Trying a low-carbohydrate diet like the South Beach Diet can be an effective way to lose weight. If you want to maintain your running fitness while on the South Beach Diet, you may need to make some adjustments and expect a period of transition.
Many runners mistakenly believe that a high-carb diet is best for performance, but in truth you may find that eating a diet that has less carbs makes you a more efficient and leaner athlete.
Step 1
Slow down during the induction phase. If you are like most people, you ate too many carbs prior to trying the South Beach Diet and your body is used to having a constant source of quick energy. The induction phase, where carbohydrates are severely limited, should last just one to three weeks, during which your running will feel much harder than normal. This is OK and you should do your best to get through this tough period as your body is learning something that later will make you a slimmer and faster runner: how to burn body fat for fuel instead of relying on dietary carbohydrate.
Step 2
Adjust nutrient timing. As a runner, you should adjust the timing of when you eat your daily carbohydrates. Instead of eating carbohydrates evenly throughout the day, save the majority of your carb intake for the exercise window of immediately before, during and after exercise. This will allow your body to make the most of the limited carbohydrates you ingest and will allow for optimal replenishment of you glycogen stores after your workout.
Step 3
Make adjustments for race days. Low-carb diets are fine for day-to-day running, as they teach you body to burn fat for fuel and to spare glucose. The benefits show up as you train and lose weight, and also on race day when you should use carbs more liberally as a performance enhancer. Since your body will no longer be used to so many carbs, you will have a bigger boost in performance from their use on race day, when it really matters.
Step 4
Carb-load by eating 60 to 70 percent of your diet from carbohydrate sources for two to three days before a big race. During the race, use carbohydrate gels or sports drinks as needed to maintain energy. Once the race is over, immediately return to the normal South Beach Diet.
Step 5
Ditch the pasta and sports-nutrition products. The South Beach Diet focuses mostly on whole, healthy foods. These foods are good choices for anyone, including runners. It is not necessary to use sugary sports drinks and gels for every-day running, and over-use of these products can cause many recreational runners to gain weight.
Step 6
Experiment with daily carb limits, just like with regular South Beach. Once you finish the induction phase, you need to find your own sweet spot of carbohydrate consumption. You may find as a runner that you can eat slightly more carbohydrates than a non-runner without gaining weight. As you lower carbs you need to give your body at least a week to adjust before deciding whether that level is appropriate for you.
Tips and Warnings
- Try using raisins or trail mix instead of sports-nutrition products. Coconut water is also an increasingly popular electrolyte drink for athletes. All of these options have better nutrition profiles than most sports-nutrition products. Don't be afraid to eat more carbs than the South Beach Diet recommends, which is up to 27 percent of your daily calories. You may find you are 27 percent for your regular diet, but your diet right before, during and after exercise adds more carbs to that total daily count without weight gain.
- Always consult your doctor before trying a new diet or exercise routine.
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