Struggle Running on Whole30

[aad11b]

I am on day 22 of my first Whole30 adventure, and I am still struggling with my lack of energy for workouts.

 

I am in my early 20s and an avid runner. Prior to doing Whole30, I was running about 6-7 miles three times a week and 4-5 miles four times a week without a problem. Now, I struggle to get motivated to run in the morning due to my lack of energy before and during workouts. I am lucky if I make it to 4 miles now. I usually tap out around 3. I can feel my legs working more-so than they used to. It feels as if I am wearing cement shoes and exert as much energy running 3 miles as I did running 6-7. This is what has been the most frustrating for me.

 

I understand the timeline of reaching "Tiger Blood" (if you do achieve that) varies for most people, but I ate fairly cleanly before starting this program. I feel as if Whole30 has zapped my exercise drive. Any insight into why this might be would be a huge help. I have pasted what the past couple days of meals have been for me. I will be honest and say that I struggle with thinking I am eating too much for what I exert. I don't cut my portions by any means and eat until I am full. Thank you for your time and I appreciate any insight. 

 

Meals: 

Day 1:

Wake up and run 3-4 miles. (I have attempted eating beforehand (with various Pre-WO meal suggestions) but have experienced indigestion and other stomach issues if I do.)

 

M1 (w/in 30 minutes of running): 2 eggs (cooked w/o oil), 1/2 an avocado, 1.5 cups of blackberries + raspberries

M2: Grilled Chicken Breast (just paprika on it), 1.5 Cups of roasted butternut squash (w/ Coconut oil), 1.5 cups of roasted Kale (w/ Coconut Oil), Pink Lady Apple

M3: 2 palm-sized serving of liver and onions (w/fig, carrot, + pork belly compote), 2 cups butternut squash (coconut oil), 1/2 avocado, handful of raw almonds

 

Water: about 40oz. (know I can work to drink more)

 

Day 2: 

Wake up and run 3-4 miles

 

M1: 2 eggs, 1/2 avocado, medium naval orange, handful of cashews

M2: 1.5 Palm-sized serving of liver and onion leftovers, 1 cup butternut squash 

M3: 4 salmon cakes (w/ sweet potato mash included in them), 2 cups of roasted kale, 2 cups of roasted beets, handful of cashews, 4 dried figs

 

Day 3: 

Wake up and run 3-4 miles

 

M1: 2 eggs, 1/2 avocado, 2 cups mixed berries

M2: 4 salmon cakes, 2 cups roasted sweet potato, 2 cups sauteed cabbage 

M3: 1 orange chicken breast, 2.5 cups steamed Spaghetti Squash, handful of cashews, 1/5 cups sauteed kale

 

Thank you for your time. 

 

 

[GFChris]

Your meal 2's and 3's look decent.

 

Add another meal in there:
- The meal you're eating within 30 minutes of running should be more of a post workout meal of lean protein and optional carb, no fat. (Egg whites/no yolks, tuna or chicken are popular protein options.)  

- Then a short time later, add a true meal 1 of protein, veg and fat.   When eggs are your sole protein, the recommended serving size is the number of whole eggs you can hold in one hand without dropping them. For most folks, that's 3-4 eggs.

And your water intake is far too low. We recommend 1/2 an ounce of water per pound of body weight, daily.

[Saree_maree]

From what you posted, it sounds like you are running seven days a week. Is that right? How long have you been doing that?

 

The reason I ask is that without building some rest days into your schedule, you're apt to end up overtrained and burned out no matter how well you are eating. I'm an avid runner too - I have similar baseline weekly mileage as you (although I am recovering from a stress fracture at the moment), about 40 miles a week, but I cover that distance in only four days of running (but sometimes I do run twice a day). Every runner I know - and I have lots of running friends - takes at least one day a week completely off, and some people two. Many people also take one day a week to crosstrain. I'm injury-prone, so I limit myself to five runs a week and crosstrain or rest on other days. 

 

Maybe the solution to your problem is just to take a couple of days off.

[Tom Denham]

You mention a grilled chicken breast where the only spice was paprika. You need salt and when you are eating Whole30-style, the only salt you get is what you cook with. Salt your food generously!

 

I used to be a serious runner, so I noticed when I began the Whole30 and my legs felt like I was wearing cement shoes. For me that passed after about 2 weeks and never came back. You really should be better by now. I think it may seriously help for you to eat a proper post-workout meal as Chris suggested and then a proper breakfast. 

[WholeMama]

My first Whole30 was rough on the running too - this time around it's been great. Suggestions: before the run, I do coffee and a spoonful of almond butter - before long runs I add two softly scrambled eggs. Try to. cut back on fruit. Breakfast tweaked as suggested above - more protein, less fruit. And coconut water during and right after a run for the electrolytes.

