This is a difficult week, I think mainly psychological but it is affecting me physically. A LOT.
On Monday I did W5 R1 and it went well, I was ecstatic. I came back home and engulfed a plate of pasta and then, my guilty pleasure: 3 custard doughnuts (I could have eaten the 5 of them but I freeze the rest). I didn't realise at the time but I was eating anxiously. I ate and ate and ate the whole day, mostly crap, carbs. I immediately felt bloated in my upper tummy. Next day I felt horrid, I could barely eat and I'm constipated since.
On Thursday I felt better and tried W5 R2 first 8' run, went well, tired but well, the second one I had to finish 4' into it. Today I tried again but I couldn't finish the first 2 minutes, my body felt like I was hangover. I had a healthy snack in the morning but I'm still constipated and bloated. I'm drinking coconut water now and I'll try a gentle diet and see if I can recoup some energy for tomorrow.
I'm not sure what to eat, I'm vegetarian/vegan any thoughts?
Written by
StarkeyGo
Graduate
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Sometimes it can be hormone fluctuations too, especially with the ladies. Make sure you drink loads of water the day before a run too as that can cause heavy legs and stitches. Sometimes runs are just hard and there are no reasons. Often though the next day is completely fine. It’s just one of those things. Just slow down enough.
Not really I think is a combo of things. During the lockdown, my GP upped my dose of citalopram and is killing my stomach. As a consequence, I can't eat well. I'm having a consultation on Monday will see what's next.
I too take Citalopram, lt can be a little harsh on the tummy with some other drugs, I also take ibuprofen a lot so he gave me Omeprazole to counter act any digestive issues 🙂
I'm taking lansoprazole. But is not really helping much. I mean, is helping but adding other issues. Like constipation. I'll go back to 20mg I think. During my first few runs, I started fantasising with maybe in time, being able to wane my dose until I finally quit. Running can make me super happy.
I struggled with week 4 and had to do it again. Getting to the end of week 5 will be a huge achievement. I used to get bloated so for me i discovered that if I have a light meal the night b4, I miss breakfast and run b4 10 in the morning and dont drink 15 mins b4 run I feel ok.
There are no bad foods... just poor balance... and after exercise that can become an issue as we are hungry... so that’s where I do tend to focus on a fat/protein fix as it will take away the hunger for longer than carbs. As a vegetarian I tend to go for eggs, which are pretty much just fat & protein. That said, after my long runs I do have a tendency to go for a bit of a mix (sweet treat and then my usual) but this week’s long run did burn 900 calories according to my watch. How’s your protein intake? That is often more difficult to get right as a veggie/vegan. Protein powders can help, whey is apparently the best option for us, but vegan alternatives are available.
How many meals a day are you eating? Little and often may be better than 3 square meals for you at the moment.
I too am wondering about hydration here, which helps the muscles and also constipation. How much fluid are you taking on daily?
Have you thought of trying relaxation techniques to help prevent anxious eating? Headspace is a good app with a free introductory course for beginners. Helps me a lot pre run, and has got me through tough times, including quitting smoking.
The running will come... just keep crossing the start lines.
Thanks for your message. I've been drinking lots of water but I'm also taking an arsenal of pills. I'm having a consultation with my GP on monday and hopefully I'll diminish that soon. I'm ok with protein Ive never needed it much for some reason. But since I'm not a 20yrs older anymore I might need to add some protein to my diet now. Coconut water helps a lot with constipation. Will try to meditate before my runs, also running when is fresh rather than warn I think.
Fybogel sachets help me, they are natural soluble fibre. Regucol is another one, taken in a glass of water. I find running is easier early in the morning, with maybe a banana and a drink before I run, but nothing more. And I hate to tell you, but the custard donuts and pasta together would have made me feel like you do now. I try to limit the amount of processed wheat, dairy and sugar I eat, but the non dairy substitutes can be even worse. Have you tried an exclusion diet to establish what triggers your IBS? I did one with guidance from a dietician but there are books available. It takes a while and it makes meals really boring for a while until you can reintroduce foods, but it really helps to highlight what foods you need to avoid.
It's worth a try. You have to cut out loads of things for the first two weeks, it's quite a challenge, but then you add things back in one at a time, and you can tell straight away if it's a problem. The things that you can't tolerate can be quite surprising. My list includes onions and potatoes, most pulses, and cabbage family. Nuts, but almonds are ok. The good news is that after avoiding them really carefully for a long time, I can tolerate most things now if I don't overdo it. Good luck with the GP!
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