5 Most Effective Diet Habits for Runners - Proven Strategy

There is a diet, honed over decades, that almost ALL of the best endurance runners stick to, and now you can too..
In Matt Fitzgerald's fantastic book 'The Endurance Diet', it's just 5 core dietary habits. Found the world over, in elite endurance athletes. Simple to implement and easy to understand. In the book Matt takes you through all 5 habits, the why's, the what and how to implement it. I was lucky enough to spend half an hour chatting with Matt so that I could make this video and bring his ideas, and him as one of my favourite authors, to you!
So if you've ever felt like your diet could be letting you down, or is the missing piece of your endurance jigsaw, then watch this video and never look back!
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[@RareAirTwo4]

Low quality food is only for people with self control. When I start with sweet baked breads, donuts, I only stop eating until I feel sick. That's why I avoid it all together.

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Ha ha yes my strategy is to not allow chocolate in the house or I’m in trouble 😂

[@zacsborntorunrunningadvent3441]

Thats because doghuts are fatty as. The key is to satisfy your sweet tooth without fat. Cheers

[@rex8958]

definitely a very crappy trial and error process on knowing what foods you can keep around, peanut butter and Cinnamon Toast Crunch for me…

[@kaitlynrosa1572]

Same. I can bring chips or Oreos home AT ALL. They’ll be gone in a day. Lol

[@mackenziehu6531]

I would suggest looking up intuitive eating cuz that might be helpful for you in terms of feeling "no self-control" when it comes to certain food. At least for me when no food holds a sense of novelty I never care if I have them around. Like potato chips. Used to eat the whole bag in one setting, now forgetting I have them at home 😅

[@StLucy-sd7ez]

1st Core Habit- Eat Everything (2:52) 2nd Core Habit- Eat Quality (5:27) 3rd Core Habit- Eat Carb Centered (7:48) 4th Core Habit- Eat Enough (10:36) 5th Core Habit- Eat Individually (13:37)

[@madr0x]

I eat a whole food plant based diet very carb heavy. Went from morbidly obese dude who has never done any exercise in my life to a healthy weight runner who last week got a new PB of 1:42:08 on a half marathon.

[@calb0]

congrats !

[@elsondeo]

Super time!

[@tirvplumbing]

Same here went vegan, started walking then running, now 81lbs lighter. 😁 Furthest I've run is 9.3 km but I'm running 3 times a week.

[@GeggaMojjaaaaaaa]

Goodfuckingjob!!!

[@carridg]

Whole food plant based with no vegetable oils for me. Not a diet and not restrictive though. I stuff myself whenever I want. I have no interest in eating animal products. My best half marathon is under 1:34 in my early 50s and I'm not a natural/very good runner.

[@juliemarie4670]

i read somewhere a while ago that stuck with me ever since. it was something along the lines that the best runners are the least concerned about food. the less you stress about numbers, the more you can focus on how these foods make you feel and power your movement. thanks so much for this video!!!

[@calb0]

i agree

[@JuanRodriguez-cz1in]

THANK YOU! This is the best video about eating habits for athletes I’ve seen. I’m from Colombia and know that the best cyclists just eat EVERYTHING… so it is encouraging to see this

[@stephaniewaskoenig1387]

What a great video! Love this book. Used the scoring system and was amazed how much easier it was to happily stick to quality foods and my training ability shot through the roof! Enjoying the video so much, thank you

[@kathleenbolanos]

No joke, as I'm mixing up BROWNIES this popped up as my next vid 😂😂 listened all the way through tho!! Loved it

[@Ligerpride]

I lost a lot of weight (unneeded weight) when I went on a low-carb diet. It wasn't quite keto. The problem with this is that my running performance fell through the floor and I pretty much stopped running for a year. I'm now eating a balanced enough diet with a fair amount of carbs without overdoing it. My weight is healthily lower than in the pre low-carb days but my athletic performance is pretty much as good as it's ever been.

