Eat better to run better with Carissa and Jeff Galloway

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Summary

On episode 612 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan sits down with Carissa and Jeff Galloway, co-authors of Run, Walk, Eat. Carissa is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and six-time marathoner. Jeff is an Olympian, longtime Runner’s World columnist, and creator of the Run Walk Run method, having coached more than 400,000 people.

Jeff explains that Run Walk Run is rooted in how humans actually evolved to move: our ancestors were built for near constant walking with short bursts of running, not continuous distance running. Taking regular walk breaks erases fatigue and stress on weak links before they turn into injuries, and it also spares glycogen so runners are less likely to hit the wall.

Carissa brings the nutrition side, challenging the old rule that everyone needs to carb load heavily before a race. The two also dig into why running alone rarely produces weight loss, and lay out the three Ps (prepare, portion, protein) as a simpler way to think about everyday nutrition.

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Key Takeaways

  • Run Walk Run mirrors how humans evolved to move. Jeff points to anthropology research showing early humans mostly walked, with short bursts of jogging used in persistence hunting. Since our bodies were not built to run nonstop, short walk breaks reduce injury risk and fatigue buildup on weak links.
  • After about 30 minutes of aerobic running, your body shifts from burning glycogen to burning fat. Glycogen fuels the first half hour or so, and trained runners can run out of it around 20 miles if they are not managing pace. Run Walk Run keeps runners in the fat burning zone longer, which spares that limited glycogen supply.
  • Traditional heavy carb loading is mostly outdated for everyday runners. Jeff says the original research behind it was based on small studies with a minimal effect, yet it became gospel. Carissa’s modified version adds just one extra carb serving a day for the five days before a long run or race, plus 150 to 200 grams the morning of, instead of a 3,000 calorie pasta dinner.
  • Running alone rarely produces meaningful weight loss. Carissa is direct that weight loss comes from the kitchen, while exercise matters more for weight maintenance. Runners often gain weight during training blocks because they overestimate how many calories a run actually burns.
  • The three Ps make everyday nutrition simple: prepare, portion, protein. Prepare means having a plan for what you will eat so you are not caught hungry and reaching for whatever is around. Portion means measuring carbohydrates and using your palm as a rough protein guide. Protein at every meal boosts satiety and helps keep blood sugar stable.
  • Meal prep does not have to mean hours in the kitchen on a Sunday. Carissa suggests starting with just planning what you will eat that week, then building in prep gradually, such as cooking extra portions whenever the oven or grill is already on, or using a store rotisserie chicken as the base for two or three meals.
  • Practice your race day nutrition during training, never for the first time on race day. Both Galloways stress that whatever fueling and pacing strategy you plan to use should already be tested on long training runs, since that is the only way to know how your body actually responds.
  • Carissa and Jeff’s three strategies to get and stay well: Carissa says reflect on what you are already doing right, set two goals with one simple action item each, and recognize that a healthy lifestyle takes real energy, and that is a good thing. Jeff says build a cognitive strategy instead of winging it, exercise because it keeps your brain young, and put your eating and exercise plans on your calendar as your two most important appointments each day.

“Too much loading leads to unloading during the event. And that can be downright embarrassing.”

Jeff Galloway

Another Episode You May Enjoy

Episode 651 – How to design your perfect running program after 40

Episode Notes

Podcast: 40+ Fitness
Episode: 612
Published: 2023-10-17
Host: Allan Misner (aka Coach Allan), author of The Wellness Roadmap
Guest(s): Carissa and Jeff Galloway, our co-host, Coach Rachel, Run
Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube (audio only)