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Training for myfirst marathon,I convinced myself that my stomach just couldnt handlebreakfast before an early morning run.
Adobe Images/Valery
There were a couple of things at play here.
This is particularly pervasive in distance running, wherea lighter weight has always been equated with success.
I was by no means alone in this.
Exercise blunts your hunger during and after training.
The adage to eat when youre hungry isnt wholly accurate when it comes to people who exercise a lot.
Thats because longer bouts of intense exercise can mess with your hunger cues both during your training and afterward.
Ghrelin isnt the only hormone at play, either, says Dr. Sims.
Researchers recently discovered a molecule known asLac-Phethats also responsible for appetite suppression during and after exercise.
Whats more, the environment youre exercising in can also affect your hunger cues.
If you dont feel like eating during or after exercising inhot, humid conditions, its not just you.
Why does proper fueling matter anyway?
Okay, so exercise messes with your hunger cues.
It can actually lead to some pretty serious effects.
Dr. Sims uses the classic car analogy: Would you drive on fumes and expect to make it?
Take performance, for one.
Then, of course, theres the cumulative health effects that go beyond exercise.
And the slide into LEA, Dr. Sims says, starts with fasted training and delayed post-exercise nutrition.
So how can you check that youre properly fueled even if youre not hungry?
This holds true whether youre hungry or not.
(Beginners may want to consider 45 minutes their benchmark, she says.)
Morning pre-workout fuel becomes even more vital if you slept poorly the night before, says Garcia.
Evena small pre-workout breakfastcan be a game-changer, she says.
What to eat depends on how much time you have before your workout, says Samuel.
In that case, go ahead and incorporate some fat and protein, Sameul says.
But your brain might have already started sounding the alarm bells.
The earlier you eat, the sooner you start therecovery process.
Heres what that can look like:
You should also confirm youre rehydrating afterward.
The ACSMrecommendstaking in 125150% of the fluid you lost during your activity.
Be gentle with yourself during this process.
The transition to fueling yourself appropriately, especially when youre not relying on your hunger cues,isa process.
Dont blame yourself if youre having trouble!
It takes a huge amount of effort to tune out the prevailing message (i.e.
If youre struggling and have the means, consider reaching out to a registered sports dietitian.
(you’ve got the option to find one in thedirectoryof certified intuitive eating professionals.)
Keep an open mindand a lot of patience as you try things out.
It takes a lot of repetition and being open to experimentation to perfect your nutrition game Garcia says.
Keep track of what works for you and how youre feeling and performing over time.