[@Ligerpride]

Good video by the way. Interesting concept and well presented.

[@growtocycle6992]

Very interesting comments. Most people I know who are high carb a are more energetic than the low carb ones... Link?

[@Ligerpride]

@@growtocycle6992 I would say so yes. Certainly on the proviso that they are active people/regularly exercising.

[@stever1514]

Interesting story and congrats on your new weight, but i think you can still be energetic on a low carb diet. Your body adapts to fat as a primary fuel source and you still have the same glycogen supply as everyone else in you muscles. Check out The Art and Science of Low Carb Performance by Volek and Phinney. There are many top endurance athletes on fat centric diets. Also check out Mark Cucuzella's books Run for your life.

[@growtocycle6992]

@@stever1514 you lose glycogen on a keto diet. This is why people lose 5 or so kilos the first few weeks...

[@heidichapman2246]

I just found your channel, and although I am not a runner( more of general fitness/ exercise enthusiast), I find that much of your content is applicable for anyone who works out regularly. So great!

[@edwin5419]

I've been struggling with just getting enough calories in. 190km last week, 140 this week. Burning 4,500 - 6,500 calories a day. My current diet is basically - eat all the food, as quality as I can get my hands on. Basically what this video says. Good to know I'm on the right track.

[@apooni5805]

Wow, 190 km is amazing! Can’t wait to get there myself, the most I can do is 10km. Advice for newbies?

[@edwin5419]

@@apooni5805 pretty much take everything on this channel, test things and see what works best for you. I remember not being able to finish my first attempt at 10k simply because there were no water fountains and I hadn't brought any water. 6 months later I finished a marathon 😂 It's amazing how quickly your body can adapt. Don't be afraid to occasionally push the distance "just coz". Just make sure you have a backup plan.

[@Tirelesswarrior]

If I may ask. permit me. is the 190km a week specific training for an upcoming competition or a regular lifestyle?

[@edwin5419]

@@Tirelesswarrior it's part of a challenge I'm doing for my birthday. Sitting at a half marathon a day for 40 consecutive days for my 40th birthday. Edit I'm usually at 70-100km in normal life.

[@Tirelesswarrior]

@@edwin5419 kudos 👏🏾

[@elizabethobihfrank]

Just what I needed to hear this morning. Thank you!🙌 🙏🏾🥳

[@ColeRunning]

Mate I can’t explain how much I needed this video. Much appreciated

[@saintsfisherman]

this was the most helpful video I have watched on this subject. It just seemed to make since. Thanks for staying on subject and making it easy to understand. I am just beginning my running journey so I think all of this is going to be very helpful to make things easier on me, on my way to my first big run. Thanks!

[@moroam]

thank you for bringing up a balance of healthy and nonhealthy food. I am 6 months recovered from a binge eating disorder and i have built the habit of honoring my cravings but adding more nutrition to my diet

[@drewmulvey476]

Congratulations! That is a key components of avoiding going backwards. The best part is when you accept that we are unique and are allowed to walk that way, it’s truly freeing. ❤ I am so happy for you. ❤️

[@moroam]

@@drewmulvey476 thank you so much 😭💕 that’s very encouraging

[@julietwistguernsey]

Really interesting subject Ben, thank you. I will definitely watch the full interview - and buy Matt's book!

[@sharelleshobbies]

I LOVE this video. I consider myself an intuitive eater and I eat everything, but I could probably use some help with eating quality foods. I’m going to have to pick up this book.

[@kerryjlynch1]

I love to run. Matt's books have helped me keep doing it into my late 60's despite a body that is atypical for runners.

[@burn_that_butter6829]

this info is amazing, and not just for runners! WOW. Love this framework and will order the book! Thanks for this... I've lost 100 pounds so far with diet, exercise and RUNNING.

[@emilybemily4397]

This is brilliantly helpful. Thank you!

[@English.runner.en.Espana]

I'm a new subscriber and I must say your channel is super cool and refreshing!! Keep it up!!

