She Runs Eats Performs

Endurance Runners are at a high risk of Bone Stress Injuries. Being aware of the risk factors and having a strategy to help prevent bone stress injuries or fractures is vital.

Today we’ll share why being a runner puts you at risk, what key nutrients are vital for bone health and some training hacks to help you have good bone health and avoid an injury which may take you out of training for a long time!

Today we are going to talk about:

1.    Why are endurance runners at risk of bone stress injuries

2.    What are the key nutrients for bone building

3.    How to approach your run training plan to promote healthy bones

SHOW NOTES 

 (02:41)

Why bone health is so important for mid-life female runners.

Endurance runners are at risk of bone stress injuries, and a high percentage of midlife females are also at less a risk of losing bone mineral density, which increases their risk of bone injuries.

 (05:21)

Bone Stress Injuries – intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors

 (06:08)

 Underlying health factors for Bone Stress Injuries in runners may include:

• health conditions that reduce bone density (such as osteoporosis)
• poor nutrient status which underpins poor bone health
• prior stress injury to the bone
• training  related– duration/distance/rest & recovery or perhaps poor biomechanics or running technique.

 (07:48)

Bone re modelling and which groups of runners may be at risk of bone stress injuries due to their training approach: 

·      All year-round runners: the serious recreational runners, who run long distances week in and out, without rest days or scheduled rest weeks. So, there is the potential for repetitive over loading.

·      Seasonal recreational runners: they take on a challenge and ramp up their training too quickly. Rapid increases in training loads may increase the risk of running injuries.

·      Runners who ignore niggly injuries which develop into BSI’s. BSI’s typically occur 3-4 weeks after a major workload error – we may not even realise we have an injury or perhaps we ignore the niggly pain associated with it – so if we keep training and loading the bone we may be exacerbating the problem and slowing down the bone remodelling process.

 (13:57)

Considerations about the bone remodelling timeline and how rest periods may help prevent excessive micro damage.

 (20:52)

Nutrients to support bone building.

To support healthy bones, it’s key to a healthy body composition, eat enough for energy expenditure, and follow an anti-inflammatory food plan. Under eating or calorie restriction potentially down regulates IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor required) which is required or bone modelling. It’s also important to focus on the nutrient content of your food i.e. nutrient dense food containing bone building nutrients. Inflammation drives bone loss so following an anti-inflammatory food plan and being a healthy weight will both support a healthy inflammation status.

Bone building nutrients include Protein, Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin K2, Vitamin and Collagen.

(25:38)

Protein

Protein stimulates IGF-1 growth factor, supplies essential amino acids for collagen production (bone matrix) and will also help build/repair lean muscle mass (key for weight management).

Post-menopausal protein requirements are 1.2g-1.6g protein/kg/body weight per day. You do not need to calculate/count protein but please ensure you eat adequate protein at every meal and snack. As a guide ¼ plate or palm sized portion at meals and half this amount at snacks. It’s best to spread you protein intake across the day so please don’t miss protein at any meal/snack.

 (26:39)

Structural Bone Building Nutrients

Calcium is the nutrient most of us associate with bone health and mid-life women require 1200-1500 mg/day from food and supplements – worth bearing in mind that we typically absorb only 50% of calcium so ensuring you are consuming enough is vital. Calcium sources:

• Calcium: dairy, tinned fish with bones
• Calcium plant sources: green leafy vegetables, almonds and sesame seeds, dried fruit, pulses, fortified foods (e.g. plant milks, tofu), seaweeds

Magnesium supports the absorption of magnesium and food sources include wholegrains, nuts and seeds, pulses, leafy veg, cocoa/cacao

Vitamin K2 activates osteocalcin and directs calcium to the bones and away from soft tissue. Food sources include: liver, jarlsberg cheese, egg yolks, natto (Japanese fermented soy).

Vitamin D - it’s important to get your Vitamin D status tested for bone health.

• Vitamin D: sunlight, oily fish, egg yolk, mushrooms, fortified foods

Collagen is also important for the formation of bone matrix – we have an episode dedicated to collagen E 117

(32:14)

Consider booking a Personalised Supplement Review

(35:35)

How to approach your run training plan to promote healthy bones 

(39:33)

How to promote mechano adaptation to support minimising BSI risks

Mechano adapation is defined as bone structure adaptation in response to physical stimuli such as exercise.

Bone responds best to high magnitude loads introduced at high rates.

Weight bearing activities including impulsive loading and some degree of intermittent, explosive jumping and/or sprinting with rapid changes in direction, have the greatest osteogenic (bone building) potential.

Distance running does not necessarily encourage stimulation of bone building cells. Continuous repetitive loading can lead to bone cells losing mechanosensitivity so they become deaf to stimuli from bone loading.

The implication is that after a few minutes of running, bone cells find the monotonous, unidirectional loading to be boring and they stop responding. So this isn’t good news for a distance runner who is running repetitive linear miles.

It means we can’t rely on distance running alone to support mechano adaptation for bone health, however there are things we can do:

·      Having a rest period of 4-8 hours enables the system to regain mechanosensitivity and after that period, adding in a few minutes of bone-centric exercise (e.g. plyometrics) may generate further bone adaptation.

·      Another consideration is using periodisation to promote mechanosensitivity. There was an animal study which compared 2 groups – one that received continuous loading for 15 weeks versus a periodized approach of two 5-week blocks separated by a 5-week ‘rest’ period. In a running scenario, clinically, “rest” would involve other conditioning activities (such as cycling, swimming, water running) that load alternate skeletal sites, so you would be changing activities rather than totally resting.

