Beer, chips or cake...what do you forego?

Of the more famous temptations, alcohol, fatty/junk food and sweet/rich treats, what do you find yourself declining because of running?

I find it easy enough to say no to fast food, chips, burgers, pizzas etc. And cake, chocolate and buns too. But don't think any possible improvement in times would see me give up the 6 pack of Aldi beer twice a week.

julyjane

Alcohol. If I'm planning a run I won't drink the day or night before because I know it'll mess up my head, stomach and hydration.

Wouldn't have a bag of chips from the takeaway either because the grease would make my stomach feel heavy for about a day afterwards but I would have a burger, pizza or a chicken fillet kebab no problem. Cake and scones not a problem either but I eat so much of them already I must have built up a bit of a tolerance

Swashbuckler

Conor74 wrote:

Of the more famous temptations, alcohol, fatty/junk food and sweet/rich treats, what do you find yourself declining because of running?

From my experience alcohol has the biggest impact on my running. Without a doubt.

ThisRegard

Nothing, everything is fine in moderation. I still have my weekly takeaway, a biscuit or two a day with tea, chocolate now and again, and beer and wine.

If you're running your ass off and not an elite at national or international level, where's the fun in denying yourself treats, especially as you can afford to indulge?

judeboy101

Cake, no one ever got fat drinking alcohol ;-)

walshb

Alcohol is a “toxin” in certain amounts. Probably the worst thing to be ingesting if you’re serious about running and succeeding/improving..

The other stuff is just food.. relates more to your weight and weight management..yes, good choices can make a difference.

OOnegative

Alcohol if I'm seriously training for something, could go 4-5 months without touching a drop. All the others in moderation as others have said, do have a hoor of a sweet tooth though!!!

BeepBeep67

I've ran some of my best races and times after 1 - 2 quality beers the night before.

Zebra3

Obviously drinking 24 hour before a race or serious training session is a no-no, but wouldn’t cut alcohol out completely but then again I can’t drink it like I used to!!! I actually use it as a motivation during my 30-32km training runs. “Get it done and there’s 3 bottles of x tonight!! Keep going!!”.

No harm in having a treat every so often, gotta live and all that, but I do check the sugar content on what I buy, eg granola, and go for the lowest one.

gramar

Smoking...don't smoke much anyway but running is a good deterrent to cut down or cut it out altogether and in the lead up to a race I wouldn't smoke for 3-4 days.

djemba djemba

Chips, takeaways very rarely. The odd pizza usually post race tho.
Alcohol, the rare blow out but usually long ways out from races and early in training phases. Training will be arranged around going drinking.
Cakes, ah my Achilles heel. Always time for cake.

Zebra3

Started doing my own pizzas from a base with my own toppings and all that as opposed to processed pizzas that you buy frozen.

Simple step.

vanderlyle

Went to a talk earlier this year from a national level marathon runner who said the most important thing is running, and the second most important thing is sleep. Everything else is a long way off these two, in his book at least. Now I wouldn't take that as a license to crack out the Custard Creams and start lorrying them in, but it was a relief to hear someone of that standard saying that you don't have to deny yourself everything.

I'm a sucker for biscuits and cake, so it can be a struggle to rein that in.

On alcohol - like This Regard I don't find any harm in having an occasional beer or couple of glasses of wine. But too much alcohol does disrupt my sleep as well as my ability to get the most from training.

ultrapercy

ThisRegard wrote: »

Nothing, everything is fine in moderation. I still have my weekly takeaway, a biscuit or two a day with tea, chocolate now and again, and beer and wine.

If you're running your ass off and not an elite at national or international level, where's the fun in denying yourself treats, especially as you can afford to indulge?

This moderation you speak of, Id like to learn some more about it. Maybe you could post a link?

Chivito550

One season I ran my fastest time of the season (PB at the time) just days after 2 weeks of solid eating crap and drinking like a fish over Christmas. I then cut down on booze enormously for the rest of the season and didn’t go any faster.

Wouldn’t overthink it. If there’s something you want, just have it. Keep things in moderation.

Personally, I find a couple of pints here and there makes no difference. Heavy binge drinking sessions on the other hand are detrimental. Stags, weddings etc. They leave you in rag order, and then you are susceptible to picking up colds.