[@mattsully2238]

Can you do a video on mentally working through injury? I'm finding it hard to stay motivated through this process.

[@romeofthewing9626]

Matt is a friend and a great guy. He actually put me in his book "Life is a Marathon" Chapter 10. Both "How Bad you Want it" and "The Endurance Diet" are such important books to my running.

[@HH-gv8mx]

Why is keto and intermittent fasting being pushed so hard and is it sustainable for athletes and runners? I feel like I perform better when I eat a larger dinner and still have fuel to workout within a few hours after waking.

[@cannuckchick7522]

@@HH-gv8mx my take on this point is the recent focus on insulin resistance and nutritional psychiatry, both of which seem to emphasize allowing oneself to be hungry (time gaps between meals) and healing metabolic syndrome (apparently this is related to mental illness and keto is being used to manage mental illness because of this link).

[@HH-gv8mx]

That’s really interesting . I was just listening to Jillian Michaels on Bill Maher’s podcast claiming that keto is bullshit there is a lot of science back evidence to suggest that intermittent fasting is good for Healing the digestive system and for longevity.@@cannuckchick7522

[@PhilyBowden]

This is great Ben, I’m going to pin this video for all the times someone slides into my comments to bash me for a post-race McDonalds or an occasional sugary milkshake 👏🏼

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Ha ha thanks Phily! Yes it’s funny how, even when I clip in a video of Eliud Kipchoge saying he eats French fries once in a while, people can still be angry about carbs or the occasional low quality meal (for the soul 😉😂). I literally had burger chips and a milkshake this weekend so I’m right there with you 🤣

[@GrooveyBobby]

Love this advice I think sometimes we get so hung up on fads, diets, restrictions etc…when what we really need is some evidence based solunions that can be “tweaked” to our own individual lifestyles and health needs. My diet in my 20s and 30s is in many ways very different to my diet at 55 post menopause…thanks for your content absolutely love the channel 💜💕💛

[@HH-gv8mx]

Why is keto and intermittent fasting being pushed so hard and is it sustainable for athletes and runners?

[@wgp3190]

Thanks for the great video.

[@xanthippus9079]

So many people turn into Procrustes when talking about diet. I'm glad we now have this sensible video with good quality information.

[@alisonsezonov1420]

Great video. I now follow initiative eating. I eat what i enjoy in the portion i feel is right for me and if i want treats or junk i eat them too in the amounts i want and i don’t feel guilty or the need to exercise. I feel happy in my skin, strong, slim and looking and feeling healthy. I never go on diets or restrict any foods but i feel by focusing on high quality, nutrient rich food, its not very often i crave unhealthy or processed food. Balance is key with exercise and avoiding eating for emotional reasons.

[@flowerfaeri]

Common sense! Love this! I get so sick of low fat, low carb, raw food, paleo, high protein, intermittent fasting....blah, blah blah... dumb fads! This just makes sense. Limit processed foods (okay - I like the occasional chips/crisps and red wine and chocolate) and focus on whole foods and complex carbs. My weight usually manages itself since I stopped worrying about it and follow these principles. Love it!!!

[@dianagrahl8024]

What an amazing, informative, educating, interesting and entertaining video. Very well done 👍👍👍👍👍

[@weisscoaching]

I think you have made a great job consolidating complicated ideas into this shirt, easy to digest video (pun intended. That's also something I have been trying to do in my content. Matt is a great resource and listening to him as well as many other dietitians, their thoughts on food are very calming - contrary to what we normally are exposed to in the media. Great vid!

[@mauiswift6391]

This is so common sense ! Nice to hear it other than all these other diets which seem almost impossible to follow long term! Thank you!

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Thanks so much 😊

[@10stephenrose]

I love your channel and new videos always brighten my day! Thank you :)

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Thanks Stephen 😊

[@SeeChadRun]

Another great video! I mean that! So much great advice, displayed in an engaging video story. Well done! Also, congrats on 40K subs!!! Love it.