·      Aiming to reduce your loading would be to consider adding in one or two treadmill training sessions per week as this may help lower tibial bone strain compared to overground training.

·      Gait retraining may be helpful for runners with repeat BSIs and involves implementing techniques to reduce Ground Force Reaction (GRFs) and/or bone accelerations, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of evidence to support gait retraining but that doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t supportive, so take advice from your physio.

(44:51)

One Key Action Point: Add some multi-directional/plyometric exercises into your weekly training plan whatever your distance and volume of training is.

Other Resources

Preventing bone stress injuries in runners with optimal workload

Acute:Chronic Work Load

HEALTHY BONES HEALTHY YOU by Lara Pizzorno

(45:45)

Key Take Aways

1.    It’s possible to minimise risks of BSI’s by considering extrinsic (being the load applied to the bone),  and intrinsic factors (the strength of the bone which may be affected by nutritional status) and underlying health conditions).

2.    Every runner should have at least 1 full rest day per week.

3.    If you run 12 months of the year, consider adding 1 week of full rest every 3 months as a minimum.

4.    If you are a seasonal runner, plan to start your training with a conditioning phase and carefully plan how your training progresses so you are not outing undue loading stress on your bones by training to hard, too fast or too long over a short period.

5.    Every endurance runner would benefit by adding plyometric exercises into their weekly training plan – remember this includes weight bearing and multi directional activities including explosive jumping and sprinting with rapid directional changes.

6.    Your food plan should include abundant sources of PROTEIN, Calcium, Magnesium, K2, Vitamin D, Collagen to promote bone building.

Related Topics:

Bone Health for Runners Part 1

Endurance Running and Immune System

A Focus on Collagen

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

There is SO much information in the media and in magazines about what to eat to enhance running performance….but how much of it is actually evidence-based and factual rather than just being sensationalist?? This plethora of information can lead to confusion for many runners on what to eat to fulfil their running goals.  

Karen, one of your Podcast hosts, attended the ISENC (International Sports and exercise Nutrition Conference) in Manchester in December. This conference is dedicated to outlining and discussing the most up to date science and research in the world of sport and exercise nutrition. 

So, in this episode we share some of that information with you so you feel informed when making YOUR food and nutrition choices to support your run training. The  two principle topics we focus on are:

• Overtraining Syndrome and Relative Energy Deficit in Sport and how they potentially overlap
• Dietary Fibre and its potential role in sports performance 

SHOW NOTES

(07:13)

Defining Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S):  

Overtraining syndrome: is viewed as a condition associated with a long-term imbalance between training and recovery and is generally characterized by:

• Reduced sports performance 
• Fatigue
• Mood disturbances 

It is thought to affect between 20% and 60% of athletes throughout their careers.

It is grouped in with functional and non-functional overreaching, but compared to these conditions OTS is the most severe and reflects a chronic accumulation of training and non-training stressors that can take months to years to fully recover from.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport: In 2014 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) defined RED-S as:

“….a syndrome resulting from relative energy deficiency that affects many aspects of physiological function…..”  

and this is thought to be as a result of inadequate energy intake (EI) compared to energy expenditure of exercise (EEE) and daily living, resulting in poor health and reduced sporting performance

(10:00)

Establishing the possible overlap between these two conditions:

Current research is focusing on low energy availability (LEA) being what underpins both conditions

Note: LEA = inadequate energy intake (EI) compared to energy expenditure of exercise (EEE) and daily living

There also appears to be symptoms common to both conditions including:

• Poor performance
• Poor recovery from training
• Fatigue
• Mind/mood symptoms

(23:54)

Uncovering the latest research on the use of dietary fibre to enhance sports performance. 

Studies have revealed that limiting fibre intake could reduce the diversity of an athlete’s microbiota as well as reducing the health of an individual’s gut bacteria. 

Additionally, current research has shown that Short Chain Fatty Acids (produced from the fermentation of certain dietary fermentable fibre by the gut bacteria) appear to support sports performance both directly and indirectly.

Note: Fibre is fermented into SCFAs in the large intestine by specific bacteria called Saccharolytic microbial species. The 3 key SCFAs produced are called Acetate, Proprionate and Butyrate and produced in a ratio of 60:20:20 respectively. 

(30:36)

Outlining ways in which Short Chain Fatty Acids are thought to support sports performance:

• All three are thought to increase overall energy expenditure
• All three are involved in altering substrate oxidation (increasing fat metabolism/oxidation and reducing CHO metabolism) therefore possibly helping preserve glycogen stores
• It has been found that Acetate is the most important of the SCFAs as an energy source in skeletal muscle (during endurance exercise) 
• SCFAs are thought to help protect muscle mass…again Acetate is thought to be the most important SCFA here.  As we age muscle mass reduces, therefore an increased intake of fibre in older age may help protect SCFA status, thus help protect muscle mass as we age 
• Some lactate that we naturally produce during exercise is returned to the gut where it is converted back into SCFAs by Vioenella bacteria…so, helping provide additional SCFAs!.  

