Running On Empty….? Do you?
rgunn02
Posts: 169 Member
I've heard stuff about running on an empty stomach in the morning - does anyone do this? How does it help / effect you?
Also - anyone a "low carber" and a runner?
Also - anyone a "low carber" and a runner?
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I almost always run on an empty stomach. I like to get up in the morning, do my morning routine, and then go run. The only time I eat or drink anything before heading out is on race day.
Can't help you with the low carb thing unless you are asking me to eat yours.0 -
Ditto DavidMartinez, except I will sometimes eat a little before a long run. The theory is that it prepares you for deprivation in races. you are never going to eat enough before / during a race to make up for the effort, so it's best to get your body used to "running on fumes" in your workouts.
I'm not a deliberate low carber but I don't have a typical runner's high carb diet either. From what I've read it's important to replace at least the calories you burn in a run with carbs.0 -
Normally I run fasted. But if it's going to be a run of more than say 1.5 hours, I may eat a gel before starting and then during my run as well. I also will take nutrition if it's a shorter workout but of high intensity. For example on a track day or hill day. But most of my runs lower intensity and not terribly long, so I don't eat anything. I doing 15 miles Saturday on the trails, so I promise you I will be eating during that. Everyone is different, but that is what works for me.0
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I fourth that to "I almost always run on an empty stomach" except for my morning "Chai"
Long Runs - Chai and a coffee later.
Regarding low carb - Before I proceed a short note - I'm a firm believer every body is different and every body reacts differently. This is how my body reacted to the lifestyle I adopted for 3 months.
I have played around with low carb high protein lifestyle for good 3 months around Feb 2012. I ran during this time but I was not in training season.
My experience - My energy levels during cardio weren't great and I was being tired. I felt sick to my stomach after I came back from running even though we were in peak winter and I love running in winter. It's when I perform my best. If I wanted to run 5 days of the week I felt I wanted to skip and only do it for alternate days. I did shrink a lot and lost weight ... not water weight but dropped pant size.
Since it wasn't my race season I was also olympic lifting (I have a feeling shrinking and getting tighter expedite that) My lifting improved and I was lifting as if it was my last day on this planet.
Baseline - Low Carb/ High Protein/ Didn't care about Fat Lifestyle - I had lot of strength for Strength Training but absolutely next to Null/Cero/Noll for Running.0 -
I almost always run on an empty stomach. I like to get up in the morning, do my morning routine, and then go run. The only time I eat or drink anything before heading out is on race day.
Can't help you with the low carb thing unless you are asking me to eat yours.
Ditto.0 -
so is it because of "bathroom issues" that you all choose to run fasted?0
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Same here.I almost always run on an empty stomach. I like to get up in the morning, do my morning routine, and then go run. The only time I eat or drink anything before heading out is on race day.
Can't help you with the low carb thing unless you are asking me to eat yours.
Ditto.0 -
so is it because of "bathroom issues" that you all choose to run fasted?
If I am forced to run shortly after eating I will have a stomach ache and feel like crap. On a race day I get up 3 hours before the start of the race so I can eat well before it starts.0 -
Running on empty (not eating for say 7-8 hours) is considered to be a carb depleted run. It's supposed to be good for helping to burn fat stores.
I've played around with it some. If I'm running more than 8 miles first thing in the morning, I eat before I run. Otherwise I'm usually good to go. I did find in testing it out, running more than 8 miles on an empty stomach, my training run was more difficult than normal.
So depending on the type of run you are doing, and the distance, might determine whether you decide to run carb depleted.0 -
Since I run in the morning and early evening and at lunch time (not usually all 3, but a combination of 2) i have not figured out how to run on an empty stomach. Sometimes my daughter and i have a hamburger on our evening run home. I really hope someone hands me a hamburger during my marathon.0
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This, only I don't get up early for anything less than a marathon and even then I eat a cup of Chobani. For a half marathon I will eat a gel in the start corral.so is it because of "bathroom issues" that you all choose to run fasted?
If I am forced to run shortly after eating I will have a stomach ache and feel like crap. On a race day I get up 3 hours before the start of the race so I can eat well before it starts.0 -
I have something to drink in the morning before a run.. but I can't eat that early and still run. I was be throwing up in the lake the entire time.0
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I run early in the morning before breakfast and drink a small glass of diluted orange juice when I wake up. But that's less for energy and more as a signal to my body that it might want to go to the bathroom before I head out for my run. I do eat breakfast on race day though, 3 hours before the start.
I think it's supposed to help your body learn to burn fat as fuel rather than relying on carbs. But I just do it because I always have and have never had a problem.0 -
I run on an empty stomach or with very little. Anything sloshing around gets very uncomfortable very quickly, especially when pushing the pace. I need all that room for my lung to do their work.
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so is it because of "bathroom issues" that you all choose to run fasted?
No, it's because of several reason
1) The food I take in will provide no benefit during the run as it takes a couple hours for it to digest
2) I'm not generally hungry at 5:30 in the morning
3) I don't feel like carrying that food around for no good reason0 -
i have a piece of toast with all natural peant butter on it (almost 200 calories) during training and on race days. i once had some oatmeal with blueberies and walnuts on top of the toast and PB during a 4 mile race and my stomach didn't react well after the race. i run 4 miles all the time but not hard like on race day.0
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I usually do, but lately I've been grabbing a banana and going just because I wake up very hangry.0
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I usually do, but lately I've been grabbing a banana and going just because I wake up very hangry.