[Doge1117]

Yeah, I run 6-7 days a week and . . . on day 6. My only trick for not feeling awful is just to slow down the pace slightly (oh, my pride!).

[annon73]

I am on day 22 of my first Whole30 adventure, and I am still struggling with my lack of energy for workouts.

 

I am in my early 20s and an avid runner. Prior to doing Whole30, I was running about 6-7 miles three times a week and 4-5 miles four times a week without a problem. Now, I struggle to get motivated to run in the morning due to my lack of energy before and during workouts. I am lucky if I make it to 4 miles now. I usually tap out around 3. I can feel my legs working more-so than they used to. It feels as if I am wearing cement shoes and exert as much energy running 3 miles as I did running 6-7. This is what has been the most frustrating for me.

 

I understand the timeline of reaching "Tiger Blood" (if you do achieve that) varies for most people, but I ate fairly cleanly before starting this program. I feel as if Whole30 has zapped my exercise drive. Any insight into why this might be would be a huge help. I have pasted what the past couple days of meals have been for me. I will be honest and say that I struggle with thinking I am eating too much for what I exert. I don't cut my portions by any means and eat until I am full. Thank you for your time and I appreciate any insight. 

 

Meals: 

Day 1:

Wake up and run 3-4 miles. (I have attempted eating beforehand (with various Pre-WO meal suggestions) but have experienced indigestion and other stomach issues if I do.)

 

M1 (w/in 30 minutes of running): 2 eggs (cooked w/o oil), 1/2 an avocado, 1.5 cups of blackberries + raspberries

M2: Grilled Chicken Breast (just paprika on it), 1.5 Cups of roasted butternut squash (w/ Coconut oil), 1.5 cups of roasted Kale (w/ Coconut Oil), Pink Lady Apple

M3: 2 palm-sized serving of liver and onions (w/fig, carrot, + pork belly compote), 2 cups butternut squash (coconut oil), 1/2 avocado, handful of raw almonds

 

Water: about 40oz. (know I can work to drink more)

 

Day 2: 

Wake up and run 3-4 miles

 

M1: 2 eggs, 1/2 avocado, medium naval orange, handful of cashews

M2: 1.5 Palm-sized serving of liver and onion leftovers, 1 cup butternut squash 

M3: 4 salmon cakes (w/ sweet potato mash included in them), 2 cups of roasted kale, 2 cups of roasted beets, handful of cashews, 4 dried figs

 

Day 3: 

Wake up and run 3-4 miles

 

M1: 2 eggs, 1/2 avocado, 2 cups mixed berries

M2: 4 salmon cakes, 2 cups roasted sweet potato, 2 cups sauteed cabbage 

M3: 1 orange chicken breast, 2.5 cups steamed Spaghetti Squash, handful of cashews, 1/5 cups sauteed kale

 

Thank you for your time. 

 

My experience is different because i am a lunch runner... but I did do a whole30 during marathon training and once during half marathon training.. and my first two weeks the runs were awful. Cement shoes running through mud!! As my body changed to running on fat, they started to improve but i had to eat A LOT more than most people. I didn't have much fat on my body to lose (I'm in my 20s, 5"7 and 130#), so I made sure I was getting plenty of fat in my meals. I would eat three large meals and a pre/post workout meal. 

 

Like someone said above - I also had to add a ton of salt! Maybe you don't sweat as much in the early morning, but summer lunch runs I would sweat so much that i had to add a lot of salt back in to stay hydrated. 

 

Keep on adjusting food and trying! They'll get better

[aad11b]

Thank you all for your help and support! I have upped my water intake and have started eating some lean protein (about 1/2 a chicken breast) immediately after a run, followed by my usual breakfast. My energy has definitely improved by doing so!

 

GFChris & Annon73, I think the water has helped tremendously. I have to be really conscious of making sure I am drinking enough, but it has definitely made runs easier.

 

Tom, salt is definitely my friend now!

 

WholeMama, the coconut water for electrolytes is a great tip. I never thought of drinking that to replace my old post-workout drinks.

 

Saree-Maree, I take a day off here and there or just go for walks instead, which definitely helps create a greater motivation to run on my actual workout days for sure.

 

Doge1117, I have also take a leaf from your book and slowed down on that 7th run of the week and just allowed myself to relax and loosen up. I hear ya about the pride, but it has definitely helped!

 

I will continue moving forward with all of this information and keep on improving! Again, thank you all very much! Be well. 

[praxisproject]

If you're using up a lot of salt, you may also need some magnesium (such as natural calm) and potassium (bananas, avocado) too.