Nutrition plays a big role in any type of physical activity. You need to know what energy the body needs and what it is better to avoid. This is also important for running, which is the most popular sport. How long after eating can you run, and how long should pass between eating and starting to run? What can you eat and what foods should you avoid? Let's try to understand these issues.
Running and nutrition
Those who run regularly and intensely must take care of their diet, and it should be different from the diet of those who do not play sports. Nutrition should be complete and balanced, rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Athletes and long-distance runners also often consume various protein mixtures and energy drinks. Please note that the specifics of your diet will depend on what time of day it is best for you to run.
The body itself makes it clear what and when to eat. But it also happens that the usual routine is disrupted, or you want to eat food immediately after running or before it. This happens due to the fact that the food consumption regime does not always coincide with the training regime. For example, running in the morning can leave you feeling very tired for the day ahead. And running during the day on an empty stomach can kill your motivation. If you jog in the evening, your usual dinner may be delayed by several hours, making it difficult to fall asleep after eating. Therefore, among other things, it is important to synchronize nutrition and training.
Why can't you run after eating? Because, at a minimum, it will be very difficult, often you will feel sick after training. While jogging, the body needs strength, and this energy is already spent on processing food. In this case, the food consumed will be ballast, which is stored in fat. Hence the fact that the effectiveness of training can be greatly affected. Another question: when is it better to run - before or after meals? It all depends on your regime and what time you exercise. But in both the first and second cases, a certain amount of time must pass between jogging and eating.
Why can't you run immediately after eating?
With regular training, a person needs adequate nutrition. Food should contain carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It is possible to use special protein mixtures and energy drinks.
It is not always possible to eat in advance before running, so you have to train on a full stomach.
This creates two problems:
- Heaviness when moving.
- Insufficient blood supply.
The amount of food eaten can be compared to the weight of a dumbbell, approximately 0.5-1 kg. It turns out that it becomes harder to study.
Another problem is insufficient blood supply, since two processes occur simultaneously in the body: digesting food and working muscles. In this case, running becomes ineffective, because energy is also spent on processing food.
Morning jogging
What do they eat before running in the morning, and do they eat at all? If you have time, it is recommended to have a snack. There are a couple of arguments to support this. Firstly, the body will be saturated with energy, which is definitely needed for running. Secondly, this way the body can wake up and cheer up faster. Experts believe that before any physical activity there should be a meal, and athletes who have a light snack before exercise show better results than those who train on an empty stomach.
But keep in mind an important point . The answer to the question of whether it is possible to run immediately after eating is negative, since in this case you may feel ill during the run, nausea, stomach pain and other unpleasant consequences are possible. The fact is that the body will be busy digesting food, and if you also give it physical activity, it will be too difficult for it. It is recommended to eat before a run for those early risers who have at least an hour between meals and running.
It is better that the diet consists of carbohydrate foods with a small amount of proteins and fats. It is believed that the optimal energy content of breakfast is 800 kcal. This way you won't overeat, and you'll get enough energy for both the run and the active day after it. It is also recommended to drink a couple of glasses of water some time before running to replenish fluid reserves.
Here are examples of successful breakfasts 1-2 hours before running:
- a couple of toasts, a glass of yogurt, an apple;
- porridge with low-fat milk, fruit to taste;
- crouton with low-fat cheese, a couple of tomatoes or cucumbers.
If we talk about owls, who usually wake up just before going outside, then it’s a little different. Many of them prefer to quickly have breakfast and immediately go for a run. But this is wrong - running with a full stomach will be very difficult. Then it is better to run on an empty stomach or use the following options:
- drink a high-calorie energy drink;
- use energy run diluted with water.
After your morning run, you should have the strength to continue your active day. It is not recommended to eat immediately - wait at least an hour. The optimal post-run meal is one that includes plenty of protein and carbohydrates. Here are a couple of suitable options:
- protein shake and fruit;
- whole grain bread, egg, natural juice.
Is it possible to smoke if you have GERD?
Chronic smokers (from 15 to 60 cigarettes per day) showed a decrease in pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter, which caused them to complain of heartburn; they also had a lower pH of gastric juice (i.e., a more acidic environment), a decrease in bicarbonate in saliva, which neutralizes acid during reflux (this is why with heartburn the patient often swallows saliva). Additionally, the esophagus is cleared of acid that entered during reflux by coughing and taking a deep breath, and by clearance (the mechanism of increased peristalsis of the esophagus).
Many studies confirm relief and disappearance of reflux symptoms after quitting tobacco smoking. This relationship is especially pronounced in individuals with normal body weight.