(38:47)

Highlighting some additional ways in which fibre may support sports performance either directly or indirectly. It may:

• Lower body mass
• Increase lean muscle mass
• Improve glucose balance
• Increase muscle strength

(42:37)

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• It is important to remember that the information on nutrition in sports and exercise is forever evolving, which means we need to keep up to date with the latest evidence-based data
• For many, this constant change can lead to confusion on what is the correct food and nutrition choices for their individual health and running needs 
• There is SO much information out there in the media, but how much of it is evidence based and factual rather than being sensationalist?? This can add to people’s confusion and potentially lead to them making the wrong choices! 
• Remember OTS and RED-S are conditions that any runner could inadvertently develop due to a lack of understanding of their energy needs, resulting in Low Energy Availability for health and training
• Dietary Fibre is known to have many general health benefits, but for sports performance: it may support some individuals, but be detrimental to others. When consuming any fibre rich foods around training: start low and build up to help reduce the risk of any detrimental effects on training and performance
• If you are feeling confused about much of the information out there on social media and magazines about what you SHOULD and SHOULDN’T be eating for your running then get in touch with us at [email protected] where we can have a conversation with you and try to alleviate any concerns you may have

Related Topics:

The Performance Effects of Overtraining Syndrome

Eating Enough to Run

Spotlight on Probiotics for Performance

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

How do you navigate the menopause transition and enjoy your running?

We designed the Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method as a way of helping midlife females manage the menopause transition whilst enjoying their running.

 If you're finding that your usual way of eating and training isn't giving you the results you desire, and that the menopause is getting in the way of you enjoying your running, in this episode we share a snap-shot of our method with you.

 We truly believe that you can’t be a good runner without being a healthy woman and in our experience midlife health changes and symptoms can be a limiting factor if not managed effectively.

We don’t want women to suffer the experiences we had going through peri menopause and post menopause – so that was our driving force.

If you would like to find out more about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Programme please book a FREE Discovery Call

Book your place on our next FREE TRAINING: Learn all about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method.

You can choose either 12 noon or at 6pm (BST), whichever best suits your lifestyle.

Book for 12 noon GMT, 19:00 AWST, 21:00 ACST HERE

Book for 18:00 GMT, 13:00 ET, 10:00 PT HERE

We love podcasting but we love being with you LIVE even more so we can’t wait to meet you in our ZOOM ROOM!

SHOW NOTES

(02:22)

What led us to developing the Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method.

 We noticed that there were some common problems, frustrations and challenges that the women who work with us were experiencing.

Women tell us that peri-menopausal symptoms get in the way of them enjoying their running and indeed can affect their running performance too.

Typically, they notice a change in body composition. They may gain weight or notice there is a change in body composition i.e., more fat and less muscle – they feel flabby.

They may also be noticing more aches, pains and niggly injuries. They feel tired all the time and their sleep may be affected by night sweats and hot flushes. They may also be having erratic periods.

Every woman has a different experience, but when you are used to feeling good, these changes can have a negative impact and can lead to losing your running mojo. Unfortunately for some women this phase can be prolonged and extend into the post menopause phase of life.

Often women want to make the necessary health and lifestyle changes but don’t know in what order to make those changes.

(06:30)

The lifestyle challenges facing mid-life women and how it may impact them in resolving menopausal symptoms with nutrition and lifestyle changes.

Many women are juggling a busy family life with children, elderly parents, their partner, their work, a social life as well as trying to be fit and healthy too … and if you are a runner you’re trying to fit in training and perhaps some races too.

Women were telling us that they wanted to find a way of managing their menopause so they could be a healthy weight, combat low energy, choose the best food for their life stage and their running but do it all in a very easy way to fit in with their busy lives.

(10:00)

An overview of the Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method

 There SIX modules organised in specific steps. We’ve pulled on all our experience of working with clients and our personal learning and research to create a METHOD which is straightforward and simple to apply.

Everything we share with you in the podcast is about developing great health and supporting you in your running performance … what we are aiming to do with HWHR is distil all our advice into a simple and easy to implement process.

The frustration for us is that there is a lot of generic educational menopausal advice out there in the world. Some of it is very helpful from a foundational nutritional view-point. Some of it falls into the “magic bullet” zone … which we do not advocate.

We truly believe women need a holistic and personalised approach to managing health in mid-life.

The style of the programme involves us guiding you through the steps in a group setting PLUS we include 3 x 1:1 sessions so we are able to offer some personalised nutrition advice too.

The six modules which our method is based on ARE: STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS - SHAPING UP - HORMONE RESET - ENERGY FOR EVERYTHING - EATING FOR RUNING RESULTS – MAINTAIN and FINE TUNE.

 (13:11)

Module 1: STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS

We believe success begins with being programme ready!

We start with helping you get fully prepared and in the zone to become a Healthy Woman Healthy Runner. It’s important to know where you are starting and what you want to achieve during our time together. 

We’ll take you through a simple Self-Assessment and Goal Setting Process to help you become really clear on why you choose to be a Healthy Woman Healthy Runner and what you wish to feel, be and do by the end of the programme. 

We’ll also be guiding you through our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Lifestyle Audit so you are able to easily choose which lifestyle areas to upgrade to support your health. With all your preparations in place you’ll be set up for success.

(15:31)

Module 2: SHAPING UP

We help support you in understanding your ideal healthy body composition and we will quickly and effectively support you in getting the NUTRITION BASICS in place and we’ll be helping you to DESIGN YOUR HEALTHY WOMAN HEALTHY RUNNER PERSONALISED NUTRITION BLUE-PRINT – you’ll learn what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat – so that you are

·      optimising macronutrients,

·      balancing blood sugar,

·      assessing your food intake to meet your energy requirements,

·      learning how to adapt your plans for different routines and for socialising.

This module includes a 1:1 session so we can support you in personalizing your nutrition plan. All of this is based on what a mid-life woman requires for optimal health i.e., what you need at this stage of life is different from requirement of a younger woman.

