s1/e08 Running & Weight Loss with Steph Hnatiuk, RD (Steph The Runner's Dietitian)

Nutrition Timing

Strategic nutrition timing can significantly enhance running performance and aid in weight management. Steph Hnatiuk emphasizes the importance of planning meals around workouts to reduce cravings and improve energy levels throughout the day. She explains that consuming nutritious foods earlier can prevent late-day cravings for high-sugar and high-carb foods, which often occur when the brain seeks quick energy sources 1.

If we can fill up on the nutritious stuff earlier in the day, it becomes less of a struggle.

--- Steph Hnatiuk

Elisabeth Scott adds that proper pre- and post-workout fueling is crucial for appetite regulation and achieving training goals. Neglecting these can lead to hunger spikes and binge eating later 2.

   

Overtraining Risks

Understanding overtraining is crucial for runners, especially when combined with nutritional deficits. Steph Hnatiuk explains that overtraining isn't limited to elite athletes; it's about exceeding what one's body can handle at any given time 3.

Our brain does not know the difference between a true famine and a self-imposed famine.

--- Steph Hnatiuk

Elisabeth Scott highlights the impact of stress and under-fueling on cortisol levels, which can leave the body in a constant state of high alert. This understanding helps runners avoid the pitfalls of overtraining and maintain a balanced approach to their training and nutrition 4.