walkers walk… but runners fly

Nourishing Ourselves (Yet Another Post About Body Image)

Yesterday I read two blog posts in a row about body image.  The first was Janae, aka Hungry Runner Girl.  She talked about the shift from her previous mindset of being at war with her body, to now trusting it and feeling safe. Immediately after that I read Nicole’s post, about how hard it is- after a lifetime of trying to make ourselves “smaller”- to embrace strength training and the resulting increase in muscle size.  What’s up with all these body image posts?

Steph left a comment that summed it up beautifully, and sadly: “Living in a woman’s body is never easy.

For the past several weeks I’ve been doing Caroline Girvan’s Iron Series workouts on Youtube.  These are very difficult- for me- strength training workouts,  and I’ve been dealing with major DOMS.  The soreness is intense and lasts for days.  I’ve tried stretching, foam rolling, keeping active, getting a massage… finally I concluded that there was no avoiding it.  And then…

While my son is at school I use his room for my “home gym.”  One morning as I finished my workout I noticed a bag of protein powder sitting on his desk.  He got into weightlifting over the summer, and drank a protein shake on the days he worked out.  There were just a few servings left in that bag, and I was saving it until he came home again.  But on a whim, I put a couple scoops in a glass of water and drank it down.

WELL.  I had NO DOMS from that workout.  The next day was a very intense glutes workout, and again I drank two scoops of the protein powder immediately following the workout.  Again I had no soreness, so I did it again after my long run on Sunday.

Previously, I had been working out fasted, and then waiting 60-90 minutes after working out before eating breakfast  Not on purpose- it’s just the way my schedule worked out on most days.  Who knew that fueling properly could have such a positive affect?

DUH.  EVERYONE KNOWS THAT, including myself.  So why was I basically starving myself before and after my workouts?

I think it’s from a deeply ingrained belief- from my teen years- that the purpose of exercise is to create a calorie deficit.  I wasn’t thinking about that consciously, but it’s not my first instinct to eat more.  I definitely eat (eventually) but I secretly enjoyed that depleted feeling after a hard workout, and didn’t rush to fill the emptiness.  After all these years, there’s still a part of me that wants to be smaller.

But I’m turning over a new leaf!  I’ve ordered more of the protein powder- I just got the same kind my son had, which is called UpNourish.  Yes, I’m going to nourish my body instead of depleting it.   I have no idea why this is so hard for me, but I’m excited to try something new.

I’m linking with Kim and Zenaida for their Tuesday Topics.  Thanks ladies!

Do you eat breakfast before you exercise?- Rarely.  Before a longer run I’ll eat a little fruit because it digests quickly.

Are you conscientious about fueling soon after a workout? – I am now!

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31 Responses

  1. I always eat before running.

    In fact if I am running on that day, my oatmeal has protein in it and if I don’t run, I just eat regular oatmeal.

    There were times when I wanted to be thinner but not since I started running. I know I can’t run if I don’t eat more both before and after.

    I also look at runners who do well and are strong and they are not always the thinner ones.

    1. That’s interesting! But you don’t usually run first thing in the morning. If you do, do you still eat oatmeal first?

  2. Very interesting that you caught and have corrected what was causing your DOMS. I bought protein powder this summer to have in an emergency when I don’t have time to get something proper to eat after my workouts. I do try to fuel soon after my workouts, but rarely before unless I’m going on a long ride. Most of my strength training sessions are at 5:30 AM so eating before would be difficult both from a timing perspective and me not being hungry yet.

    1. Yes, most of my workouts take place first thing in the morning, and I’m just not hungry. I also have kind of a sensitive stomach, so it really bothers me to be full while I’m exercising.

  3. Ha, yes, I read HRG’s post, too.
    I used to do the same like you – not eat after a run and enjoy the hungry feeling. Then I read somewhere how important it is to “feed the muscles” after a workout and I changed my habits. I feel better now and I didn’t gain the dreaded weight either.

    1. For some reason I kind of thought the “feeding the muscles” right after a workout was a myth- but my experience so far is proving me wrong.

