One of my friends recently pointed out to me that all I talk about in this blog is the actual act of running (or the act of not running) and that food/nutrition is never really mentioned. I realized that this person was completely right, and how could I be so stupid to neglect such an integral part of exercise and a healthy life? There are no excuses, so here goes nothing. I'm going to start doing a once a month food piece. I will highlight two kinds of food or two food “topics” and talk about them a bit. For this first go around, I am going to talk about the two foods I love most: cheese and fruit.
Before we begin, however, I feel like in the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you just how much I love food. Most people look at me and think that either:
- I don't eat much food and/or mostly dine on salads and/or
- That I probably have a warped relationship with food (because I have a fit body).
But that is not even grazing the surface of the truth. I grew up loving food, though my experience with exciting new foods was limited to what Long Island had to offer and what my parents were creative enough to cook. But I loved to eat and eat a lot. I always liked to try new types of food and any interesting new recipe my parents made or concocted. I remember falling in love with sushi very early on and Indian food was a quick favorite. I quickly learned that I love spices and garlic, fruit and yogurt, fish and noodles, and I love Love LOVE steak and spaghetti. There is (almost) no food I won’t at least try and very few that I straight up detest. So now that I’ve made clear that food and I are very good friends, let’s talk about what kinds of food I love and what kinds of food is good for running (and what is NOT). Keep in mind that since there is an intense plethora available about good foods for runners, I am going to focus on foods that are good for this runner and this month I’m focused on cheese and fruit. Enjoy (if possible, with a glass of wine, some cheese, and some fruit)!
Part one - Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeese:
I’m going to start by talking about cheese, because if I had to give up everything but one kind of food, it would hands down be cheese. I’m not talking about some boring bland Kraft singles kind of cheese either, I’m talking about the delicious stinky amazing cheeses, like St. Agur bleu cheese. I have always enjoyed cheese. When I was young sharp Cheddars were my favorite. New York is big on cheddar cheeses and Macintosh apples... Not the computer, although I have and LOVE my MacBook Pro. Sorry, brief detour there, anyway I loved the flavor and texture of the cheddar, but after a while it grew to feel so basic for me. Then I started trying other cheeses I saw at the food store and farmers market. I quickly found that goat cheeses and me were going to be good friends. The creamy but crumbly textures coupled with a slight tanginess were new exciting flavors for me. I quickly started expanding my cheese horizons by trying cheeses with names that I hadn’t heard of before. Quickly, I began to build up and figure out kinds that I liked and ones that I thought were boring or too bland. But I have yet to try a cheese that I straight up do not like.
Recently I happened upon a cheese shop (my first cheese shop). This place was perfect. The little adorable store had light wood counter tops, wines housed in wood boxes, of course a few shelves of cheese and some cured meats in the glass containers, and some chocolates by the register. It was small, but for me I’d found heaven in a tiny store in the big city. Upon entering the cheese shop, I found myself drooling next to the glass enclosed cheese case. I scanned each delicious bundle, taking note of the information on the place card next to each chunk. After scanning all of my new and exciting options, I explained to the clerk that I would really love to taste and subsequently buy a bunch of their cheeses.
The young lady working the counter gave me some samples of three different kinds. The first was golden colored and had a creamy flavor. It actually reminded me quite a bit of butter, the way it seems to melt in your mouth. It was quite good, but had only hints of flavor. The second was a bleu goat cheese that wasn’t bad, but it was very hard and the taste of the bleu was mellowed by the sharp tang of the goat. The third was the St. Agur bleu. I remembered the name of this one because it was amazingly delicious. It had a soft but not sloppy texture and tasted creamy, but sharp and crisp at the same time. My mind was temporarily blown by the level of amazing taste this cheese had. I quickly bought some and a bottle of wine and headed home with my treasures. I was a very happy girl that evening. Lastly I will mention that cheese, as with all delicious but fattening things, should be consumed in small quantities from time to time. You should probably not sit on your couch, drinking wine and eat a wedge of cheese while watching NCIS. Whhaaaaat? :)
*Cheese Notes:
- Cheese acceptable the night before a run: cream cheese on a bagel, a small snack of St. Agur, and maybe some Chevre goat cheese sprinkled on your pasta.
- Cheese acceptable immediately before a run: None, the only thing you should eat before a run is some carbs if you even eat before a run at all.
- Cheese acceptable after a run: All. :)
*Note: please consult your stomach before following ANY of my eating habits. You are taking advice from a girl who ate salmon with dill sauce the night before a half marathon and PR’ed and then Mexican food the night before a 10K and still PR’ed. Some stomachs are not as forgiving as mine.
Part Two - Fruit:
I love fruit. My boyfriend would tell you that I basically subsist on a fruit-only diet with the amount of fruit I consume on a daily basis. And he's right in that I do eat a LOT of fruit. But come on, fruit is delicious. Strawberries, blueberries, and apples, oh my! Most people neglect the hell out of this food group, and its very sad to me. Fruit provides a runner with many positive and important things, such as antioxidants, a wealth of vitamins and minerals, and healthy, high-quality carbohydrates. Dark berries, like blackberries and blueberries, contain antioxidants called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins fight muscle inflammation post-run, assist with muscle repair, as well as fend off Alzheimer’s and some types of cancers. They are also good both frozen - add with yogurt to make a smoothie or throw into some oatmeal or high-fiber cereal - and fresh.
Mangos are another fruit (commonly overlooked) which is full of vitamin A and C, as well as potassium and an antioxidant called tannins. These tannins will keep your electrolyte levels balanced and inhibit the growth of common breast and colon cancer cells. Go Mangos!! Some other awesome fruits that are full of good nutrients and keep me rocking are: bananas, strawberries, apples, raisins, and kiwi. So I may be a fruit bat and eat a TON of fruit, but I highly recommend you add more fruit to your diet and your life. You’ll be healthier in the long run for it. Just think, instead of that mid-afternoon snack of a chocolate bar or chips, you can instead opt for a lovely granny smith apple or a tasty small bowl of blueberries and strawberries.
Fruit notes:
- Fruit acceptable the night before a run: Any and all fruits, they’re all good for you.
- Fruit acceptable immediately (really about an hour) before a run: bananas, fresh strawberries or blueberries and/or raisins added to a nice small bowl of cereal pre-run is a great way to fuel up.
- Fruit acceptable after a run: Focus on getting some dark berries in after your run, they’ll help fight inflammation and boost muscle repair.
I hope you all enjoyed this entry as much as I enjoyed writing it! Now off to buy some cheese and fruit. Next month's food feature will be on: Meat vs. Veggies!
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