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Thanks Chad 😊 much appreciated, as always 🤟🏼

[@ian-mucarruthers441]

A really well put together video, so much more creative and useful than a talking heads interview. Thanks so much

[@carlosmparada1]

thanks for the vid, i bought 2 of his books, i will do my best to apply its teachings.

[@AAscension]

After seeing this video I bought this book. Just finished the first chapter (the first habit). It is written very well, and the information is very interesting. What I appreciate a lot about is the bottom-up method of the writer: he does not look at what science says (top) to translate this into a diet (down). Instead, he looks at what elite endurance sportpeople do (bottom), and creates strategies and habits from the practice (up). This creates a praxis which is sustainable for the human condition. If you are interested in nutrition, I definitely recommend this book.

[@rebekahadrian487]

I realllly like habit #5 in addition to the others, and the way they went over it. 👏

[@mhaas281]

Ill just stick with my whole natural foods. Processed foods makes me feel off and out of sync. I do not have cravings for sugary processed Junk.

[@clintervin61]

this is the best, most clear-cut advice I've received in a long time. Because its's both simple to understand and tailored to the individual, I believe in this approach. Overall-love the videos from Messy Happy. Thanks!

[@adamroberts6990]

Excellent video bud, very helpful. Hope you're well.

[@mattmecham]

Great video! Food is my biggest challenge. Usually eating too much.

[@plazzmar]

What a GREAT video! Such rich info, THANK YOU!

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Thanks so much, Paula 😊

[@buffaloj0e]

I am currently reading a Matt Fitzgerald book (Run Like Pro Even if You’re Slow, great book can recommend) I almost groaned when I realised I was going end up buying another book (the to read pile is growing faster than I get through them atm). Then you recommended a 2nd book by him and then I realised I had already read another fantastic book by him, Racing Weight is also a great book. Great video btw so nice to hear from Matt.

[@Kelly_Ben]

I'm having that slow runner book, thanks for the recommendation!

[@rebeccasteinberg8239]

I really like this video. It was engaging, makes a lot of sense and connects with being human - so that we can adapt to a healthier approach in the longer term somewhat based on what we may be doing already. I think that intuitive part is so crucial. While it can be a good point of reference to hear what some particular atheletes are doing Matt makes a really critical point here - Listening to the science is also about listening to our bodies and when we tune in better we eat better. Thank you for doing this video. One of your coaching mentees...

[@markphilpottultra]

Ben, well done for taking on the minefield of a topic, "diet". As a long distance Ultra runner who has tried all from Vegan, to High Carb and lately Carnivore / Keto I find the Carnivore extra ordinary. Zach Bitter, world record holder 100miles, and 24 world record holder also shares "proven strategy" on the results of this way of eating. What works for the individual is the key, and when it comes to "diet" no one is an expert, the goal posts are constantly changing and we are learning new things about our food, how its grown and what it does to us almost every day, nice content, thank you.

[@calb0]

great info and video cheers

[@josephmichael4188]

Great video, appreciate this all together in the one place! As an observation, when showing elite athletes you typically only showed male athletes, would be great to see some of the great women's endurance athletes championed too!!

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Good point well made. Obviously not intentional as I’ve made videos solely about the top female athletes before. But I’ll work on that! Cheers 😊

[@irawhitlock1084]

Congrats on another 10k subs!

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Thanks so much, Ira 😊

[@BlissfulRunner]

Great video!

[@Dreamlink91]

I went from 120kg to 85 in a year by running daily and eating whatever the hell i feel like eating, and now i am not lean and am wobbly in upper body but those halfmarathons feel like a joke, always better for me to have some extra than less for a long run i dont have to eat like some kinny guys i can just put shoes and go for a halfmarathon when i feel like it and dont feel any starvation or exhaustion from lack of energy cuz body has something to take. Buts thats me, you do you.

