Long Distance Running and Paleo

degan2011

any advice? I haven't been running since about August, and now I am doing whole30 and plan to stay paleo after that, however I do LOVE running and really want to get back to it.

(Pls no cardio bashing... I do cross fit/core/strenth training for cross training my running)

Thanks!

joybedford

I have only been on the paleo diet for 2 weeks but I do run and this is my experience. I worried about this too but another paleo friend pointed out that sweet potatoes, squash and fruit vegetables are carbs too. I feel like I have more energy since going paleo I also have more patience with my kids and feel I have more ability to cope with stuff. However on my Monday run which was 6 miles I started to feel dizzy at 25 minutes in this continued throughout the whole run but I pushed through and finished. I couldn't understand why as I had fruit and nuts for breakfast and pumpkin soup for lunch. My next run though was fine no dizziness at all. My strength training is easier too I feel stronger. I am sure your body adapts to whatever you feed it I think you just need to see how it goes.

Akimajuktuq

It's not logical to me that one can't be a distance runner and eat Paleo. You would just need to eat much more, and probably more carbs, than someone like me. However, there are cultures that performed many feats of endurance while eating low carb as well (the Inuit for one). I think you should exercise as you like and adjust your diet until your find the balance of macros that best supports your lifestyle. I can't imagine that the absence of grains, legumes, dairy etc would negatively impact your fitness; quite the opposite.

ShannonKirton

As far as paleo goes I think it warrants a bit of experimenting. If you start off in a lower carb range and find yourself exhausted after your runs/workouts then try upping the carbs until you find that sweet spot. I am not a distance runner but I do enjoy a little challenge here and there and every now and again I attempt a little 5k or so to keep me on my toes. Normally I find that I work best while in a ketogenic state, but presently I'm on Whole30 and I find that the only way to keep up my calories to an acceptable level is to add in some natural carbs like sweet potatoes, carrots and what ever else I can find in the supermarket.

My advice therefore is pretty simple, experiment and find YOUR sweet spot. It's going to be different from everyone else.