By the end of this module, you’ll be feeling more energised and noticing some positive changes in your body shape.

 Module 3: HORMONE RESET 

We’ll Guide you through a 14-day Hormone Reset Food Plan designed to support your liver and digestive system and promote balancing of female sex hormones. 

Our simple and delicious food plan supports you in eliminating toxins, excess hormones and triggering resistant weight loss. We’ll help you to easily add phytoestrogenic foods to your daily food plan to support hormonal balance and help you to minimise peri menopausal and menopausal symptoms.

“Our aim is for you to feel light in mind and body and for your energy levels to soar”.

(19:29)

Module 4: ENERGY FOR EVERYTHING

 We need high energy for family life, for work, for socialising and for running. You’ll have already put nutrition practices into place to help promote high levels of energy, however there may be other reasons for fluctuating energy levels, so we’ll help you work out what is draining your energy and then help you put into place Restorative Rituals to support your sleep, rest and minimise stress and have enough energy to run!

(20:33)

Module 5: EATING FOR RUNNING RESULTS

Great running is probably what is your big motivator, however it’s vital that you have all the other nutrition and lifestyle pieces in place so that you can gain the most benefits from performance specific nutrition.

It’s time to introduce athlete plate balance specific to your training days alongside nutrient timing pre, during and post training and racing. We’ll coach you through designing eating plans for the different types of training days you have.

The aim of this module is to “Optimise your running results using nutrition as your secret tool to give you the edge! Whatever it is you are aiming for we help tailor a food plan to support you. E.g. PB? Distance? Speed? 

(22:55)

Module 6: MAINTAIN AND FINE TUNE

We round up ensuring you have everything in place to set you up for long-term success as a Healthy Woman Healthy Runner. In this phase we are focusing on helping you finetune and maintain everything you have been learning about ad practicing. We want you to Be a Healthy Woman Healthy Runner for LIFE.

(24:02)

How do we make the method easy to implement

When we developed the HWHR Method we had the busy woman in mind, that is why it is a step-by-step approach we take over 90 days…so you have plenty of time to incorporate the simple changes into your busy daily life. Each step will build on the previous one to keep it manageable for you.

Each module focusses first on WHAT to do and WHEN to do it – we do the thinking for you, so you have a simple step by step approach – then we concentrate on the HOW to do it with tips and practical support.

We DO like to explain WHY we are suggesting the steps, however we keep the explanations concise and to the point to maximise time efficiency.

Many of our clients have listened to our podcast for many episodes so they already know the WHY and they come to the HWHR Method to get support on implementation and personalisation.

There are many programmes available to work through on your own, some of which are very good, but we realise that some women need more. They need the contact, interaction and accountability to stay on track.

With the Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Programme we are there to support you and encourage you throughout. There are Live Q&A sessions and small group training sessions to help keep you engaged plus 1:1 Sessions to give your personalised support. If you are part of the Healthy Woman Healthy Runner programme you will never feel that you are “on your own”.

 (26:13)

Join us for four next Free Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Training or get on the Wait list for the next Healthy Woman Healthy Runner programme

(28:52)

Final Thoughts

When women approach the menopause transition … their usual way of eating and exercising seems to stop working! Everyday healthy eating and regular running is no longer enough to maximise running performance, to minimise injury and maintain a good body composition.

Women of “our age” require to be more strategic, focusing on balancing hormonal health with targeted nutrition, lifestyle and fine tuning their exercise plans.

We imagine you’ll know the theory. Are we right?

It’s the putting it into practice which is the tricky part of being a Healthy Woman Healthy Runner.

The “magic” in how we deliver our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner METHOD is that we make it light for you and our METHOD includes a combination of 1:1 coaching and group sessions plus mini videos and resources … so we have everything covered.

BOOK YOUR PLACE on our next FREE TRAINING: Learn all about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method.

We love podcasting but we love being with you LIVE even more so we can’t wait to meet you in our ZOOM ROOM! BOOK HERE!

Related Topics:

Love Your Liver

Hormone Health in Mid-Life

Perimenopause and Performance

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

To set yourself up for success, we take you through shaping up your mindset and environment before adding some simple food foundations, and it's all about creating space for magic.

Over the years we’ve noticed lots of people embarking on REGIMES or CHALLENGES, only to give up a few days or weeks into the New Year.

For several years now, we’ve been advocating a GENTLE JANUARY, we believe it’s a time to nurture yourself, but it can also be a great time to start to get new habits and routines into place.

Perhaps using January as a stepping-stone to better health would be best at this time of year.

No one wants to feature in the New Year statistics of “tried but failed on the new year diet plan”.

The key is setting yourself up for success so you can turn your running and nutrition goals into a reality.

Today we are going to talk about:

1.    Setting a positive mindset to help you make a good start

2.    Creating the foundations for a healthy kitchen environment

3.    A few simple Habits which will underpin your healthy food plans for the year

SHOW NOTES

(02:15)

Why are we talking about kickstarting healthy eating mid-January and not on New Year’s Day?

(04:28)

Mindset is the starting point with getting you on track, that goes along with setting an intention to help focus on the change that we want to make. Getting into a positive mindset usually means that you're more likely to follow through with positive actions.

(06:03)

Thinking about the 3 words which you may use to describe how you want to feel this year with regards to your health, and what do you want to do or experience or be great at with your health this year. Doing this will help you get into the right mindset to approach kickstarting your healthy eating plan.