[@markhill8590]

I can relate to this so much I restricted the foods i loved mainly Chocolate/biscuits, but as you said they can cause binges which can harm your progress which is exactly what happened to me 😔

[@TopsMiah]

Very good. Thank you

[@apoorvavaibhavshukla610]

Nice sharing .. thanks 👍

[@nigtendos]

Not sure how I landed in this video as I don't even run, but it's all very good and well put advice of core concepts that I've had to apply for eating disorder recovery. Thanks for sharing!

[@roustabout4fun]

As an older trail runner/hiker...I like metabolic flexibility and that helps me enjoy carbs even more on faster medium runs....long slow, then less....I slow down but keep my girlish body...gotta remove the gum from spark plugs some days. (only my opinion) I DO value and enjoyed the video! I find it fun to experiment~

[@stephenibrahim7349]

Very Good Watch. Great Habits +

[@LittleMissEza]

Still so have so much to learn. I don't have a "bad relationship with food" ie overeating anything, more like not eating enough and pretty much underweight all my life (now at low ideal average as I'm tiny, also Asian haha). I have cut down on sugar for basic health (the inflammation fuel stuff) but other than that, nutrition info is 0. Also, imagine hedonistically loving cheese, peanut butter and pasta all this time and finally realising they make you bloat. So sad.

[@kristinalannstrom820]

Awesome!

[@jicalzad]

Learning how to moderate things properly is basically the underlying concept, not only in exercise nutrition, but in general healthy nutrition

[@merieltibbetts9416]

Hi there, loved this and I have always followed Matt. Is there a way we can watch the whole interview you did with him? I think you mentioned facebook but cant find it sorry :)

[@kanawutkrongraksa3085]

Greetings from Thailand, nice video!!

[@JaimeeLauren]

I feel so much better on high quality foods…. I’ve learnt from experience that low quality foods lead to not feeling good and low energy for me…. So I don’t cheat. I no longer look at low quality / highly processed foods - I look at them as what they are (food-like products). It took a long time to get got this point as I used to eat everything but it led to very poor health in my case.

[@jefejeffwell1113]

I’m training for a marathon, but I’m a 210lbs powerlifter at 5’10. My half record (unofficial) is 1h45m56s, but I’ve really started to increase mileage since then. The other day I pulled a 10-miler at a 7m14s/mile pace with a 139 avg HR. Getting there 😁

[@truth-Hurts375]

This is about food....so whats your point????

[@jefejeffwell1113]

@@truth-Hurts375 sour much? 😂 Btw… Australia has a “U” in it, fix your video title.

[@carlholland3819]

long distance running is the opposite of flexing. its about humility, which you commonly see from the runners in these videos and the people posting comments. we've all learned that the hard way which is why nobody is on here bragging about personal achievements, instead we're trying to motivate and help inform each other

[@jefejeffwell1113]

@@carlholland3819 good deal, Caaaaarl

[@SuperTramp6791]

Your watch is faulty.

[@richardleesl]

This is awesome. When we all start eating healthier, we usually automatically eat higher quality food. But yes, eating everything is also good. It's never nice to be depressed and sad about your diet and let that affect your running and training.

[@jamiemcmahon1085]

Great video Ben. Really interesting and very informative. Definitely have to check out Matt's books. One question for you... there is no mention of supplements in this diet. Do you and Mary supplement your core diet with any specific vitamins and minerals, or protein shakes and electrolight drinks for recovery etc.?

