Fitness trainer reveals 10 foods to avoid before your run: High-fibre cereals to dairy products

Be smart with your pre-run meals, and avoid foods that make your tummy bloat. The right choices are easy to digest and ensure your runs are smoother.

What does a pre-run prep look like? It’s more than just gathering all your gear, from narrowing down the perfect pair of running shoes, headbands, to relying on comfortable athleisure. But in this preparation, where does the pre-run meal come in? Often, there can be a few missteps regarding this because everyone has a different interpretation of what counts as ideal fuel for long runs. But not every food can support you; some can even weigh you down, cutting your run short midway.

Fitness Trainer Francis Paras, who frequently shares tips with his Instagram community on how to improve your running sessions, unpacked in a June 27 post about foods one should avoid having before a run.

Here are the 10 foods to avoid:

1. Avoid dairy

First up on the list of foods that trigger is dairy. Francis mentioned dairy products like milk, cheese yoghurt as they cause gas, cramps, and prompt frequent bathroom breaks.

Instead, the trainer suggested, “Try plant-based milk (almond, oat), or lactose-free protein shake”

2. Fried foods

Bit of a no-brainer really (also defeats the purpose of your run), but if you need an additional reminder to jolt you awake from your reverie, fried food is also one of the foods advised by the fitness trainer to avoid, as processed fried foods slow your digestion, making your legs feel heavier and, in turn, slowing you down during a run.

But even if you are craving something crunchy and savoury, Francis suggests swapping heavy fried foods for lighter, cleaner carbs like air-fried potatoes or rice cakes with peanut butter.

3. Beans

Running is more about stamina as you push through without any disturbances. But Francis pointed out beans as a sneaky culprit for emergency detours and gas. Instead, he recommended a banana or toast with a drizzle of honey for fast fuel and low fuss.

4. Broccoli, cabbage, kale

Think the greener the plate, the better and faster you will run? Francis shared a lowdown on your favourite greens and warned that they are loaded with fibre, which may be too much for your stomach, especially before a run, causing your stomach to ‘flip.’ The healthier alternative is gentler greens; the trainer revealed cooked spinach and zucchini as better options.

5. High-fibre cereal or oats

Another food that, if eaten too close to your run, can make you feel gassy is high-fibre cereal and oats. Francis alternatively added, “Try a low-fibre carb like white rice or sourdough toast 30-60 minutes before.”

6. Spicy foods

Hold your horses and calm down your savoury cravings as spicy foods will make you regret, as Francis warned, heartburn, the sharp burning sensation in your chest. Instead of this, he recommended sticking to “mild, bland foods like boiled eggs or a plain rice cake before cardio.”

7. High-fat meals

The fitness coach cautioned against high-fat meals, as they take longer to digest and can lead to an uncomfortable mid-run belly slosh. It is the weird gurgling and churning sensation in your stomach, making it hard to run. The safer alternative is a small amount of protein, like a banana, along with a shake

8. Soda or carbonated drinks

If you are the type to sip on soda or a carbonated drink for an energy boost before a run, you are in the dark, as fitness coach Francis reminded it increases bloating and causes uncomfortable burps. Stick to flat water or an electrolyte mix instead.

9. Candy with soda

The penultimate contender on this list is often candy or soda, which gives a quick sugar spike, as the trainer shared, it leads to a crash in mid-run, or in other words, a fall in energy after a sudden spike in your energy level (sugar spike.)

For a safer alternative, he added, “Try a granola bar or half a banana for smoother energy release.”

10. Skipping the food completely

So with so many no-nos for pre-run food, you might think the safest bet is to skip a pre-run meal entirely. But the fitness trainer discouraged this habit as running on an empty stomach can leave you lightheaded. Even a small snack, half a banana, 30-60 minutes before your run, can make all the difference.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.