(07:44)

Decluttering and cleansing your mind of negative self-talk and reframing into positive phrases. it’s also important to consider our vision  … “in our wildest dreams how we will be – what will achieving our goals deliver and then we put together an action plan of mini steps, actions and milestones to help us reach our goal and vision. We know the saying “if you don’t have a dream … a dream can’t come true”. Embrace planning and preparation as well as taking a step by step approach. Move in the right direction, fast enough to get where you want to be, but slow enough to make changes that you are comfortable with and can maintain.

(11:27)

A common reason for not getting started on making changes. 

(13:15)

How you may approach creating a healthy kitchen environment. Essentially, clear out the OLD and make space for the NEW, sometimes take a little courage and conviction. After the festive season, there can be leftovers in fridges, freezers, larders and it can feel tempting to eat and drink them all up before starting on a new healthy food plan.

(14:45)

We share some easy ways to make kitchen clearing happen!

(19:17)

An invitation to join our next FREE Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Training.

BOOK YOUR PLACE on our next FREE Healthy Woman Healthy Runner TRAINING: Learn all about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method.

We love podcasting but we love being with you LIVE even more so we can’t wait to meet you in our ZOOM ROOM! BOOK HERE!

(21:12)

We talk about setting an intention to eat food which is nourishing and how to apply the 80:20 approach to your food plan. 

(26:23)

3 things to help you get on track with your healthy food plan:

·      Establish a meal routine

·      Manage portion sizes and plate balance

·      Make sure you are well hydrated

All are simple concepts, but they are easily taken off track with extended holiday periods, just because we are out of our normal routines. Get all three right and you will create a good foundation for blood sugar balance and cravings for unhealthy foods will disappear and energy levels

 (27:28)

Suggestions on spacing your meal timings and healthy portion control tips.

(28:59)

A reminder on how to easily optimise your everyday hydration.

(30:48)

Our Suggested Action after today’s episode.

(31:56)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

There are 3 areas to consider when it comes to kickstarting your healthy eating plan – MINDSET, ENVIRONMENT and HABITS

MINDSET – our suggestions are to have a gentle January, think about how and what you’d like to FEEL, BE, DO in 2023 so you can create a health vision and intention to support your motivation around your running and nutrition goals and action plans. Be open to preparing and planning and taking a step by step approach to help you achieve all you desire. Drop any guilt around your past health and nutrition choices and make a START.

Consider how you can create a HEALTHY KITCHEN ENVIRONMENT by cleaning out your fridge/freezer and larder – it’ll help you create space for magic!

The first HABITS to establish or re-establish are having a regular meal routine, managing portion sizes and plate balance and optimizing everyday hydration – this will support your blood sugar balance, helping to maintain energy levels, keep your mind clear, stop hunger pangs, and balance hormone levels … when you do that everything is possible as you’ll feel fabulous!

BOOK YOUR PLACE on our next FREE Healthy Woman Healthy Runner TRAINING: Learn all about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method.

We love podcasting but we love being with you LIVE even more so we can’t wait to meet you in our ZOOM ROOM! BOOK HERE!

Related Topics:

Nutrition Basics for ALL Runners

In a Runners Kitchen

Smart Food Prep for Runners

Healthy Fast Food For Runners

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

New Year, new health and fitness goals. A time when runners feel inspired to make changes but don't know how to make them ACHIEVABLE.

A New Year tends to be a time when people set new intentions…a time for looking forward…not back. So, this episode is for you if you are considering new goals but just don’t know how to start….the motivation is there….BUT…how do you make your goals doable and achievable???

We give you some ideas of how to approach goal setting so you can ACHIEVE your 2023 nutrition and performance aspirations…so listen in for some great ideas…it is better than trying to “go it alone” and potentially failing!!

We talk about

• WHY setting goals is important in creating change 
• Introduce the BIG ROCK theory then look at
• Look at HOW to implement the BIG ROCK theory to help you achieve YOUR goals

SHOW NOTES 

(04:34)

Introducing you to some reasons WHY setting goals is important in creating change. 

We believe it is best to start by thinking about your TOP desire or achievement for 2023. 

Is it linked to your: 

Running goals – for example: attaining a PB, entering an iconic race, becoming a trail runner

Nutrition goals – for example: fuelling effectively for training and races, following a ‘real food’ plan CONSISTENTLY 

(09:12)

Outlining how setting goals could be helpful to you in achieving your 2023 nutrition and running goals. Goal setting may:

• Provide short-term motivation for your long-term vision or goal
• Guide your focus and keep you on track
• Create accountability to yourself but also to others if you choose to share your aspirations

The SMART approach to goal setting is well-recognised and helps individuals ACHIEVE! We introduce you to this SMART concept:

Specific - what is it you want to achieve? Eg. distance, time (BP), run an iconic race

Measurable - how will you monitor your progress?

Achievable - in the time frame you have

Realistic - what could get in the way? Eg. work, family

Timely - when do you want to achieve it by?

(16:24)

Telling the BIG ROCK story and then explaining what the BIG ROCKS, PEBBLES, and SAND represent in life:

BIG ROCKS – guiding principles, the non-negotiable goals. For example: a balanced plate at each meal

PEBBLES – things that matter in life but that you could live without such as daily habits and choices you make. For example: watching TV, going to the cinema

SAND – they tend to be less important. They are the ‘fillers’ or mundane tasks that can get in the way of achieving the BIG ROCKS. For example: doing the housework, admin tasks, doing the ironing

If you spend too much time on the sand tasks then CHANGE WON’T HAPPEN!!

