Fueling Strategy, Part 2

Last week I talked about what I eat before, during and after a run.   Today I'll let you in my kitchen for the rest of the day!  Fueling for a long run doesn't just happen the morning of the run.  It's what I eat on a daily basis.  I work hard to meet 5-8 fruits/vegetables a day, eat whole grains and lean protein.  I'm not perfect by a long shot. We rarely eat fast food and when we eat at restaurants I try to order as healthy as possible. 

Breakfast

• Most days I have a shake made with soymilk, frozen berries and Recoverite. 
• Oatmeal, I add 1/2 cup of frozen berries (heated up in the microwave first)
• Waffles - I don't have these very often, but when I do it's on a day that I haven't run because they don't have much, if any, protein.

Lunch

• Sandwiches on whole grain bread, made with turkey or ham, cheddar cheese (the real stuff, no "processed American cheese food" for me!), then layer on whatever veggies I have - pickles, tomatoes, bell pepper, pepperchinies, etc.
• Other sandwich options are tuna, chicken, or egg salad.
• Quesadilla, I especially like these with a little chicken and barbeque sauce.
• Sometimes on Sundays, when I know I won't have time to eat dinner, I'll make Sloppy Joes for a more substantial lunch.
• Soup - vegetable, tomato, chicken noodle, chicken tortilla, etc.
• Popchips are a staple around here.  Or tortilla chips and salsa.
• I'll also have an apple or orange or cup of fresh fruit.

Dinner

• Check out Friday Foodie!  I eat real food - pasta, enchiladas, meatloaf, chicken, turkey, tacos, etc.  
• We have salad with our dinners most nights of the week and a vegetable.
• During the summer we have fruit salad just about every night.
• Favorite carbo meal the night before a long run - Pizza!  Les and I both have found that it is the right fuel for us instead of a large plate of pasta.  I haven't done any scientific research to back this, it just seems to work.

Snacks

• Graham crackers
• Fruit
• Cheese and crackers
• I don't keep cookies in the house, too easy to go overboard.  I have a candy jar on the kitchen table that usually has some kind of chocolate in it.   MOST of the time, I can have 2-3 minis and be fine.  I have been known to eat more...
• I am not a nighttime snacker, AT ALL.  I almost never eat anything after dinner.  1:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon is when my snack attacks hit!

Hammer Nutrition talks about fueling the "Endurance Athlete" and Les uses that phrase often.  Would an Endurance Athlete eat that?  My answer is not always yes, but I'm working on it!