OOnegative

Chivito550 wrote: »

One season I ran my fastest time of the season (PB at the time) just days after 2 weeks of solid eating crap and drinking like a fish over Christmas. I then cut down on booze enormously for the rest of the season and didn’t go any faster.

Wouldn’t overthink it. If there’s something you want, just have it. Keep things in moderation.

Personally, I find a couple of pints here and there makes no difference. Heavy binge drinking sessions on the other hand are detrimental. Stags, weddings etc. They leave you in rag order, and then you are susceptible to picking up colds.

Ye track fairies obviously have better self restraint than the road runner(well me anyway). If i drink its a binge unfortunately but luckily enough that happens 3-4 times a year. I feel the impact after only a few drinks, i know it doesn't suit me, but the beer in Holland is to nice and to cheap:eek::eek::eek:

Chivito550

This thread reminded me of this recent tweet from Hannah England.

https://twitter.com/hannengland/status/915503771446366208

kit3

ultrapercy wrote: »

This moderation you speak of, Id like to learn some more about it. Maybe you could post a link?

Here you go ....

Hannibal_Smith

kit3 wrote: »

Here you go ....

:pac: Just spat me wine mineral water out:D

IvoryTower

I live in a neverending cycle of trying to cut out junk. Rarely successful but i figure if i wasnt trying itd be worse.

I dont feel the bad food effects how i perform in races/training but its the belly id be concerned about.

walshb

IvoryTower wrote: »

I live in a neverending cycle of trying to cut out junk. Rarely successful but i figure if i wasnt trying itd be worse.

I dont feel the bad food effects how i perform in races/training but its the belly id be concerned about.

Bad food/belly? Not linked...?

IvoryTower

Yep well it does effect that, but so does any food. I just mean how you feel lile the way you feel bad hungover and dont perform as well.

hot buttered scones

Well, I never eat cake when I'm drinking beer, and I never eat chips after eating cake. Does that count?

average_runner

We only live once and we aren't professionals!

So enjoy life when you can.

walshb

average_runner wrote: »

We only live once and we aren't professionals!

Don't need to be professional/elite to be serious and committed and eager to better yourself..

ThisRegard

You don't need to not enjoy life to be serious and committed and eager to better yourself..

walshb

Nobody said or mentioned 'removing' or 'curbing' joy......

Joy can be quite subjective depending on the person and situation....

average_runner

walshb wrote: »

Don't need to be professional/elite to be serious and committed and eager to better yourself..

There is trying to better yourself and then realizing looking back that you didn't you better yourself as missed out on alot of time with your friends and love ones!

There is a balance and if you do everything in moderation from social life to training you be alot happier for it.

walshb

average_runner wrote: »

There is trying to better yourself and then realizing looking back that you didn't you better yourself as missed out on alot of time with your friends and love ones!

There is a balance and if you do everything in moderation from social life to training you be alot happier for it.

Like I said, you don't have to necessarily "suffer" or miss out to improve yourself at running. The real suffering is the training. But that's a given.

It's all about attitude. Maybe see the changes or "restrictions" as life improvements or life pick ups. You may actually get more from life and more enjoyment.

Take eating "crappy" food from time to time. Who's to say that giving it up or curbing it has to mean losing some life enjoyment?

Alcohol? Who's to say that really curbing it or giving up means a loss of life enjoyment...?

Could it not mean more happiness of enjoyment? That possible?

Back to running and wanting to perform at your best.....Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what will help you best..

ReeReeG

Alcohol is the easiest to forego. Definitely feel sluggish even after a few beers / glasses of wine and I try to run the next day. That said, it's easier to give up when you're getting older and have no urge to binge... and it's harder to stay away from the chocolate and cakes when you're sitting on the couch on a Saturday night!

average_runner

ReeReeG wrote: »

Alcohol is the easiest to forego. Definitely feel sluggish even after a few beers / glasses of wine and I try to run the next day. That said, it's easier to give up when you're getting older and have no urge to binge... and it's harder to stay away from the chocolate and cakes when you're sitting on the couch on a Saturday night!

A bottle of beer the night before is actually good before your run!