Eating carb before running

[uri]

I run 3.5 miles daily on the elliptic.
I figured I am much more energized and can run up to 4 miles if I eat some carbs (a slice of whole wheat bread) 30 minutes before I go to the gym.
If I run w/o taking carbs at all, it's a real struggle.
Obviously, I am also trying to encourage myself to run, I want to feel great when I run.

what's your experience? how's you BG before and after running?

Cheers, Uri

[Subby]

Not sure about running, but taking a small amount of fast acting carbs before a 20 min bike ride, will seem to make the exertion a lot easier especially during the first 10 minutes, and will help avoid BG spikes for hours afterwards. I have not gotten it down to a fine art, though.

[slwood321]

I definitely have more stamina at the gym when I've eaten carbs about an hour before starting. I also am not able to go as long when I haven't eaten any. Cardio makes my BG drop so I look at it as an opportunity to eat up!!!

[Caravaggio]

I run in the morning. If I run for less than 1 hour, I just take a sip or 2 of sports drink or choco soy milk. If I run for more than 1 hour, I eat something (how much and how long before the run, depend on how far I intend to run that day). I eat a mix of carbs and proteins (ratio in favor of carbs) after running. I do not unduly restrict my carb intake (neither do I overload on it) for the rest of the day; if I eat very little carbs the whole day, that's when I run out of energy for my next run.

[SCC]

I absolutely always eat about 25 carbs before I do any kind of work out. I believe there is scientific, biological reasons that this works, but I'm too lazy to look in any of my references. Any trainer at a gym will tell you to take some carbs before your workout.

[Scratch]

I often don't eat before I work out in the morning. I'll only eat if I need to raise my blood sugar.

Yesterday morning I woke up at 73, had a couple cups of coffee, walked 6.9 miles in 1 hour and 37 minutes and my blood sugar was 151 at the finish. The liver has lots of glycogen and there's always lots of fat to burn as well.

[cgphilly]

Before I go to the gym I usually have 4 Rycrisps which total is 20 carbs but I also have Peanut butter on them because I will be needing that protein as well. On the days when I'm training just on Elliptical or RB That's all I do, On the days when I weight train I'll have Designer Whey and Soy milk at the finish. This has helped me in my recovery and does usually my BG still drops by 20 points post workout.

[MCS]

Been eating a couple of these before exercise and between meals.

Buckwheat has Inositol, and the green Bananas have resistant starch, all help to regulate BG. Plus the added benifit of all the good fats and protien, fiber


Buckwheat Cookies or Bars
Great with coffee in the morning
2 cup Buckwheat
1 cup Sunflower seeds
0.5 cup Sunflower oil
14 oz Prunes (no sugar added)
1 cup Flax Seed
3 Green Bananas (resistant Starch)
1 cup Walnuts
1.3 cup Dry Milk (packet that makes a quart)
3 eggs
0.5 Stick Butter

Serving 32 Calories 204
Carbs 20 grams
Good Fat 12 grams
Potassium 325
Protien 7 grams
Fiber 4 grams

Blend in a blender on high the following items:
Bananas (3 Green) Resistant Starches
Butter (melted)
eggs
Oil
slowly add 14 oz of Prunes,
This will form a thick paste, add 1/2 - 1 cup water
as needed to blend transfer mixture to mixing bowl
Fold in Flax seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts, packet of non fat dry milk, then add the Buckwheat.
Smash golfball sized dough with a wet fork and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or place in a 13-9 cake pan, bake
for 15-20 minutes
my response to 4 cookies at one time
(800 calories, 80 grams of carbs)

Minutes 0 30 60 90 120
Glucose 107 135 170 150 120

Sugar spiked but the Buckwheat seemed to normalize
things quickly.

I have found that the more I eat them, it tends
to normalize my sugar, spikes do not get so high.
ENJOY

[STIHLBOLTS]

What about 1 egg and 2 slices of bacon before working out? It's pretty much what I do after I work out in the morning. I just can't eat right away when I get up.

As for protein bars and power drinks my Doctor told me to stay away from them and stick to straight water, coffee or tea only. Only exception was the crystal light packets you can add to water, gives 5 calories.

I don't seem to have any fatigue when I work out.

[deercotn]

I can't seem to handle exercise after I eat. If I eat a meal then try to exercise, I'll get diarea.

If I want just a carb boost, maybe I could handle that without it causing the problems?

[Mothernature]

Have you considered EAS Whey protein? One glass has about 8-10 carbs BUT it is designed to be used instantly by the muscles.

[STIHLBOLTS]

No not really, I am not into the powdered food stuffs from places like GNC. I like real food, apples, vegs, steak, no fake stuff for me thanks. :cool:

[Caravaggio]

I can't seem to handle exercise after I eat. If I eat a meal then try to exercise, I'll get diarea.

If I want just a carb boost, maybe I could handle that without it causing the problems?

How long do you wait between eating and exercising? It is not recommended that one exercises immediately after eating anyway. If you want a carb boost, have you tried sports drinks or food in liquid state like fruit shake, chocolate milk, soup?

[lark 27]

That makes sense to eat something prior to exercise. I've been avoiding it because thinking I'll need to bolus and then knowing my body can really react to the bolus and go low. I don't have any good advice for you but do think it's going to beimportant for me to get used to having some fuel before running in order to run farther and better. Good luck.

[foxl]

I usually work out after dinner. So whatever I eat, that's it, I do not carb-up.

Have not noticed ANY difference, really, from higher-carb meals (dinner for me seems to range from 15 - 30 g), but if I am VERY full -- not just carbs -- before starting, I notice it is harder to warm up (sluggish, full-stomach feeling). My workouts range from 20 - 70 minutes currently.

[sarahspins]

I don't run, but I bike, I and I use diluted gatorade to stay hydrated and get some carbs into me along the way. I have energy gel on hand too which I will use sometimes if I need a bigger boost (if I'm going low).

I make my gatorade about half strength I think... one scoop is 20g (yes, I've weighed it) with 19g of sugar and that goes into a 24oz bottle of water. I usually drink about half the bottle on a 30 minute ride, and about 3/4 on an hour ride.. I have yet to ride more than an hour or finish the whole bottle. I tried carrying two bottles at first, one with water and one with regular gatorade, but I found that I really dislike full-strength gatorade since it's SO sticky and it leaves me feeling like I need to drink water just to flush the sticky feeling. Diluted works well for me and I only need the one bottle. As I start to ride further I'll probably take two bottles of the diluted gatorade.

I try to start out in the 150-200 range (usually this is an uncovered snack 15-30 minutes before I head out), and I am almost always right at 100 or just under when I get off the bike, doesn't matter how long the ride is... when I've stopped to check in the middle and I'm not low, I tend to be about 110-120. I tried to start off a ride once at 120ish and I dropped to 53 within 20 minutes.. so I need the extra carbs and to start off a bit higher. I'm hoping to get a CGMS soon so I can fine tune that a little better. According to my bike computer I'm still burning 2-3X as many calories as I'm taking in, so I think that's reasonable.

[STIHLBOLTS]

You might try and find some powdered gatoraide instead of the bottle verson. Easier to regulate on how strong you like it. I wish they would bring back Tang. Now there was a drink! :D