[@carlholland3819]

ya that was a key omission. i take several supplements including specifically for joints and decreasing inflammation and runners salts before/during/after runs and protein shakes if im not eating enough. skratch powder is great, i add a few scoops depending on my running time to a soft flask to go along with my hydration bladder. i also take collagen with biotin and amino acids, glucosamine chondroitin, magnesium, tumeric with ginger and acv, betacarrotine for the eyes (lots of night time technical trail running). along with a good diet, i believe these supplements have helped me stay mostly injury free and i do about 2000miles a year running (trail) and another 2000 walking

[@Kelly_Ben]

I'll definitely check this book out! I like so much of what he says. I love food, and consider it a joyous part of life, like many of the European cultures do. I try to do an 80/20 diet, 80% quality food, 20% burgers and beer. Whole grains, fruit and veggies, humanely raised/produced meat and cheese etc. I get to perform at a level I'm happy with, enjoy my food, enjoy events - have that slice of birthday cake, or those tacos and margaritas with friends- with zero guilt. If the weight creeps up, cut back the cookies and ice cream to a maintainable level. Life is too darn short to fret about and demonize food. It's also too darn short to expect a long, healthy, and productive life eating all crap all the time.

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Summed it all up nicely there, Kelly. It’s the demonising of food that I don’t understand. Especially those against carbs! Madness to me but each to their own 😊

[@HkFinn83]

@@ThisMessyHappy obviously there’s probably nothing to worry about regarding carbs and sugar if you’re a marathon runner. But for a lot of us carb/sugar control was the magic formula for management of a healthy weight.

[@nberkel]

Great video and great advice overall. One thing we disagree on is the idea of a cheat day. That mindset may work for some, but for people who struggle it can lead to restriction the other days. Allowing all foods and not thinking of foods as good or bad is the way to go for some 👍🏼

[@MeloniousThunk]

I agree! The diet-culture habit of labeling certain foods as “forbidden” or “naughty” and banishing their consumption to a “cheat” day can be harmful - very triggering for those with disordered eating. It’s antithetical to the practice of intuitive eating and also seems fundamentally at odds with the first tenant of this gentleman’s book, in which he advises athletes to “eat everything.” Consuming only small amounts of sugary or inflammatory foods, occasionally in moderation, is a more sensible practice than having “forbidden” foods only on a “cheat” day. Such restriction can trigger binging behavior. The idea that certain foods are more “high quality” than others without evidence is also problematic. The language matters. The evidence matters. Maybe it’s a problem with the way it was explained in this video, but we have seen no data presented here that supports these ideas nor even a definition of “quality.” I’m very wary of taking diet advice from people who are not registered dietitians.

[@nberkel]

Hit the nail on the head! Intuitive eating and cheat days are opposites. Sugary or refined foods are no less "healthy" than whole foods until proven otherwise...

[@ThisMessyHappy]

@@MeloniousThunk hey thanks for the comment, here’s how I like to look at it, this is all within habit 5 (eat individually). Cheat day as a term absolutely works for me and will absolutely not work for others. The concept works for me and it won’t work for others. There is no right or wrong but the point is, to identify a time when you can have a bit more low quality food and you’re more likely to eat less of it overall. The evidence points to actually eating more low quality foods if you just hope to eat less of it. But again, I’d say it’s entirely individual and everyone has to play around within their own continuum. Like we shouldn’t demonise foods we also shouldn’t demonise phrases that work for some people. Each to their own and all that 😊

[@MeloniousThunk]

@@ThisMessyHappy Thanks for your reply. I understand you feel good about having found something that works for you and that you’re excited to share it. Sorry to burst your bubble. Also, there’s a huge opportunity here: I would encourage you to consult with a registered dietician to understand why some of what you’ve said here is problematic and to make a video correcting the record! (It’s also probably a good idea to disclaim that you’re not a dietician and that people wanting to optimize their nutrition should talk to professionals.) There certainly may be a grain of truth (no pun intend) underlying the message here but when you’re presenting theory as fact and not backing it up with evidence we’re on a slippery slope to misinformation. It does not appear the book author is a registered dietician either. I’d be curious to his qualifications for making dietary recommendations. Did he do the research in consultation with professionals? What were his basic assumptions, how did he test them and what was learned? There are real risks of presenting diet misinformation from digestive problems and diminished athletic performance to malnutrition and disordered eating, which can be a life-threatening disease. Many people who exhibit disordered eating also habitually over-exercise, and may be runners (and therefore especially vulnerable to being influenced by your video). Those people are disproportionately young and female, and are likely to seek out diet advice on social media. Clearly your aim is to support athletes with a plan for optimal nutrition, which is awesome. What you’ve shared here - a mishmash of diet culture tropes, presented without evidence, some of which may pose real health risks- missed the mark for me and may even be dangerous for some of your viewers. But you can use your platform to reach a vulnerable population and correct the record. I hope you’ll post an evidence-based follow-up and perhaps also consider whether leaving this up is a good idea. I want to see the facts presented as data! What did the author find in his research? What were the sample sizes and limitations? Is there any conflicting research? What lessons can we extrapolate safely and what further research is needed? I would love to see you bring on a registered dietician or food scientist who can help you parse the relevant research and it’s practical applications for athletes at different levels! That video would be useful, factual, shareable, and would promote good health and optimal eating habits / nutrition for athletes and runners.