  4. Living in a woman’s body IS hard! As an athlete it’s so hard to combat what society tells us. It’s usually the message that smaller and thinner is better but that’s definitely not the case for athletes. I began to gain weight when I focused on strength training and CrossFit but that was because I was gaining muscle and getting stronger! It bothered me at first as I had come off a marathon cycle and I was the leanest I’d ever been. However, learning to fuel my body for performance rather than aesthetics has brought me so much joy and relief from these negative thoughts. It takes time but it’s possible to unlearn all of that!

    1. Yes, I can see how that would be a tough shift, from “marathon body” to “strength/crossfit” body. But I like the thought of fueling for performance rather than looks… that’s the mindset we have to have.

  5. What an interesting post! I don’t like the feeling of being full when I exercise, so I generally do it after work/before dinner and then wait to eat dinner before I refuel, but I do sometimes get DOMS. Hmm…food for thought (no pun intended – or maybe intended? I’ll leave it for you to figure out). I have never really been a fan of protein powders and supplements, but maybe it’s necessary if I’m going to treat my body kindly. Hm.

    1. I don’t think protein powder is necessary, but it’s just the easiest thing for me. I would think if you just ate something with a decent amount of protein within the hour (?) of exercise it would be okay. But I think I’ve shown that I’m not exactly an expert on this subject!

  6. Great minds think alike! I’ve used protein powder right after workouts on and off but I’ve been on off for a while. For some reason I decided to give it another go this week and I’m going to have it right after my workouts for the next two weeks just to see if it makes a difference.

    I used to do all of my workouts fasted because it was “too early” but after a spell of low energy workouts I started eating something small right before hand and it made all of the difference in the world. But since I’ve stopped running I’ve gotten out of the habit of having anything beforehand so maybe I’ll take a look at that as well.

    1. Okay, I’ll be interested to hear how it works for you. Do you get sore from the Caroline Girvan? I’m still not eating before my workouts and usually feel like I have plenty of energy. I’m just not hungry when I get up. Anyway, we’ll compare notes on our post-workout shakes.

      1. I saw this just now as I came in to get the link to your post to write about our twin protein use. I had some pretty extreme DOMS from my first few Caroline workouts but now I just notice that I’m a little stiff afterwards and I think it’s mostly that I go from a hard workout to sitting at a desk all day. So that’s my motivation. It sounds like you’ve got something much more extreme and it also sounds like the protein is really helping.

        I’m not usually hungry first thing in the morning but eating a little something made a HUGE difference in having enough energy to run. For lifting? Yeah, I don’t really feel like I need it.

        1. I’m also noticing a difference when I eat a little before my runs. I still don’t do it for shorter runs, but for long runs I do. And I drank the protein shake (just the powder mixed with water) right after my run.
          I’ve always experienced major DOMS after hard runs or workouts. I’m hoping the protein shake really is the answer- time will tell.

  7. So many thoughts about this post.
    1) Living in a woman’s body IS hard. There are so many variables to contend with, and monthly hormone fluctuations are a beast.
    2) I rarely eat before I run. My ideal running time is either just before supper or mid-evening (a few hours post-eating). I wonder if I find those runs easier because I am more fueled from having food over the course of the day? When I run first thing in the morning, I sometimes have a fig or a banana or spoonful of PB, but often nothing but a few sips of water. And then sometimes definitely wait hours to eat food. Hmmm. Lots to think about here.
    3) The best I’ve ever felt when exercising and for recovery was when I did a Whole30. I had SO much less inflammation. Unfortunately, it just didn’t feel like an eating lifestyle I could keep up long-term and I definitely do have issues with DOMS again.
    4) I haven’t made protein shakes in forever (used to love them), but should suggest this for my husband who is really upping his running miles lately and has quite a bit of muscle pain as a result!
    5) I went through a stretch of taking cold showers right before a run, and this actually helped with muscle fatigue and made me more energized for the run. I did several months of it…but haven’t taken many lately because my goodness I love a scalding hot shower so much better!

    I also read Nicole’s post and while I don’t do strength training and do not have any appreciable muscle bulk, I have struggled for YEARS with my body type (short, wide hips, etc) and started dieting when I was a tween. I have made a huge shift after digging into intuitive eating and have been on this trajectory for about 6 months. It’s not perfect but my goodness I spend SO much less time thinking about food, now. Also, I haven’t weighed myself since…April? May? I used to weigh in daily, but I could tell it was impacting my mood and food choices – not using a scale has been life-changing!!!

