I still wanna RUN -- Can you Paleo and still do it?

TinaDay1114

I've been doing some CrossFit stuff lately, and LOVING it. I even won a free month at my local CrossFit gym (which is run by an amazing group of experienced folks, by the way), and have been reading that Paleo stuff, just out of curiosity. (Plus, I'm afraid they'll sacrifice me on a pyre if I don't :noway: ...Ok, I'm KIDDING.)

So here's my question -- I still like to RUN. I'd like to do another 1/2 marathon in the spring, and I don't think I'll every give it up entirely. But can you truly eat Paleo and still have enough carb fuel to RUN? From what I've read, not really.

Opinions? Thoughts? True life experiences?

ixap

I un-Paleo and CrossFit, LOL.
You can make either work for you, but in my humble opinion, it's easy enough to Crossfit w/o being Paleo, while being a Paleo runner takes some planning and a bit of sacrifice. It would for me anyway.

I don't buy into the Paleo thing at all, but I do limit simple starches just because I am tempted to overeat them.
I actually came to MFP to track my macros because I realized I probably wasn't getting enough carb for my runs after cutting out cookies, cake, crackers, etc. even while continuing to eat some whole grains with meals. And I wasn't. I like to get 150-300g/day because I run a fairly high mileage (30-50 miles per week), and it's a struggle to get that much in without resorting to bread. I get most of mine from fruit and things like quinoa and wild rice, brown rice, and root veggies, and the occasional dessert or bread indulgence. If I cut out the grains and limited the fruit and white potatoes like they tell you to with Paleo, that would mean I'd have to eat at least 2 sweet potatoes per day -- I like them enough, but, bleh, I'd be so over them after a week of that.

Now the other train of thought is that you will become "fat adapted" on a Paleo diet -- after a rough adjustment period, your body will learn to fuel itself with fat for runs, and you won't require a higher carb diet while being a runner. I am personally not convinced that this is necessary or possible to the extent that it's claimed, but some people believe in this, so it's something that one could try if so inclined.

myangel05

I am on Week 2 of Paleo and I have found that if I have a banana or half an apple with 1T almond butter before my runs I function better.

Good Luck!

lmc8774

Check out Stu Mittleman on the internet. He doesn't do Paleo, I think he's a vegetarian, but his philosophy is about burning fat instead of carbs during running. And he holds the American record for most miles run in 6 days - just shy of 600 miles, so he knows what he's talking about.