She Runs Eats Performs

FOOD FOR … STRESS Running, especially long distance/endurance running is a stressor to the body, which is often associated with GI distress. GI distress is an area we discuss in detail in Ep3 when discussing Digestive Distress and again in Ep23 where we focus on Runner’ Gut. Some stress can be outside our control, so to help us limit the stress we experience it is important to address the stressor...

2020 Review We thought rather than a nutrition topic this week we'd do a bit of a review this year, it’s nice to take time to reflect on the year and in particular some of the subject areas we have covered and how it’s been for us as runners during COVID.  We would like to say a really BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us and listened to our episodes throughout the year. We launched tow...

FOOD FOR….. POST TRAINING From a health and nutritional view point as a runner, our aims post training includes efficient recovery so we are nourished and energised ready for the next training session. Additionally, the type and timing of our food intake post training is important for minimising the risk of DOMS, muscle loss, injury and illness.  Show Notes  (00:50) Karen and Aileen’s favourite...

FOOD FOR….. DURING TRAINING The key strategy behind eating during training is to maintain glucose/glycogen levels, so the types of foods you eat are VERY important. This is where quick release, glucose rich sugar foods can be used strategically to maintain performance. Also, it is important not to eat foods containing fat and/or protein at this time as this will slow down the digestion/absorption...

FOOD FOR…..PRE-TRAINING From a health and nutritional view point as a runner, our aim is to ensure we are fuelling our bodies appropriately to maintain our performance throughout the run….but also to support efficient recovery afterwards. What we eat beforehand may also help reduce the risk of cramping and injury during or following our run. In this episode we will discuss 4 foods to support your...

Pressing The Pause Button This is not our usual weekly episode.  We explain why we are pressing the pause button on releasing episodes for the next two to three weeks. We will be back though on Thursday the 10th of December.  We look forward to connecting again with you very soon. 

FOOD FOR…….SLEEP Sleep is important for a runner BUT for it to be restorative, optimal sleep needs to be in place CONSISTENTLY. So, in this episode of our FOOD FOR….SPOTLIGHT SERIES we discuss 4 foods known to promote sleep duration and sleep quality, therefore supporting restorative sleep to help reduce YOUR risk of injury or illness.    Show Notes  (04:01) Indicating the importance o...

Food For ... Metabolism As runners our aim is to maintain optimal metabolism and metabolic rate to support our running performance as well as our body composition. Nutrition (and exercise) are central to this goal, so in this episode we discuss FOUR foods known to optimise metabolism and metabolic rate. We also share some delicious and easy to prepare meal and recipe ideas for you to try out in th...

FOOD FOR... Gut Healing As runners we want our digestive system to be in optimal health to help prevent digestive distress, which is known to affect many runners and could lead to compromised running performance. In this episode of our FOOD FOR…SPOTLIGHT SERIES, we highlight 4 foods (salmon, turmeric, kefir, banana) known to help reduce digestive inflammation, heal the gut lining and rebalance the...

FOOD FOR ...... Winter Running From a health and nutritional view point our winter health aims (as a runner) are to 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 prope...

Nutrition for Winter Running 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. But as...

HWHR-Energy for Everything We need Energy for Everything, including our running. So, today in our HWHR mini episode we give you an overview of the key nutrients needed as building blocks in energy production so you can have high levels of energy for everything you need to do.  If you would like to find out more about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Programme please book a FREE Discovery Call...

Nutrition Periodisation for Runners In this episode we look at Nutrition Periodisation. You may not have heard of it, which is understandable as it is a fairly new concept. Think about your running, do you ever consider YOUR nutrition in relation to your running training calendar? Do you ever think about your food intake and its correlation with the various phases of your training for example pre-...

In A Runner's Kitchen  We always want to do the best we can for our health and our running but sometimes time to prepare and inspiration for producing easy but tasty and healthy meals and snacks eludes us. So, in this episode Aileen and Karen take you behind the scenes in their home kitchens. They share with you some aspects of their “kitchen set up” that ensures they are always pre...

HWHR-Why Are You Getting Hot Flushes? Why are you getting hot flushes? This is the question we answer today in our HWHR mini series episode. They are symptoms that many women tend to experience as they transition through menopause. So, in today’s episode we give you an insight into WHY they may be occurring and what you could do NUTRITIONALLY to help alleviate them. If you would like to find out m...

Nutrition For Soft Tissue Injury   As Runners we tend to head out the door without giving injury a second thought. BUT injury can occur so easily, especially soft tissue injury affecting our muscles, tendons and ligaments...and recovery can be slow. So, in this episode we delve into the 3 key phases of soft tissue injury and how nutrition could support speedy repair and recovery so you c...

HWHR-Hormone Health in Midlife In this mini episode we give you a snapshot of the key reasons for hormone imbalance, with the midlife runner in mind.   We explore how an imbalance may impact on work, family life socialising, and, of course, YOUR running. We consider some of the principle risk factors for hormone imbalance before delving into some nutritional and lifestyle suggestions YOU coul...

Iron Woman (The Mineral Not The Event!!) Iron is important for a runner primarily for providing energy, however it has many functions in the body. Without adequate levels of iron running performance could deteriorate, recovery may be slow and the risk of injury could increase.   Iron is classed as an ESSENTIAL trace mineral because the body is unable to produce its own supply. This...

HWHR-Lifestyle Essentials Do you find you just don’t have sufficient time to do the things you enjoy in life…like your running? Or, because you are unorganised you are not fuelling your running appropriately? In this mini episode we give you a snapshot of  STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS . We explore some nutrition and lifestyle approaches to encourage SUCCESS and share some  NON-NEGOTIABLES &nbs...

Health for Runners (Part 2) Bone health is important at every age stage. Bones develop through childhood and our teenage years reaching peak bone mineral density by our late 20’s. Having good nutrition for bone health during those years is crucial. Most people are probably aware that BMD decreases with age from about 40 years old and especially during menopausal years, which may lead to Osteopenia...

HWHR-Combating Low Energy Are you a midlife runner who is struggling to maintain her energy throughout the day AND for her training? Listen to get a snapshot of what may be triggering YOUR low energy. We focus on aspects including STRESS, SLEEP and DIET and we discuss HOW they may impact your running performance before moving on to providing some hints and tips on how YOU could avoid or combat YOU...

Runner's Gut Runner's Gut is a blight on the performance of many runners. It can be debilitating and remove runners from their sport for days, weeks or sometimes months. Here we will be delving into some conditions of the digestive tract including IBS, food intolerances, and Coeliac disease that may be triggering YOUR symptoms. We will also be discussing some nutrition and lifestyle strategies to...

HWHR-Weight Loss in Midlife Are you in, or approaching, midlife and finding weight loss is so much more difficult to achieve? In this mini episode we give you a snapshot into the weight loss challenges many midlife female runners face. We delve into some of the key potential contributors to weight gain in midlife including the effects of stress and a woman’s energy needs at this time. We then...

Fuelling the Ageing Runner Ageing is a natural part of life’s cycle but as runners we want to age in the most healthy way possible. In today’s episode we will be discussing the physiological effects of ageing including changes to the cardiovascular system as well as the digestive and endocrine system. We introduce stories of some inspiring older individuals who are still enjoying an active life in...

Bone Health for Runners (Part 1) Runners rarely thinks about bone health until unfortunately they have an accident or suffer from an injury and then their focus is on healing quickly so they can return to training. As we get older we are probably aware that bone health may deteriorate so perhaps it gets on our ‘health radar’ as we approach middle age. Bone health is important at every age, we grow...