Running Injuries: Food Planning for Prevention - She Runs Eats Performs

Episode 139

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Published on:

4th May 2023

Running Injuries: Food Planning for Prevention

Probably most of us have experienced an injury at some point!! And when you have been injured…and then recovered….you just don’t want to go there again!! because it is frustrating and debilitating…and painful of course!! AND more often than not, it takes you away from your running for a period of time, which means that you have to go “back to the beginning” when returning to training.

Most of us will have heard the phrase “Prevention is better than cure” So, if you have been injured in the past and want to limit the risk of getting injured again…or maybe you haven’t ever been injured and want to optimise your food plan so it doesn’t ever happen…listen in because we will be chatting about:

  1. What you need to think about when considering a food plan to support injury prevention 
  2. Our suggestions for meals and snacks to help prevent injury
  3. A one-day meal plan for you to introduce to your food plan to get you started 

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SHOW NOTES

(05:26)

Introducing the fundamental food and dietary considerations when thinking about injury prevention including the Mediterranean Diet (MD). Outlining what it contains and what it omits to support health and wellbeing

(10:14)

Outlining some additional dietary fundamentals to consider to help prevent a running injury occurring including:

Eating strategically (food timing)

Appropriate Eating – not too much and not too little 

(13:30)

Introducing the KEY nutrients required to help prevent a running injury occurring including:

Carbohydrate – as the principal nutrient for energy production

Protein – to maintain muscle mass and support muscle repair, recovery and remodelling from training

Fats – the essential fats for their anti-inflammatory properties

Calcium – in tandem with Vit D for promoting bone health and bone formation therefore potentially reducing the risk of stress fracture

Magnesium – for muscle relaxation, thus helping prevent muscle tightness, muscle spasms and cramping, which can be painful and lead to a more prolonged injury 

(17:00)

Giving some of our breakfast and lunch ideas to help prevent injury including:

Breakfast: 

  1. A juice or smoothie with added ginger or turmeric  
  2. Overnight oats with berries, nuts, and seeds, and Kefir 

Lunch:

  1. Chicken broth (bone broth) on its own or add to other ingredients to make a heartier soup 
  2. Rainbow salad (Poké or Buddha Bowl) containing lots and lots of different colourful salad vegetables accompanied with some brown rice and a salmon fillet, chicken, mackerel or sardines 

(24:55)

Giving some of our dinner and snack ideas to help prevent injury including:

Dinner:

  1. Stir fry containing vegetables and a protein source. Serve with brown rice noodles or some steamed brown rice and a leafy green salad on the side
  2. Mixed vegetable omelette or a vegetable frittata and serve with a mixed salad 

Snacks:

  1. Dark chocolate
  2. Cottage cheese or hummus with vegetable sticks or one to two oatcakes

(36:36)

Outlining a one-day meal plan to help prevent a running injury:

Breakfast – Berries with kefir topped with nuts and seeds

Lunch – Bone broth soup with added vegetables and chicken

Dinner – Stir fry with tempeh and brown rice noodles

Snacks – Morning: seaweed wafers. Afternoon: handful of nuts

(40:29)

ACTION POINT:

Consider introducing that Mediterranean Diet approach to eating into your meal plan REGULARLY. Try adapting one of your meals initially and then, over time, convert your other meals so they too follow the Mediterranean approach. 

Introducing the MD to your food plan could support your health, wellbeing and your running goals in many ways, not just in injury prevention if introduced CONSISTENTLY. 

Related Topics:

Endurance Running and Immune System

Nutrition for Running Injury

Nutrition for Soft Tissue Injury

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.

​Also, when you're ready, here are FIVE ways that we can help you:

1)Check out our free downloadable resources

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We love to hear from our listeners - what are your nutrition and running goals, challenges and successes, please drop us a line at hello@runnershealthhub.com

 

Best Wishes and Happy Running!

Karen and Aileen

www.runnershealthhub.com 



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About the Podcast

She Runs Eats Performs
for mid-life female runners of all abilities
Are you confused about the science around nutrition for runners? Listen in to learn about the WHY, HOW, WHAT, and WHEN of eating to fuel your running performance.

We are here to help you translate sports nutritional science, into easy to apply tips and plans, helping you enjoy peak running performance. We focus on the FEMALE FACTORS every mid-life woman needs to know to be a healthy runner.

About your host

Profile picture for Aileen Smith

Aileen Smith

Nutritionists, Educators, Podcasters, Runners and Friends

We have a love of running and a passion for nutrition, delicious food and healthy living. She Runs Eats Performs for female runners of all abilities who are looking for simple ways to improve their running performance and their health with nutrition and lifestyle.
We enjoy sharing our nutritional expertise, reviewing the latest sports science and most of all helping you to take easy action so you can enjoy your running life to the full.
We are here to help you achieve great health and good shape whilst staying injury-free with easy-to-understand sports nutritional concepts and easy-to-implement tips and plans.

Aileen and Karen are BANT and CNHC Registered Nutritional Therapists.