(28:39)

Considering how the BIG ROCKS theory could be implemented to support you in achieving YOUR goals. You may just have one BIG ROCK or you may have several you would like to focus on. We outline some questions to ask yourself including:

1. What do I currently spend most of my time on?  
2. What are the TOP 3 things I would like to improve upon regarding performance, fitness, health, nutrition 
3. Out of those TOP 3 things – what is the ONE most important thing I desire?
4. What BIG ROCK (s) would help me achieve that ONE THING?
5. What would I need to change to put that BIG ROCK into place? 

REMEMBER, you may need to ditch some pebbles or sand to find space for the BIG ROCK! 

(33:43)

Encouraging you to determine WHY you want to achieve a particular goal. Once you have determined the WHY then:

• Make a commitment to yourself
• Plan, schedule and practice – almost becoming a RITUAL
• Remember it is non-negotiable! Your boundaries around your BIG ROCK are unshakable
• REFLECT after a period of time to determine if the ROCK is serving you
• Continue or change your BIG ROCK

(36:15)

ACTION POINT

• Consider WHAT the ROCKS, PEBBLES AND SAND are in your life 
• Take a little bit of time to write them down and see what comes up for you!! 
• Reflect on what you have written 
• Only when you are ready, then begin to PLAN the change you want to happen!!

(37:48)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. A New Year tends to be a good time to set new intentions…a time for looking forward…not behind
2. Remember to include small steps towards reaching your ultimate goal  
3. Keep your goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely
4. Think about the BIG ROCKS theory and consider the BIG ROCKS, PEBBLES and SAND in your life
5. Sift out the sand that is getting in the way of you embarking on and attaining your BIG ROCKS
6. Remember…your BIG ROCKS are non-negotiable….other things in life (the pebbles and sand) need to fit around your BIG ROCKS….in order for CHANGE to be CONSISTENT and PERMANENT!!

RELATED TOPICS

The Why of Sports Nutrition

Food Planning for Runners Part 1

Food Planning for Runners Part 2

Recommended Links

Healthy Woman Healthy Runner FREE Training

Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Waitlist

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

Winter health aims for runners: protect against winter infections, support the immune function and promote circulation and blood flow in the cold weather.

In this episode we focus on 4 seasonal fruits and vegetables to support health and running performance during the winter months. 

We outline the nutritional properties of each and consider how they can form part of your meal plan with some menu ideas. 

Finally, we share an example 1-day meal plan using these 4 winter foods.

The 4 foods we discuss are; Butternut Squash, Cranberries, Pears and Beetroot

Nutritional Properties of Butternut Squash – a great source of carbohydrate, Vitamin C, and B vitamins – supportive of immune system, energy production and soft tissue support.

Nutritional Properties of Cranberries – packed full of phytonutrients, in particular proanthocyanidin (PAC) helpful to prevent and treat infections. Many studies highlight positive effect on urinary tract infections. The key mechanism being that PACs inhibit the adhesion of bacteria to the wall of the urinary tract.

Nutritional Properties of Pears – contain the phytonutrient epicatechin, a compound thought to be involved in the contraction and relaxation of arteries, so supportive of our cardiac cardiac health.

Nutritional Properties of Beetroot – contain nitrates which help promote blood flow and they have been shown to help dilate blood vessels. This helps to enable an increase and efficient flow of oxygen through the blood vessels, which clearly is going to provide us with more energy and for our running. Beet greens are also nutrient dense providing calcium, iron and vitamin C.

KEY TAKE AWAYS:

1.Butternut Squash for carbohydrate, vitamin C, and B vitamins for fuel, energy and supporting your immune system

2.Cranberries for Proanthocyanidin (PAC) to support immune system, protect against infections, especially urinary tract infections

3.Pears for Epicatechin to support blood flow and contraction and relaxation of arteries

4.Beetroot for nitrates to support dilation of blood vessels and efficient flow of oxygen via blood vesselsIntroduction

Related Topics:

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

Looking after your immune system during the winter we share practical tips to help keep you safe and warm.

Do you ever consider your nutrition for your winter running? As the nights draw in, the mornings get darker and the days get colder do you think about what foods and nutrients you may need to keep you healthy as you run through the winter months? In this episode we look at some key nutrients for you to consider, helping keep your immune system in Optimal Health. The nutrients we discuss are:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Magnesium
• Omega 3
• Beta-glucans

But as well as the nutrients you may wish to consider, we also give you some practical tips to help keep you safe and warm as you head out the door on those cold winter mornings including:

• Remaining visible
• Foot wear
• Layering up
• Omitting risk

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1.There are many nutrients to consider to help keep you healthy during the winter months, however our 5 principal ones are: Vitamin C and D, Magnesium, Omega-3 and Beta-Glucans.

2.These 5 key nutrients have many diverse roles in health and wellbeing, but they are all important in supporting immune health

3.Remember that women are more susceptible to autoimmune conditions. So a good reason to try and maintain optimal immune health all year round, but especially during the winter months. 

4.There are daily Recommended Nutrition Intake levels for most nutrients set out by UK govt bodies, however these are set at levels known to prevent illness in the majority of people, they are not recommended optimal intake levels. 

5.Remember that certain nutrients can be lost from food through exposure to air, cooking methods and other factors so be mindful of this when considering your daily intake of key nutrients for your winter running.

6.Moving away from food and nutrients and thinking about the practicalities of winter running. It is important that we take extra precautions when running outside, both for our safety and for our health. 

7.Ensure you can see and bee seen. Run in well-lit areas wherever possible and consider wearing a high-viz jacket and head torch. 

