{"id":2046,"date":"2025-06-06T10:12:22","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T08:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/dont-run-on-empty\/"},"modified":"2025-06-06T10:12:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T08:12:22","slug":"dont-run-on-empty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/dont-run-on-empty\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Run On Empty"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As South Africans eagerly look forward to the iconic Comrades Marathon on 8th June, it\u2019s a timely reminder for all athletes that smart nutrition matters \u2013 not just for those tackling ultra-distances, but for everyday runners too. Fuelling your body before, during, and after a run can make a real difference.<\/p>\n<p>According to Sonal Ratan, dietitian at FUTURELIFE\u00ae, there are science-based nutrition guidelines that can benefit everyone in the running community \u2013 from weekend joggers and casual runners to those simply looking to improve their fitness. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to be a top runner to practise good nutrition habits. Whether you\u2019re doing a 5 km fun run or training for your first ultra, eating the right foods at the right time can make a big difference to your energy levels, recovery, and overall enjoyment of the run,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ratan recommends eating before a run and here\u2019s why:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It\u2019s your main energy source \u2013 no fuel, no go.<\/li>\n<li>It helps you perform better and go further.<\/li>\n<li>It speeds up your recovery and reduces muscle soreness.<\/li>\n<li>It keeps you hydrated \u2013 vital for safety and comfort.<\/li>\n<li>It helps prevent cramping, nausea and fatigue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The longer and further you run, the more important it is to fuel up \u2013 your body needs the energy to keep going and perform well.<br \/>\nInstead, she provides tips on what to eat before, during and after hitting the road to help you get the most benefit from your running.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Before your run:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Eat a meal 2 to 4 hours before if possible.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on low GI carbs for slow energy release, some protein, and low fat.<\/li>\n<li>Choose lower-fibre options if you struggle with tummy issues while running.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019re short on time, choose a light, carbohydrate-rich snack in the final two hours. High GI carbs are useful here as they are quickly absorbed.<\/p>\n<p>Start your run well-hydrated. Don\u2019t underestimate how much dehydration can negatively affect your performance.<br \/>\nFUTURELIFE\u00ae Smart food<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.1.0\/72x72\/2122.png\" alt=\"\u2122\" class=\"wp-smiley\" \/> and FUTURELIFE\u00ae Smart Oats\u00ae and Ancient Grains are excellent options before a run. If you\u2019re sensitive to fibre, Smart food\u00ae is a better choice. And for a snack closer to your run, the FUTURELIFE\u00ae HIGH ENERGY Bar is both delicious and easily digestible.<\/p>\n<p><strong>During your run:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If your run is under an hour and you started well-fuelled, water is probably all you need.<\/li>\n<li>For runs longer than 60 to 90 minutes, you\u2019ll need extra carbohydrates and a hydration plan. Aim for 30 \u2013 60 g of carbohydrates every hour.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>FUTURELIFE\u00ae HIGH ENERGY Bars contain 23-24g of carbs and electrolytes to support rehydration. Portion the bar into smaller bites if you find it hard to eat it all at once.<\/p>\n<p><strong>After your run:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Focus on repairing muscles with protein and restoring your energy with carbs.<\/li>\n<li>Try to avoid snacks that are high in fat.<\/li>\n<li>If you sweat, you\u2019ve lost fluid that needs replacing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>FUTURELIFE\u00ae HIGH PROTEIN Smart food<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/15.1.0\/72x72\/2122.png\" alt=\"\u2122\" class=\"wp-smiley\" \/>\u201a HIGH PROTEIN Bar and HIGH PROTEIN LITE Bar all offer the right mix of protein and low GI carbohydrates. They also contain SmartProtein3D\u00ae \u2013 a blend of whey, soy and casein that are absorbed into the body over a longer period of time, thereby optimising the muscle repair process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaking just small, smart adjustments before, during and after your run can improve energy levels, endurance, and recovery,\u201d Ratan concludes.<\/p>\n<p>For more tips, tools and articles, visit www.futurelife.co.za.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/mypr.co.za\/contact\/featured\/\">CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Author<\/strong>: SayWatt SayWatt from <strong>SayWatt<\/strong><strong> on behalf of <\/strong><strong>FUTURELIFE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>MyPR<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As South Africans eagerly look forward to the iconic Comrades Marathon on 8th June, it\u2019s a timely reminder for all athletes that smart nutrition matters \u2013 not just for those tackling ultra-distances, but for everyday runners too. Fuelling your body before, during, and after a run can make a real difference. According to Sonal Ratan, &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","autoblue_enabled":true,"autoblue_custom_message":"","autoblue_shares":[{"did":"did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic","date":"2025-06-06T08:52:34+00:00","uri":"at:\/\/did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3lqwhgyf54r2f","response":"{\"uri\":\"at:\/\/did:plc:revymtt5qssww7e7avbruzic\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3lqwhgyf54r2f\",\"cid\":\"bafyreicgwifpuseyueam6bnj74avrfe2rexkc32rgy4fxmp25rd2cifty4\",\"commit\":{\"cid\":\"bafyreigxapvjs3zlomacjcxiu5ug2lnqhyr6hd3toq2esecjbo26gezdey\",\"rev\":\"3lqwhgyfitr2f\"},\"validationStatus\":\"valid\"}"}],"autoblue_post_url":"","autoblue_publish_document":false,"republication-tracker-tool-hide-widget":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["type-post","category-news","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2046"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2046\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypr.co.za\/mail\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}