Well, as many of you know I eat mainly Paleo which means I have avoided all grains, not just bread.
My running coach has me reading Born to Run, by Christoper McDougall for a variety of reasons.
One specific recommendation he has given me is to add some quinoa and chia into my diet. Before my Whole 30 challenge I ate GF oats, but have not reintroduced any grains since December.
One section of Born to Run references how the runners, after eating some seeds and grains, are able to run within 30 minutes of finishing their meal. No waiting for the meal to settle or issues with protein from meat taking hours to digest.
You see, the body digests whole grains much quicker, and quinoa gives a huge protein boost as well.
This kind of hit a chord with me, especially after the digestion issues I had at the Corktown 5K when my egg breakfast that I ate 4 hours prior was not settling. I spent the entire 5k, in pain, racing against the clock and trying to ignore the horrible feeling right under my ribs from my breakfast.
With all of my Half Marathons coming up, I really need to find some other breakfast ideas. Sweet potatoes are an option, but you know me. I like a flavorful breakfast too!
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my Paleo foods and it makes me feel great, but I also am open to exploring new things and varying my diet a bit. Change is good!
I also am kind of getting annoyed with the labeling of your diet, paleo, vegan, whatever it may be. Lol, this is a whole other post in and of itself.
I actually started thinking about this digestion issue a few days ago after reading Disney “Diet Diva” Tara talk here about why a balanced diet may be key to runners.
Keeping an open mind, learning, and experimenting how I can be the best runner I can be.
I love the challenge! Whether it is diet, technique, or training plans. There is no one right answer for everyone. We all are unique.
Running is an evolution, that’s what I love. I do not think even the best runners in the world stop learning, or loose the desire to learn and improve themselves.
Enjoy running, learn all you can from everyone around you who also loves the sport and do not be afraid to switch things up every now and then in the never ending quest to run stronger, further and faster!
This actually applies to whatever it is you enjoy. CrossFit, Zumba, skiing heck just about anything in life. Never stop learning and trying new things!
With that, I leave you with my breakfast.
Quinoa Cinnamon Apple Breakfast
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 apple sautéed in coconut oil
- 1/2 tbsp of honey, I love raw organic
- Sprinkle of cinnamon and salt
- Top with an egg cooked how you like, I prefer sunny side up
Mix together and enjoy!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Yummy breakfast idea Lisa!
Kat recently posted…Motivational Monday – Featured Sneakers #22
Twitter: runfastmama
March 19, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Thanks Kat! I enjoyed it and it really didn’t take that long to prepare.
I’m on the hunt for more quinoa recipes…
thanks to this! 
I always have chia seeds on my oatmeal for breakfast. they helped a lot with my digestion.
Twitter: runfastmama
March 19, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Enjoy! I’m thinking of adding the Chia to my smoothies that I make with spinach, SunButter and frozen fruits.
Huge fan of Chia seeds!!! I put them in my “overnight refrigerator oatmeal” and also a huge fan of Quinoa….. with brown rice is my favorite lunch and keeps me full throughout the afternoon.
Twitter: runfastmama
March 19, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Thanks! Yea, I need to integrate them more into my diet and very things up a bit here to see how I do. Loving quinoa for breakfast these past two days with a bit of protein. Thinking of mixing Sun Butter in it tomorrow am.
Twitter: healthy_nest
March 20, 2013 at 9:55 am
Great diet additions! What do you think of Born to Run?
Kim @ HealthyNest recently posted…Something new
Twitter: runfastmama
March 20, 2013 at 6:42 pm
Hi Kim, I really enjoyed the book. Granted there were a few spots I skimmed through like when he got all technical about barefoot running, but other than that it was a great read. Lots of inspiration and an interesting blend of characters that show the true love of running.
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