8.Keep warm, especially if going out for a long run. Wear layers as you can always take them off and tie hem round your waist. Remember to take a hat and gloves, remember exposure of the head and face are thought to account for a large proportion of body heat loss.

9.Finally, don’t take risks, if the weather or environmental conditions are not conducive to safe running then keep active doing another sport for a short while e.g. swimming, gym, treadmill, spinningIntroduction insert

Related Topics:

Endurance Running and Immune System

Why do runners need Vitamin D

A Spotlight on Vitamin C for Runners

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

How to avoid totally derailing your runners healthy food and training plan and still have some festive treats.

Christmas is almost upon us and with it comes more eating, drinking, partying and celebrating. Christmas is a time of celebration so it is important to embrace it and have fun. 

BUT, it is also a time when many people abandon their healthy eating and exercise routines, which could lead to weight gain, poor energy, sluggishness and ultimately poor running performance. 

So, here we give some HINTS and TIPS on 3 key areas of health to help keep you running into and through Christmas. 

Eating Hints and tips:

Did you know that over half of the increase in body weight during adulthood is thought to take place during the Christmas holiday period.

1.Follow the 80:20 rule: eat healthy 80% of the time and indulge in something you enjoy 20% of the time. Now this could be observed on a daily basis, so having a small amount of a “Christmas food” that you like each day. 

2.Manage portion size: remember plate balance – ¼ plate protein, ¼ plate CHO, ½ plate vegetables. This is a very simple but essential and effective way of helping manage weight gain over the Christmas period. 

3.Make your own food – by making your own foods you can manage what ingredients you use. You can also adapt recipes and substitute certain ingredients for healthier option for example replacing white sugar with coconut sugar or honey

4.Avoid Grazing – try to influence when you will have meals or healthier snacks. This may help manage blood sugar levels and appetite

5.Share or give away the foods that you want to avoid – if you find it difficult to ration yourself with chocolates, cakes etc then share them with friends and neighbours. Or if you know of people who are happy to eat these foods on an odd occasion, give them the ones you can’t resist.

6.Freeze left over or excess food – generally we always over buy at Christmas time therefore we are left with SO much food once the guests have left. As a result, it is really tempting to eat it because we don’t want to waste it. So, use the freezer…most foods can be frozen and will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just defrost as you need it.

Drinking Hints and Tips

Did you know almost two-thirds (61%) of drinkers in the UK claim they over-indulge on alcohol over the festive season

1) Alternate each drink with a glass of water - this could reduce the amount you drink overall but also reduce the dehydration associated with alcohol.. 

2) Stock up on non-alcoholic alternatives - for you and any other guests who may want to limit their alcohol intake. There is now a wide variety of wines, spirits and beers to take advantage of so it’s really easy. 

3) Always use a measure for spirits or wine – aim not to free-pour because it can make it almost impossible to know exactly how much you are drinking. 

4) Downsize your drink by serving in a smaller glass - this can make all the difference, especially for wine because as we know wine glasses seem to be getting bigger and bigger. 

5) Avoid topping up your glass or letting anyone else top up your glass – try to finish one drink before pouring another. This way you can track your intake over the course of the evening more easily. 

6) Ensure you EAT before drinking - whether you are entertaining at home or going out. Drinking on an empty stomach is known to hasten the cerebral and physical effects of alcohol

Running Hints and Tips:

Did you know that over the Christmas period there is generally a change in most people’s routine, which can result in a change to an individual’s training routine.

1.Consider reducing the amount of endurance runs you do - include more skill-based training. For example hill drills and interval/tempo sessions, for HIGH effort, LOW time. 

2.If you are an evening runner, consider moving training sessions to the morning - so you can still meet up with friends and family. 

3.Get adequate sleep – If you know you are going out one or two evenings in a week, ensure you go to bed a little earlier on the nights you are not going out…especially on the nights following an evening out.

4.Write out a Festive Training Plan – or find a training plan online. Research suggests that having a training plan during the festive period could be a strategy to avoid weight gain. 

5.If you can’t run…walk – if running is just not possible, go for a walk instead. The important thing is to be physically active in some way.   

6.BUT, don’t beat yourself up if you cannot achieve what you would like to any given day. Let yourself off the hook but then get back on track as soon as you can. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1.Follow the 80:20 rule: ie. eating healthy 80% of the time and indulging in something you enjoy 20% of the time. 

2.Don’t skip breakfast – this may lead to you making poor food choices and/or eating too much later in the day 

3.Alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water - this could reduce the amount you drink overall but also reduce the dehydration associated with alcohol. 

4.Downsize your drink by serving it in a smaller glass - this can make all the difference, especially for wine because glasses are so big these days

5.Reduce the amount of endurance runs completed and include more hill drills and interval/tempo sessions – high effort, low time. 

6.But really, I think the most important message is: don’t beat yourself up if you cannot achieve what you would like to on any given day. Let yourself off the hook but then get back on track as soon as you can.

Related Topics:

A Focus on Festive Foods

On a Runners Plate at Christmas

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

Our Christmas Message wishing you ALL a very Happy Christmas and to say "thank you" for being with us for another year

Also, we are publishing 3 bonus episodes to support you through the festive period and to help get you set up for YOUR winter running.

The episodes are repeats from previous winters but they are still relevant so we feel they’ll be helpful for you.

Finally....enjoy some family time and take the time to re energise for the New year.

When we return in January we look forward to hearing all about your health and training plans for 2023!!

