What to eat before running?

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MSeel1984
MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I usually try to avoid eating before I run. It tends to make me feel weighed down and it makes side stitches ten times worse for me.
However, since I have type I diabetes, often I wake up with a low or borderline low blood sugar and it's not really a good idea to run at say 100-60 mg/dL.
Lately I've been grabbing a piece of whole wheat toast with light butter and a little jam (so I have some carb in my system before I run) as well as a cup of coffee.

The coffee has never been an issue with me and running but...any other ideas or something light that you've had to eat before you run that doesn't cause your stomach to be upset or make you feel uncomfortable? I guess a better word would just be "blah" but that's not a word. I digress.

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  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    I personally never have much of a problem with eating before a run (as long as it's not some 3 course meal) A lot will depend on the length of the run. Anything up to 6 miles I wouldn't deliberately eat anything but if I did it's normally something like a banana or some dates. Anything longer I'd normally take a couple of dates (as you can tell I'm a date fan) or a gel with me which I may or may not consume on the run depending how long/tough it is
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    I personally never have much of a problem with eating before a run (as long as it's not some 3 course meal) A lot will depend on the length of the run. Anything up to 6 miles I wouldn't deliberately eat anything but if I did it's normally something like a banana or some dates. Anything longer I'd normally take a couple of dates (as you can tell I'm a date fan) or a gel with me which I may or may not consume on the run depending how long/tough it is

    I do love figs-maybe I should get some more of those in the house.
    My biggest issue is that I'd generally prefer to run on an empty stomach, but if my blood sugar is low when I get up (even if I put my insulin pump on suspend), I would just drop like a rock as soon as I hit the trails, so it's a better idea for me to grab something before I go and keep something like a fruit leather with me when I'm running just in case.
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member
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    two boiled eggs, a banana and plenty of water
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
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    They normally recommend complex carbs a couple of hours before running, or dried fruit half an hour before. Not sure if dried fruit would be ok with your diabetes, but it won't keep your stomach as busy as with fresh fruit. I guess your toast with jam is perfect, maybe avoid the butter - it's slow to digest.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
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    I usually eat a Nugo Protein bar before a run/skate, or when I lift weights.
  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
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    Can you have fruit juice when your sugar is low? I don't like to eat before running but normally drink half a glass of fresh orange juice diluted with water (because I don't like it too sweet) when I wake up and run about half an hour later.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    I don't generally eat before I run in the morning and if I go out later than that it's generally a fruit smoothie, which I assume would still be a no with diabetes But what about trail-mix? Nuts, seeds, a small number of raisins, maybe? A dash of salt?

    Darn now I'm hungry.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    I eat a banana or sometimes a fold-over pbj (one bread slice) and coffee. I take water with me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    Banana or other fruit.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    I would say toast and peanut butter, or peanut butter on an apple would be a good pre-running meal/snack!
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
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    I don't generally eat before I run in the morning and if I go out later than that it's generally a fruit smoothie, which I assume would still be a no with diabetes But what about trail-mix? Nuts, seeds, a small number of raisins, maybe? A dash of salt?

    Darn now I'm hungry.

    Biggest issue for me is depending on what my blood glucose is doing before I run, I may need something, I may not.
    If I do need something, I try to get a combo of carb and protein...the peanut butter toast used to be my go-to.
    I love hard boiled eggs but they don't seem to sit with me that well when I run :/

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