[@ThisMessyHappy]

@@MeloniousThunk Hi, Matt is a sports nutritionist and has been for 15 years. He also does very detailed research and relies heavily on scientific studies. My suggestion would be to read his book and then see what remains unanswered. Also, I point out at the start I’m a random KZbinr (so not a nutritionist). Everything I talk about in this video has been backed up in research and detailed by Matt in the book. As I say, have a read and let me know. Cheers 😊

[@jhcgfxdyt]

Great recommendation and tips. Thanks. Note: the name of the author is incorrect in the description, missing a "z".

[@jeanhorseman9364]

Huzzah! High quality carbs are good for you! I know I do better with carbs, grains, potatoes, and mountains of veg. I’m an old lady who runs every other day trying to keep my brain and body working well as I approach 70. I have just found your motivational videos and I love them.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

I just think of endurance running as what we were designed to do thousands of years ago. That is running on an empty stomach to hunt down animals. If we were lucky we'd have a few berries and maybe some honey during the hunt. Tubers would have been eaten and the high fibre would have been enough to sustain us on long runs as it gets broken down into short chain fatty acids for fuel. This is why we run slowly 90% of the time so we don't need to consume high amounts of carbohydrates and are teaching the body to use stored fuel.

[@ThisMessyHappy]

That’s certainly an interesting take, Richard. I’d look at running for “fun” and survival as very different things. One was a necessity and one a choice. Had you given those hunters a choice I’d imagine they would have eaten more carbs if they could. But you’re right about high amounts of carbs. There’s not necessarily a need for that. But carb centered, the evidence suggests there is. It’s all very interesting on all sides to be fair 😊

[@doddsalfa]

Go into nature and try hunting for food.You may be lucky having 1-3 meals a week

[@maddyharvey7414]

I try my best to get in nutritious foods and Wholesome carbs, but honestly when you’re training a lot and you’re burning so many calories and can struggle with appetite, getting in as much as I can when I can is important.

[@smartshan4u]

Hi Ben , thanks for sharing this video. Currently I am training for my first Marathon. I have one question, how to maintain belly fat when we have to eat everything especially carb centric food like for example rice.

[@fluffybull3935]

First thing in the morning was eating for. Since I cook my brown rice in the morning I enjoy the 30 minutes in the morning till meal is ready

[@joe1071]

Research is great. Gives us some data to understand and investigate things further. Human outcome models are the greatest. What are the greatest athletes of all-time eating? What are the people living high quality lives past 100 eating? Human outcome data is easily just as important than the research

[@maniastrat]

Thanks that was great! Lots of helpful reminder! The area your running in looks like Thailand? 😉

[@melissalegge8657]

Would you mind doing a video on what is classified as processed foods vs unprocessed foods? :)

[@defeqel6537]

