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Should you eat before you run

Since their website is unbearably slow to load, I’ll quote a recent Runner’s World tip that I saw.

Wait for about two hours after a meal before running. You can probably
run 90 minutes after a light, high-carb meal, while you need up to
three hours after a heavy meal that’s high in protein and fat.

juggling and eating Interesting advice. It reminds me of the advice about not swimming for an hour after you’ve eaten. That advice is bogus and this seems to be too. I routinely eat food minutes before I go on a joggling jaunt and I’m fine. This might not work for you but for some, don’t sweat it.

After you do a long joggle however, make sure you follow it up with a tastey treat. My choice is one of the top ten candy bars for runners and a Diet Vanilla Cherry Dr. Pepper.

This Post Has 20 Comments
  1. Soda is bad for you anytime and after a work out?…I dont think that it will be any better for you. I would suggest some water, as the best option.

  2. Good for you, bad for you, who knows? I think everyone is different. Water works but it doesn’t replace lost electrolytes. For some people it doesn’t matter. For me, I like to have a soda after running and I haven’t suffered any negative health effects.

    Although, now I limit myself to one 20oz soda a month. Not for health reasons, but just because I want to see if I can do it.

  3. To reiterate the point SODA IS BAD for you.I strongly advise you not to drink soda after a run as it basically defeits the purpose of exercise and health which running promotes.Water is the best option as it cleanses toxins from body and properly hydrates you whereas sugary drinks have adverse effects.I f yiur looking to replace lost electrolytes opt for a good quality sport drink.To the person above, although you say u have no negative health affects from soda, well this takes a long period of time to really occur, so best to curb that havit now.

  4. The Truth about Soda: Is Soda Bad for You?
    By: Carol Candeloro

    Soda. It’s become the four-letter word of beverages. Of all the drinks on the market, soda probably has the worst reputation. Science and medical research point their collective finger at soda, and blame it for everything from diabetes to tooth decay, hyperactivity to childhood obesity. But is soda really that bad for you? When asked if soda is inherently unhealthy for people, board certified nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, said, “Yes. Simple, unequivocal answer, yes. Yup. Affirmative. Absolutely.” What’s so unhealthy about many Americans’ favorite beverage?

    To get to the truth, let’s start with the ingredients. The average cola contains carbonated water, caramel color, natural flavors, caffeine, phosphoric acid and high fructose corn syrup. Carbonated water is plain water infused with carbon dioxide, which creates the bubbles. Caramel color is a natural additive that tints food products, providing the familiar color consumers expect to see. Natural flavors are often of the citrus variety and added for taste. All of these are simple, harmless ingredients. Next is caffeine, a diuretic and stimulant known to be addictive.

    What’s left on the list of ingredients is what solidifies soda’s bad name: sugar. Phosphoric acid is a chemical that adds a tangy or sour flavor by breaking down starches into sugar. According to Bowden, we should consume as little sugar as possible, especially refined sugar. “Zero would be a bull’s-eye but is pretty much an unobtainable goal,” says Bowden. Why is it unobtainable? Because almost every product on supermarket shelves contains the final ingredient on our soda list: high fructose corn syrup. “It’s included because it is a way cheaper form of sweetener than anything else,” says Bowden. “It is also one of the single most horrific ingredients in the food supply.” Adding high fructose corn syrup to foods provides little nutrition and lots of calories.

    If this is the case, then what about diet soda: Does it help or hinder weight loss? “There’s no hard-core scientific evidence that it hinders,” says Bowden.“But there is a ton of anecdotal information and intelligent observation that leads one to think that might be so. New research shows that noncaloric food and beverages deregulate our innate ability to judge caloric intake. Secondly, there’s the psychological part: Many people subconsciously think they’re taking in less calories by drinking these crappy drinks and then subconsciously allow themselves more food. Third, there is some suspicion among nutritional scientists that sweet tastes — through a Pavlovian conditioning method — might signal insulin to release even though there are no actual calories or sugar. This is a theory I think has a lot of merit.”

    Taking all of this into consideration, soda just doesn’t add up to be a beneficial drink. Even the label on a can states that it is “not a significant source of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.”
    Now that you have the facts and you’re staring at a month’s supply of soda you just bought, don’t panic. Your purchase need not go to waste. According to numerous household cleaning Websites, soda can clean your toilet, eliminate rust from a car bumper and remove grease from clothing. We’re not kidding!

  5. Yawn.

    Just the opinion of a supposed expert. Where is the scientific data to support the opinion?

