So, I’ve just done my first Couch to 5k session (and didn’t die, which is good as I forgot to take my inhaler with me!)
At the end Sarah Millican suggested I eat a banana if I want a snack... there is only one problem, I hate bananas. In fact, I hate most fruits (grapes, watermelon, and raspberries are ok, but that’s it)
What else could I have as a snack that’d be healthy and good for energy?
I love most vegetables (parsnips and celery can take a hike though), so would appreciate knowing what other people have.
Also, I’m doing C25K to improve my lungs/asthma, not interested in eating protein nonsense haha!
Written by
kriswhoruns
Graduate
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Tbh you don’t really need a snack while doing this, so if you’re not bothered don’t have one. The ideal recovery drink is milk, you’ll probably see chocolate milk mentioned. I just add a teaspoon of cocoa to milk to make it (mix cocoa with a small amount of boiling water to mix, then top up with cold milk). Milk is ideal as it has the correct ratio of protein and carbs.
If by any chance you are hoping to lose weight - and I only say this because it the reason why many people start C25K - then you need to look at the distance you cover in a session. As a rule of thumb, you can count on spending about 100 calories to propel yourself over one mile. Heavier people will use a bit more, as also will very fast people of any weight, but it is a good yardstick. If your post-run snack exceeds your calorie expenditure for the run and you otherwise eat as you usually do, that will eventually be bad news for your waistline. Mostly, I don't eat anything immediately afterwards. In fact, I sometimes do my runs from outside the gym and then go back inside and do a weights session immediately after, because I read somewhere long ago that this is the best way to do it. When I do, very rarely, find myself enormously hungry after a run and/or other exercise, I try to focus on protein-rich snacks, because the body needs protein to repair all the small muscle tears that have occurred as a result of the exercise.
As for asthma, it is of course very subjective, but I have stopped needing an inhaler since going mainly plant-based (i.e. vegan, but not evangelically so) some months ago. I think that cutting out the dairy is the key factor according to what I have read, but am happy to stay with the whole regimen 99% of the time because of the huge improvement it has brought to my quality of life. Thus, if I was looking for a protein-rich, hydrating after-run snack, I would go maybe for a soya-based drink rather than milk. However, it may be that I have a subclinical allergy to milk that triggered my past asthma, and this might not apply to you at all. Just sharing for interest.
We usually very strongly suggest that people doing C25K stay blissfully ignorant of their distances. Saves the rest of us a lot of work reminding them of the actual aim of the programme ie running continuously and regularly for 30 minutes, and trying to restore their confidence when they are demoralised about distance.
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Tired...glad it’s bedtime question re snacks,
Opinions please
Snails, skids, snow snacks, sun and smiles………
running with Alice
Useful advice required before I get started