    1. I don’t weigh myself either- I get weighed twice a year at the doctor when they check my thyroid. I used to not look at the number and request that they not tell me, but now I’m okay with it (progress!)
      Wow- cold showers before the run? I don’t think I’ve heard of that, but I can definitely see how it would energize you. My son is a big fan of regular cold showers and he’s always trying to get me to do it too… but like you, I love a hot shower.
      Yes, maybe your husband would benefit from a protein powder. I’m just mixing mine with water, and I have one of those shaker cups (with a wire ball inside to help mix the powder in with the liquid.). It’s super easy and quick.

  8. Yes, say that again louder for the people in the back!! I preach this to all of my nutrition clients. Most women do not eat enough protein. It is especially tricky being a vegan. I am a huge fan of protein powder post workouts and runs. As soon as I walk in the door from a run, I mix up my protein powder with skim milk. It is, in my opinion, the best way to start run recovery. Glad you are finding it helpful as well. I did not even get to the body image part…

    1. I’m going to continue doing this and I’ll definitely mention updates in future posts! The protein powder I’m using seems especially good- it has probiotics, vitamins and adaptogens (my son definitely did his homework on this one.) And it has no sugar and tastes good!

  9. I always eat breakfast before working out! I have to or I will feel like crud after a workout, especially running. I try not to eat too close to when I run but I always eat some oatmeal or toast before a run, plus coffee. I worry less about eating after working out because my workouts aren’t as intense as they used to be. When I was marathon training, I was careful about my fueling before/after runs. After long runs I would almost always get a chocolate milk as that has a nice amount of protein in it and it always tasted good! I have not tried protein powder, though! But it is interesting how much it’s helping with your recovery.

    I look forward to a time when I am doing more workouts than I currently am doing. October has been epically bad… here’s hoping the next couple of months are better.

    1. I was listening to a podcast with Andrew Huberman and he said you need to either nail pre or post-workout nutrition, but not necessarily both. So you probably feel fine after you run because you fueled ahead of time.
      Don’t worry about your October… things will get easier. You’ve had a lot of challenges this month!

  10. I almost always workout fasted, but I definitely look forward to my breakfast (and coffee!!) afterwards. I am so glad you figured out that fueling your body in a timey manner after a workout is preventing DOMS… and yes, protein powder is an easy, quick way to give something back to your body. If I don’t eat breakfast (or another meal afterwards), I do have protein powder or a protein bar on hand to give my body something back to work with 🙂

    I do agree though: Living in a women’s body is hart. There are so many “expectations” attached to it… it’s work to “untether” yourself from them.

  11. Thanks for the shout-out!

    I don’t eat breakfast before a workout UNLESS it’s a run, or if it’s Saturday morning and I’m starting my workout after 9:00. Usually I start my workout between sometime between 5:30 and 7, and that is just too early in the morning to run the blender. If I am running, I usually start around 8. I do have my smoothie right after a workout though. I love the Vegan Works protein powders although my breakfast smoothies tend to be more nut butter based.

    So interesting that your muscle aches went away with more protein! That really says something!

  12. Coming back here to tell you that this morning I saw that the podcast Press Play Not Pause has a new episode – and it’s all about fueling your workouts. It’s entitled something like More Not Less! Just a fun coincidence. I think you would like this pod – I may have mentioned it before – but you need to skip the first 5 minutes or so because it’s always all ads.

  13. I usually workout fasted since I tend to workout early in the morning, but when I was training for half marathons and marathons I would normally eat something light, like toast with peanut butter, before a run. that being said, I always look forward to my post-workout breakfast!

    1. I definitely enjoy my post-workout breakfast- I was just taking way too long to eat it. I think as long as you’re nailing the post-workout nutrition, you don’t need to eat beforehand. At least it sounds like it’s working for you.

  14. I drink coffee in the morning before my run. I know I should eat something but have no desire to eat anything. Sometimes I would eat some graham crackers with my coffee when I would have to do a “long” run. And yes, I would also drink a protein drink after said run.

    1. I also have no desire to eat first thing in the morning. Years ago when I was taking spin classes, the instructor INSISTED that we eat before the class and I almost threw up- it totally ruined the whole class for me. So now I stick to an empty stomach- except like you I’ll eat a little before a long run.

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