I’ve gotten lots of nice comments lately on the way I eat and how it’s inspired others to more or less not be afraid of food.

I honestly don’t believe in “bad foods” and focus on moderation. There are particular things I have cut out of my diet such as McDonalds and Soda but I’m pretty sure you can understand the McDonalds one. However, I still get a sausage mcmuffin on occasion when traveling. Soda I cut out of my diet my freshman year of high school when I started running. I did this because it gave me side cramps and gas bubbles from the carbonation. After season was over, I attempted to drink soda again and just didn’t like it. The carbonation made me ill and that is why I’ve never gone back to drinking soda.

My diet tends to be filled with carbohydrates and no one should be scared of carbohydrates because they are your body’s main source of energy. I LOVE my carbs because they fuel my run and daily activity.

Here’s some helpful information on Sports Nutrition.

Eating Before Exercise

Eating During Exercise

Eating After Exercise

I don’t really consume anything during exercise because I rarely run over 60 minutes and when I do I have hydrated all day and have some Powerade/Gatorade to give me calories. But when I did run my half marathon I definitely consumed Gatorade during my race at the drink stops and that gave an extra bounce in my step and another push to run faster.

The way I eat isn’t perfect and I know that, but I eat what I love, but all in moderation. The fact that I don’t like vegetables makes my meals look “less healthy” I guess you could say, but I do find ways to incorporate them into my daily life.

I found an article about what Kara Goucher’s views on food is at FitnessMagazine

1. Change your view: “After I finished Boston, a reporter asked if I was going to eat whatever I wanted for the rest of the week. The truth is, I eat what I want every day, so this week won’t really be any different. I love food, but I don’t look at it as a reward for a hard workout; it’s fuel to help me run harder and recover faster.”

2. Find what works: “When I worked with the nutritionist before the New York Marathon she had me trying out all these fancy products and special sports drinks. But during the race, that stuff really upset my stomach. So now I do what works for me: I focus on eating lean protein, vegetables, and whole-grain carbs to power me through my workouts. In races I keep it simple with a regular sports drink and gels.”

3. Be flexible: “The night before races, I used to get really upset if I couldn’t have spaghetti. I worried I wouldn’t run as well if I ate something else. Once I started traveling more, I realized that eating spaghetti before every race wasn’t going to be possible. Now, I don’t stress about it; I get what I can get. The night before New York I had seared ahi tuna, which looking back might not have been the best choice, but it was delicious!”

4. Don’t obsess: “I used to be super restrictive about what I ate and watched everything I put into my mouth. Then I went the other way, and ate a little bit too much of everything. Now, I’m in a healthier place. No food is off limits — if I tell myself I can’t have something, I’m way more likely to eat the entire container than if I allow myself to just have some. So I eat healthy most of the time, but if I want dessert, or a glass of wine, I have it!”

Fast Facts

What she ate the night before Boston: Bread with butter followed by pasta with meatballs in a wine sauce topped with Parmesan cheese.

What she sips during the race: Water and watered-down Powerade

What she eats after finishing: A protein shake — to help settle her stomach and get her body into recovery mode faster.

Originally published on FitnessMagazine.com, May 2009.

Then I found a video with Deena Kastor. You can skip ahead to 3:30 for the cooking part.

Q: What Sports Nutrition do you focus on when working out?