    That nonsense about high fructose syrup has never been shown scientifically to be true.

    And there are much better things than soda for removing grease from your clothing and rust from your car. This chemical fear mongering is ridiculous.

    Show us the proof! Until then, I’m sipping away on my Diet Vanilla Cherry Dr. Pepper and encourage everyone else to do likewise.

  6. Scientific? Ignorance is bliss my friend
    heres your proof that soda can never fully quench your thirst.
    An unfortunate health effect of drinking soda is the weakening of bones. Some animal studies have shown that phosphorus in soda leaches calcium from bones. Similar studies on humans have suggested that drinking soda may lead to a tendency toward broken bones.
    Studies at N.C. State have confirmed that high amounts of sugar will lead to tooth decay, loss in bone density, and a future crash due to the hihg amount of caffeine. Try drinking water after and then try soda the next time and compare how you feel.

    Anyone want info on socks or shoes. E-mail me.

  7. Okay about the not eating before you jog- has Nothing at all to do with how it will make you feel. It has to do with burning fat/calories. If you eat then your body will use what you just ate as fuel. if you dont eat before a run – you body will bread down fat that you have to make sugars and burn them. so if your jogging to lose weight – dont eat before. also with the soda… what scientific research isnt out there about soda not being heathy. it just isnt dont kid yourself- normal soda has so much sugar in it – that if your drinking it before or after a run – your body will soak that up that sugar instead of making sugar from your stored body fat. and even if its “diet” it has artificial sweeteners which SCIENTIST have told us can contribute to speading of cancer cells or up your changes of getting cancer.- and as far as trying water then trying soda and feeling no difference. – what did u do that one time? do you really think you can get accurate results from that?? its not just opinion its common knowledge… do a google search – is soda bad for me – you will find out quick… just because its something you like to drink doesnt mean its good for you- lots of people like to smoke and we all know that for a fact that it is bad for your health- it even says it on the box now. dont be so nieve…

  8. Again, you merely provide opinion. Where is your scientific study to support your point? I can be convinced but your OPINION does not sway my opinion.

    Google searches are not reliable as they are just filled with more unsupported opinions like the ones you propagate. Show me something published in a peer reviewed journal and I can be convinced.

    Your claim that it is common knowledge is merely proof that you can’t back up what you say. Show me the research!

  9. lol wow your stubborn and love your soda-
    do you think no one has posted online what they have found published in a peer reviewed journal?????
    sure you cant believe everything you read but if you go through a few and see a common idea that makes sense you can normally rely on this(if not just posted by anyone but a doctor would be a good start).
    maybe your just lazy and want someone else to look up the information for you.
    The post “the truth about soda” is the number 1 hit for “is soda bad for you” on Google- its from a site called “your total health”. here is the link

    http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/the-truth-about-soda-soda-bad-you.html

    this is from a board-certified nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS. Again that says Phd and CNS. this is NOT opinion.
    You are asking for the research – this sums up his research.
    Give it up soda is not good for you.

  10. Experienced jogger,

    You’ve merely pointed to the same article as the person wrote in comments above.

    What you have provided is an OPINION of an expert. And not an expert who cares much about the scientific method. Definitive comments like “Yes. Simple, unequivocal answer, yes. Yup. Affirmative. Absolutely” are not the ones that objective scientists would use. In the area of health and nutrition, no knowledge is absolute and people who say it is are full of crap. PHd or not, this is just one guy’s OPINION.

    He says the number 1 reason soda is bad for you is because it has sugar. Diet sodas do not have sugar. So why are they bad?

    He says it’s because it won’t help you lose weight? Well, I’m not trying to lose weight. So, why are diet sodas bad?

    I’m still waiting for some science (not a PHd’s opinion) that demonstrates soda is bad for you.

    It really wouldn’t be that difficult to do. You could merely survey the health of soda drinkers versus non-soda drinkers (after controlling for ethnic and lifestyle variations). Where is this study?

    Drinking soda makes me happy. But if it is causing significant negative health effects, I certainly would stop drinking it. I just choose to make my choices based on science not the opinions of so-called experts.

  11. http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docID=625759

    I know you said you don’t want to lose weight, but some fatties probably read this too. I smoke and I run (so I got you beat on the not really caring), but here’s a study by a white coat wearing doctor from Louisiana (I just lost some credit there) (enough with the parenthesis already huh?) Enjoy losing 1.5 lbs every 18 months not drinking sodas.

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