If you’ll be joining us at the Unite Philly Run — Philly’s favorite fitness scavenger hunt, sponsored by vybe urgent care — you’re going to want to consider what you should and shouldn’t be eating as you prep your body for 3.5 miles of running and surprise strength training.
Rocky drank raw eggs.
Michael Scott downed chicken alfredo.
But any real health expert knows that there’s a happy medium between these tactics that’ll have you feeling right and ready to run. As a sponsor of the event and friends of the Unite Fitness team, we got some inside info from their resident expert on nutrition.
Juliet Burgh, the VP and Nutrition Director at Unite, has a few quick and simple tips on what to eat before the race on Thursday. When Juliet is looking for good fitness fuel, she has one golden rule: unprocessed foods. Period. A simple directive, but a key for getting more from what you consume.
“If it came from nature, you can eat it,” she says.
It’s hard to avoid processed foods. They’re everywhere! But consider it worth it – because just this small change in your daily routine will help reduce your salt, fat, and sugar intake.
Here are Juliet’s five suggestions for easy pre-workout meals:
“Each of these meals has a combination of macronutrients that will fuel you for your workout,” says Juliet.
As an experienced personal trainer, nutritionist, and fitness buff, Juliet is no stranger to fueling up before a tough physical endeavor. But, you may be wondering why these foods are good for your body before a workout; it’s all about the combination.
“It’s healthy to have a combination of protein and easy to digest carbs,” says Juliet. Although it may be tempting to load up on carbs to retain more energy, she suggests that you make your meal more well-rounded. “Eating a little bit of healthy fat [avocados, eggs, fatty fish, and more] helps to keep your blood sugar stable during a long run.”
As a nutritionist, Juliet thinks of food as the fuel for the body. Brain Gould, vybe’s VP of Marketing, agrees – adding that “the timing of your pre-race meal is critical. Eating the right meal about 3 hours before a race gives your body time to digest and store the right amount of energy.”
The more thought you put into your food choices, the more benefits you will reap from your dietary choices. Whether you’re training for the race, or just looking to turn a new leaf with your diet plan, this is great advice to keep in mind.
If you are looking to put some of Juliet’s advice to the test, it’s not too late to sign up for the Unite Philly Run — it’s fun, free, and pet-friendly. vybe will be at the event on Thursday, 9/20, starting with the pre-race block party at 5 p.m. We hope to see you there. As always, stay healthy and stop by one of our vybe locations for any of your urgent care needs!
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