to know: Do I need to eat breakfast before my morning run?
Some people skip breakfast because they are worried about possible GI issues. Some people skip breakfast because they believe it will help them to burn more fat instead of carbohydrates.
The fact is, if you decide to forgo the pre-exercise fuel, you are still going to burn some carbohydrate, some fat, and, unfortunately, some lean muscle tissue. Carbohydrate is the preferred fuel for running and other aerobic activity because it is fast and efficient when it comes to creating energy. By consuming carbohydrate before your run or workout, you will spare lean muscle tissue. As you become more trained, your body will begin to burn a higher percentage of fat. However, your body is always going to love using carbohydrates and there will always be a combination of fuel sources at play during a run.
The other big issue at hand is your perceived effort. While I recommend eating before any run, a fasted 3 miles will obviously not be as difficult as a fasted 26.2 miles. However, what if you are trying to achieve a personal record in the 5K? Your perceived effort will be lower if you are in a fueled state allowing you to perform better.
If you are working toward big goals, you need fuel. To fuel before a race, you must eat before you train! Your body needs to practice fueling before training so that your digestive system can handle having food on board before your race.
So, you can’t handle eating before you run?
Start small. You don’t need to, and shouldn’t, start with a huge breakfast if you aren’t used to it. Consider trying a banana. After trying that a few times, add a little bit of peanut butter to your banana. Maybe half of a piece of whole wheat toast sounds good to you. Just start small and build on that.
What should I eat?
A combination of carbohydrate and a little protein is best.
Something that is low in fat and easily digestible.
Carbohydrate needs vary widely from person to person based on a number of factors. If you weigh 145 pounds, you may need anywhere from 66-264g of carbohydrate before a run.
It can be traditional breakfast food, but it doesn’t have to be. Find something that works and stick with it. Everyone is different, so it may take several tries to find something that works.
Examples:
Oatmeal with nuts.
Any fruit with a nut butter.
Scrambled egg and a piece of whole wheat toast and a glass of milk.
An energy bar that works well for you.
Homemade blueberry muffin.
How long before a run should I eat?
The answer to that is that it really varies from runner to runner. Some people can eat and head out the door. Other people may need 2-3 hours to digest. For most people, 2 hours is enough time. You need to find the sweet spot between enough time to digest and not so much time that you start getting hungry again.
Happy fueling!