Best wishes and a very Happy Christmas to you

Karen and Aileen

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com 

How do you manage your running performance and body composition when there are so many festive foods and drinks on offer?

There is a potential to overindulge at Christmas time, when what you really want to do is retain your healthy eating and training plan to maintain your running performance and/or body composition.

Maybe you have a race early in the new year and you don’t want to be “knocked off plan”? If so, then this episode is for you!

We will share our kitchen tips and plans for a healthy and active Christmas/holiday time to help inspire you to “stay on track”.

SHOW NOTES

(05:33)

Introducing the topic and outlining WHY we have chosen this topic to discuss:

For many runners the festive season can bring with it FEAR….fear of making poor food choices leading to body composition and training becoming compromised. This may be an especially real fear (or at least a concern) for any runner having a race or event in the calendar early in the New Year. 

So, the principal aim of this episode is to try and alleviate the fear and potential anxiety around Christmas eating by giving some of our food (and drinks) ideas to help you stay on track.  

(10:00)

Thinking about ideas of how to keep family and guests happy when entertaining at Christmas time. Everyone has their own ideas around food and have their own food preferences. So what do you do to ensure everyone enjoys what you cook whilst still ensuring it is healthy, nutritious and will support YOUR run training?

·       Ensure there is lots of choice

·       Hide vegetables in a soup as a starter

·       Include a rainbow of vegetables alongside the main course

·       Have a sweet potato mash as well as traditional roast potatoes on the table

·       Include a vegetarian/vegan choice….just in case!!

·       Pair dessert with some Greek yogurt instead of cream

·       Have a cheese board OR a dessert….do you really need both??

·       Include mocktails, kombucha and WATER as alcohol alternatives 

(18:24)

Explaining what “Pigs in Blankets” are for those who do not know!!

Then delving into the running performance benefits of turkey including:

·       Supporting recovery following training

·       Supporting muscle protein synthesis

·       Supporting muscle repair and remodeling following exercise 

(20:57)

Looking at alternatives to turkey on Christmas Day including:

·       Lentil and Mushroom Loaf

·       ‘Rita’s’ Roast Beef

·       Mushroom and Quinoa Nut Roast

(27:27)

Considering some dessert highlights and WHEN to eat them to help support your run training.

Some desserts discussed include:

·       Mince Pies

·       Christmas Pudding

·       Trifle

·       Chocolate Mousse

BUT….remember portion size!!

(36:04)

Considering some alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that will be on Karen and Aileen’s Christmas tables this year:

Alcohol Beverages:

·       Bubbly

·       Wine

·       Port

Non-Alcoholic Beverages:

·       WATER

·       Kombucha

·       Mocktails including:

• Sage Sour
• Cranberry Crunch

Remember….you are in the driving seat regarding WHAT and HOW much you drink (and eat!!). Try not to succumb to pressure by others!!

(46:21)

Having fun discussing some gift ideas that any midlife female runner would LOVE to receive at Christmas time. 

These gift ideas are definitely a “would appreciate receiving” not a “need to have”.

Life is tough for so many people at the moment and we would not want to trivialise that. We believe in the motto:

“I have enough, I do enough, I am enough”

So, this gift list is just a bit of fun, but may give you some inspiration if you do want to buy a little gift for your running partner, buddy or friend…or indeed for yourself! Some of our ideas include:

·       Cushioned running socks

·       A gift voucher for running kit

·       Thermal and waterproof gloves/mitts

·       A gift voucher for a sports massage or a coaching session

·       Running poles – for those hills when trail running!!

·       Organic vegetable or recipe box

·       1:1 nutrition consultation/package 

(57:18)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. If you are at all concerned about overindulging at Christmas…just remember that you are in the driving seat…you are in control of the decisions you make
2. Don’t be pressurized by others because at the end of the day….you are the one who is training…you are the one who want to “perform” at your best whether it is just as a casual runner or if you have races or running events in the calendar occurring early in the new Year
3. Remember you can still achieve plate balance on Christmas Day and your food choices can still be nutritionally dense and support your training. 
4. If you are partaking in alcohol then just remember to go for your Christmas Day run BEFORE you indulge and drink lots of water alongside the alcohol
5. There are lots of delicious non-alcoholic drinks if that is your preference including Mocktails, Alcohol-free wine, gin, beer etc, so don’t be pressurized into drinking alcohol if you don’t want to!
6. Finally….enjoy the day in whatever way gives YOU enjoyment rather than how other people think you should enjoy the day…BE STRONG…BE YOU!!

RELATED TOPICS

FOOD FOR...Winter Running

Running Through Christmas

Nutrition for Winter Running

Disclaimer:

The suggestions we make during this episode are for guidance and

advice only, and are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment.

If you have any concerns regarding your health, please contact

your healthcare professional for advice as soon as possible.

Aileen Smith and Karen Campbell host RUNNERS HEALTH HUB. A place for like-minded female runners who are looking for simple ways to support running performance, energy, endurance, and general great health.

if this is your first time your show and you’d like to know more about us and She Runs Eats Performs please check out our TRAILER.

If you're ready to make learn more about how you may introduce easy nutrition into your running and training plan join our Easy Nutrition For Healthy Runners Online Programme for short videos, recipes, downloads and LIVE training and Q&A.

As a THANK YOU to you as one of our valued listeners, we have a special offer for you use COUPON CODE POD to get 33% discount off the full price which brings the price to £199.

If you’d like help from Karen and Aileen to design a personalised sports nutrition plan for your running - please contact us at [email protected]

Happy Running!

Aileen and Karen

www.runnershealthhub.com