Oh yeah, good point about the hangry. I do sometimes have a flapjack or something if I wake up late, am planning to run 20+ miles, and know I won't be home till after lunchtime. I don't hit the wall or anything, but I don't want to be hungry and cross because I'm still an hour from home.0 -
I run fasted as I get cramping and side stitches if I eat. I can drink fluids but not too much, for the same reason.0
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I run on an empty stomach or with very little. Anything sloshing around gets very uncomfortable very quickly, especially when pushing the pace. I need all that room for my lung to do their work.
You took the words right out of my mouth
I always run on empty0 -
I'm always hungry when I wake up. I NEED FOOD.
Unless it's a short run (8 miles or less) I eat, drink coffee, let coffee do its work, go run.
But again, unless it's long run day, I rarely run in the morning. I prefer to sleep.0 -
I wake up 1 hour to 1.5 hours before leaving for a run and have a small meal and use the bathroom. I have a full breakfast when I get back. Lately I have been running fasted for a couple runs a week when I have no goals in mind, but speedwork and long runs I always have a little something. I also have found I cannot get enough food in during the day if I don't eat both before and after; I am struggling on those days I have been trying out the fasted run, so I will probably go abck to a little something before all runs.
I do not take in carbs during a run unless it is speedwork or 2+ hours long ending in a fast finish/race simulation.
I do not eat low carb.0 -
If it's less than 5 miles, I don't eat. But 5 or more and I eat half a Clif bar (and the second half after the run) or a piece of peanut butter toast or even a half sheet of graham crackers or half a banana. I just feel better running if I do. I'm apparently an anomaly as I can eat any of that and run 5 mins later no problem. I eat either a Clif bar or oatmeal maybe 30 mins to an hour before my long runs (along with coffee so I can go to the bathroom before I leave). I never have GI issues unless I take a gu that has caffeine in it.
Eta: I have no intention of low carb. My runner husband started very low carb last Monday and tried to run 6 miles on Sunday and barely made it 5, deeming it a terrible run.0 -
On my only morning run of the week (Saturday), I run fasted. Anything in my stomach makes me feel sick and I get all kinds of weird pains. My other runs are usually mid-day, either on lunch breaks or to run home from work and those aren't fasted, but I need at least 3 hours between putting anything in my stomach and a run.0
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My weekday runs are generally in the eveing, about 1830-1900 so I'll generally not have eaten since lunchtime. Those tend to be somewhere between 8 -14Km and I'm generally ok, I sometimes have some dried fruit or something about 1600, but not before an interval or tempo session.
My weekend runs tend to be in the >14km range, and more frequently forenoon. I'll generally eat an hour and half to two hours before I go out; porridge, fruit, coffee.
What I have found is the pace of my adaptation. When I started I needed to be much more aware of my fuel state, and suffered quite badly if I didn't fuel adequately. Now I'm much more able to run for longer and harder with less in my system.0 -
I used to run fasted except for long runs, but right now I'm nursing my 9 month old and find that I get light-headed during the run if I don't eat something first. I have always been able to eat/drink a lot before a run and be fine though (I once ate spicy cheetos and went out for a run...absent some heartburn it was actually one of my best runs at that time!)...my current routine is 32oz water before I run plus a 200cal protein bar. I am starting to get away with fasted runs if they are short again but I really have to roll out of bed and go, if I have been awake long enough I need food. I am fairly sure that's specific to nursing though because my stomach is always demanding food when I nurse.
As for low carb I feel better running when I have a 40-50% carb diet. I've done lower, and it's okay, but I feel better doing otherwise, so...I don't low carb.0 -
so is it because of "bathroom issues" that you all choose to run fasted?
No. I run usually at 4am to beat the heat. I couldn't think about eating before my runs that early. Honestly, I've always ran on a empty stomach--I don't quite understand eating before. For my cycling training, I've eaten before long distances, but it's more sustainability of 5+ hours in the saddle. However, I'm training for a 50-mile ultra currently and I might have to rethink eating before for sustainability also. So far, running 20-25 miles is easy enough to eat gels, fruit, and electrolytes during.
As for low carbs, you're on your own there. 80% of my intake is carbs, for high mileage it's a necessity.0 -
As for low carbs, you're on your own there. 80% of my intake is carbs, for high mileage it's a necessity.
I suppose it depends what the OP means by 'low carb' and what you mean by 'high mileage' but I just had a look back through my diary and I average around 45% carbs. I currently run around 50 miles per week. When I was doing 70 mpw I managed more like 50, but even when actively carb-loading I think I only managed 65 and could definitely feel it.0 -
I suppose it depends what the OP means by 'low carb' and what you mean by 'high mileage' but I just had a look back through my diary and I average around 45% carbs. I currently run around 50 miles per week. When I was doing 70 mpw I managed more like 50, but even when actively carb-loading I think I only managed 65 and could definitely feel it.
I'm at about 60 mpw currently. I couldn't see going down to 65%, but I'm 100% plant based. Last year I cycled nearly 10,000 miles for the year (200-300 miles per week). I'm currently training for an ultra to mix things up a bit. If lower carb % works for some people, keep it up. I'm on the CTFU train and it keeps me at a very low BF and allows the long miles recovery fast. 75-80% of my diet is fruit.
I ran 10 miles this morning and plan to bike 60-80 this afternoon. If I was at 45% carbs, I'd never make it off the couch, Ha!0 -
I pretty much always run on an empty stomach. I think its risky to do otherwise but if I was really starving I might eat a small piece of multi grain bread or perhaps a bite of a banana. But that is rare.
I do take a gu now and then during a longer run to eat midway through.
Back in 2003 I did successfully run a marathon on a low carb diet. But that was a one time thing and I probably wouldn't try that again.0