Jogging at lunch
Running at lunchtime is not such a common occurrence, but it also happens. There are people who dedicate their lunch break to jogging. If they go running on an empty stomach, they may feel tired, since the body has already absorbed the breakfast they ate in the morning, and their blood sugar is low. Therefore, it is recommended to have a light snack 1-2 hours before running (100-400 kcal). The calorie content and time of the snack will be determined by the characteristics of the body and how much breakfast you have in the morning. In this case, the food may be carbohydrate. The following options are possible:
- energy bar;
- a serving of oatmeal with low-fat milk;
- dried fruits with a glass of juice;
- toast with fruit jam.
When should you have lunch in this case? After running, a light snack is allowed, which will help you recharge your batteries and continue working productively. You may consider the following recommendations:
- Buy foods in advance that can be stored for a long time: bars, nuts, yogurt, and so on.
- After running, you can eat fruit. They are an excellent source of energy.
- You can pack what's left over from dinner the night before in a box, and then reheat the food at work.
Is it possible to do breathing exercises with GERD?
Singers, especially opera singers, who practice deep breathing techniques may have better protection against GERD symptoms. This is due to the fact that during inhalation, the diaphragm contracts as the chest expands (abdominal breathing). In this case, the legs of the diaphragm, which encircle the esophagus at the diaphragmatic opening of the diaphragm, together with the lower esophageal sphincter, contribute to the activation of the protective mechanism against reflux. This is very clearly visible during retroversion gastroscopy, when the patient is asked to take a deep breath, a tighter compression and clasping of the esophageal diaphragm by the legs occurs.
Gymnastics is based on the transition from the usual thoracic type of breathing movements to the abdominal one. Treatment for belching is also based on this.
Evening jogging
Many people choose to go jogging in the evening. They help relieve stress after a working day, promote stress relief and good sleep. And food after a run and before it is also very important in this case, because if you are tired and hungry, you will not be able to exercise productively. Quite often, a person returns from a run incredibly hungry and eats everything, which leads to problems with sleep and a lack of effectiveness of runs.
In this case, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Maintain proper nutrition throughout the day. Eat food often and in small portions - then in the evening you will not feel very hungry.
- You can eat in the evening, but not heavy food, which is stored in fat and causes insomnia.
Also, those who are used to running in the evening are advised to adhere to the following tips:
- Be sure to have breakfast - this is the most important meal of the day. For breakfast you can eat toast, cereal with nuts, berries, low-fat milk, juices and yoghurts.
- Lunch is also important. Eat lean protein meals. Various cocktails of milk drinks, fruits and berries will also be useful in your diet.
- A few hours before your run, you can eat some fruit or an energy bar.
- Dinner should be light. Proper consumption of food in the evening will not lead to fat, but will contribute to the restoration of muscle tissue. The ideal option is something protein and vegetables, fermented milk drinks.
When thinking about what you eat after a run and before a run, keep fluids in mind.
Drink enough water throughout the day to help control your appetite. Drink a couple of glasses of water 15-20 minutes before your run and a glass after it. How long after eating can you play sports or run in the evening? The optimal period is about an hour. But it is also important to focus on your body. Don't overeat, but don't let it deplete either. It's better to eat something light than to starve yourself. To restore energy, you can use special bars or gels. If you run long distances, your sports nutrition should include at least 50 grams of carbohydrate foods. Consume them after every hour of intense jogging. Special sports supplements can be replaced with healthy sweets - marmalade or dried fruits. They can be used as a quick snack during the day.
Is it possible to raise the head of the bed if you have GERD?
Lying down increases the exposure of the esophageal lining to stomach acid, which is associated with worsening GERD symptoms.
Raising the head of the bed using bolsters or installing wedges or timber under the legs of the bed by 15-20 cm leads to a reduction in GERD symptoms due to improved esophageal clearance (peristalsis). But this recommendation is considered impractical and unacceptable by patients in everyday life, or is not followed by them.
Let's sum it up
How long after eating can you run in the morning? It is advisable to have breakfast an hour before. If you're short on time, you can use an energy drink, a carbohydrate shake, or, say, a banana. In this case, the break can be reduced to half an hour. For lunch runs, a small snack a couple of hours in advance is important. Then you can have a snack with something protein.
As for evening running, it is important to adhere to a proper diet during the day so as not to overeat before bed. A light dinner an hour after your run is acceptable. Remember that a lot depends on what you eat. Regardless of the training regime, it is important to exclude harmful foods from the menu - sweets, fast food, fatty foods, smoked foods, and so on . Listen to your body and give it the energy it needs for full training and active life, but not excessive energy, which is stored in fat.
