The breadth of nutrition-focused strategies to help boost performance and weight loss can be baffling. tracking macroclean eating habits, keto diet versus Mediterranean dietcarb cycling, and intermittent fasting These are some of the more popular options.
For some of us, the desire to be lighter becomes a motivation. InspirationWith the belief that overweight equals slow movement. But when making goals healthy body composition Importantly, we may find ourselves heading into dangerous territory: At what point does managing macros and calories lead to unhealthy indulgence?
The answer is different for everyone, but there are some general strategies that can help reframe your approach to eating so that daily consumption feels like a nourishing and balanced diet rather than a restriction.
Ahead, experts share their insights on what to consider when it comes to one’s nutrition healthy relationship with foodWhich includes five strategies to implement in your daily life.
1. Reconsider weight goals
The mistake some runners make is aiming for the lowest level body fat percentage possible through changes in diet, and then finding themselves actually slowing down — even if they’re on track toward their weight goal, explains mike matthewsCPT, author of The bigger, the leaner, the stronger.
“There is a point of diminishing returns,” Matthews explains. runner’s world. “You want to be lean enough that you don’t have a lot of extra weight on your body, but not so lean that you can’t stay healthy, feel good, and train hard.”
Part of the difficulty is that it’s hard to know where that point might be on an individual level. Only then can you trust the notion of what you “should” be weighing, Matthews says.
A better form of goal setting? Display. View fat loss as a potential side effect of your training, not as an end goal in itself. Then, Matthews suggests complementing your training by eating in a way that meets those running goals.
2. Focus on all food groups equally
When it comes to macros-carbohydrate, proteinAnd thickMany endurance athletes prioritize only the first one on that list, Matthews says, and obsess over reaching a specific number.
“There’s no doubt that carbs are important for athletes, but this single-minded focus can sometimes cause them to neglect other important aspects of their nutrition,” he says.
For example, studies It has been suggested that endurance athletes need to consume approximately two to three times more protein than the recommended dietary intake as a way to support performance, recoveryAnd muscles. Matthews says this is especially important when trying to lose weight so that you don’t lose muscle.
3. Pay attention to your thoughts around food
One sign that your food may be a subject of conflict is that you often think about what you are eating – including what you have eaten, what you are going to eat, what you should eat, etc.
“Increased thoughts about food and planning your days around food are red flags when it comes to a potentially problematic relationship with food.” Amy Gooding, PsyDA clinical psychologist from the Eating Recovery Center explains runner’s world. “From there, it may progress to avoidance of social situations because the ‘right’ foods are not available.”
In her work, Gooding has seen many athletes start new eating plans with good intentions, but then they sink into compulsive thoughts about food. Even if they are eating the way they think they should eat, they may impose even more restrictions or rules.
“This makes it very difficult to resume normal eating because they’re not satisfied, they keep pushing it,” she says. At that time, repetitive thoughts and negative eating behaviors can cause injury. stress reliefold wounds, swelling of jointsPoor muscle recovery, and other problems. Tiredness It’s also massive, says Gooding.
“If you’re not fueling yourself in a balanced, healthy way, it will eventually show,” she says.
Gooding suggests that a good first step is to start paying attention to your thoughts about food. If these thoughts take up most of your mental energy, you may want to consult a dietitian who specializes in helping athletes create a better plan for you, for example.
Matthews suggests slowly refocusing your thoughts toward something you enjoy. Think of it as the Marie Kondo style of mindfulness: Try to identify what brings joy, which could be anything from imagining your last amazing run to reenacting your favorite movie scene. He explains that like your body, your brain can also be trained with exercise.
4. Avoid labeling foods as “good” and “bad”
Many dietitians suggest that you should not label any food as “good” or “bad” as this makes eating a moral issue and also increases cravings. That said, it’s worth taking a closer look at your relationship with ultraprocessed food jon ifflandPhD, nutrition researcher and textbook editor processed food addiction.
“We live in a culture full of messages ultraprocessed food“Associating consumption with rewarding yourself, viewing these foods as a treat, comfort, or indulgence,” Iffland tells WebMD. Runner’s World. “We’re told it’s OK, because of the ‘everything in moderation’ message. But, these foods are exhausting us. They increase adrenaline and then we crash afterward.”
A beneficial approach is instead to think about addition rather than subtraction. This means that instead of focusing on banning ultraprocessed options altogether, focus on Add Healthy choices- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fatsFish – so there’s no room for all the ultras, dietitians suggest Kara HoyerRDN.
“Restrictions will almost always create the opposite effect of what you want,” she explains. Runner’s World. “Once you give yourself unconditional permission to eat all the foods you want, and you overburden the healthy options, it takes away the power from those ultraprocessed options. You may even find that when you do eat them, they’re not as good as you remember.”
5. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else
Maybe most people in your group swear by it plant based You’re eating, but going days without animal protein is draining your energy. or you may have heard intermittent fasting It has a lot of benefits, but eating dinner at 4:30 pm forces you to attack the fridge in the morning.
What’s wrong with you?
Absolutely nothing, say regenerative and sports medicine experts Rand McClainto do. McClain points out that nutritional needs are highly individualized, especially when your running schedule is in the mix. For example, some people like fasted training while others try it and feel dizzy and nauseated.
“We have a tendency to try different strategies based on what we think most people are doing, especially our beliefs about what the average runner is doing,” explains McClain. Runner’s World. “But there really is no average runner. So, there’s no point in forcing yourself to do something that clearly isn’t working for you, just because you believe it’s ideal.”
Instead, keep a food log, but expand it further than just what you eat, McClain suggests. Track other factors like energy levels, Sleep, TensionMood, running performance, and motivation. You can also record deeper potential effects like a sense of purpose and sociability. Play with different eating strategies to see what changes, advises McClain.
“Look, somewhere in our family, we all have an Aunt Jenny who lived to be 100, even though she smoked a pack of cigarettes and ate a pint of ice cream every day,” says McClain. “You’re not making your health choices based on that example. Likewise, don’t make your choices based on anyone else, even people you look to as examples of ideal habits. Experiment, be open-minded, be aware, and see it as an ongoing adventure.”
Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food.
Dr. Namrita Brooke is a full-time endurance sports coach and sports nutritionist who advises active individuals and professionals ranging from amateurs to professional athletes. He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Movement Sciences and Health at the University of West Florida. Professionally, she also serves on the board of editors of the Sports Nutrition Care Manual and is involved in nutrition and exercise-related research, student consultation, and coach development. Namrita’s personal athletic experience ranges from ultra-endurance mountain biking to off-road triathlon, cross-country mountain bike racing, gravel cycling, duathlon, cyclocross, running and trail running. His research background includes hydration and sports drinks research, and the interactions of nutrition, physical activity and the brain.