"Carb quality" hasn't really been shown to have a difference on blood sugar or insulin, both spike depending more on the carb amount than source. The issue with research on diets in athletes is the short duration of the studies, usually 3 weeks or less, when often results aren't shown until much later. For example, fat adaptation usually takes around 3 months instead of 3 weeks. Personal advice, though I'm no professional, would be to largely avoid high fructose products (so basically anything that tastes sweet), except as a 1-2 times / month treat. Fructose, as far as I can tell, is one of the biggest reasons everyone has fatty organs and the problems that come with those (like diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, liver damage, etc.). Also, the issue with "this and this animal isn't fat" is that they aren't comparable, the foods they have require work to get and aren't abundant year round (e.g. fruits are extremely limited in nature, in availability and sweetness, compared to what we have available). Give mice / rats something sweet, let them eat as much as they want and they will get fat eating it. edit: And as far as books go, Tim Noakes, the author of "Lore of Running", and IIRC the one who "discovered" (first researched rather) carb loading, now recommends high fat diets. For most people I doubt there is a difference, and just the advice to move to whole / real foods instead of processed would see the biggest improvement

[@stever1514]

It's interesting to hear Matt say that the research on carb centered diets is one sided. Maybe that's less about its efficacy and more because nutritionists and researchers are still stuck in hypotheses from the 50s and 60s like those of Ansel Keys that have long since been disproven. I'm concerned that a carb centered diet, no matter how high quality, could make you fit but still unhealthily lead you on the same insulin resistant pathway to chronic diseases that the rest of society is on. Just as a counterpoint i recommend works of Volek and Phinney who are actually doing science on low carb diets for athletes. Great video though, it was a lot less preachy than i expected, and I appreciate you having interviews with Matt not just summarizing the book.

[@ThisMessyHappy]

I don’t know, Steve. A real scientist isn’t bothered about proving something right, they’re all about proving theories wrong. And if those theories stand up to scrutiny and review then that’s why they stick around rather than scientists stuck in the past. And for me, the most convincing argument is that those people in the world, who live the longest (blue zone inhabitants) have a carb centered diet - whether they exercise or not. That’s the most compelling and overwhelming evidence of all that doesn’t need scientific validity. But ultimately we all have to do what we feel is right 😊

[@stever1514]

@@ThisMessyHappy Interesting points. I'll get Dan Buettner's book next. Also I noticed the Tarahumara also have a carb centered diet. My point with the science on Low Carb vs Carb centric is that it's all still pretty new, even though Atkins' book is over 50 years old, the scientific community resisted doing research on high fat diets because of the prevailing idea that saturated fat is bad for you. And even though more research is being done now on low carb most of it is focused on combating obesity, not using it for endurance athletics. But the ideas presented on running on a fat adapted diet are very appealing and worth a look. Ultimately I agree that diets cant be universal and should take a lot of individual factors into account; for me I have discovered I am basically intolerant to carbs and I'm comforted that there are active researchers showing that low carb is safe and sustainable and can still produce high athletic performance.

[@toddp822]

@@ThisMessyHappy I'm with Steven on this. The blue zone diet thing is a myth and goes back to the Ancel Keys cherry picking data he was commenting about. Look at the real diet of Asia and they eat more protein and fat than the average person, we are just told about the rice (which isn't stripped of nutrients like the rice we get in the US, and UK, I'm sure). They like to talk about the diet of Okinawa but fail to discuss that when that study was conducted, all the pigs were decimated. They ate mainly pork and fish before the bomb was dropped, then study their diet shortly afterwards?! Of course it's going to be different. And that's what the blue diet is based on - LIES and cherry picked data. Look up Ivor Cummins and his studies and research, in addition to Volek and Phinney like Steve suggested. What's the worst that happens? Also, it's a well known fact that animal protein is easier to digest than plant protein - look at the KZbinr What I've Learned for proof. Carbs are not the magic macro everyone thinks they are - they're not even needed at all!

[@ThisMessyHappy]

@@toddp822 I’ll definitely look all of this up, Todd. But you’re forgetting one crucial thing in this. I love carbs. I will never give them up. And you can find data to support both sides so let’s all just do what we think is best for us and we’ll all be happy peoples 😊 As with everything, my video is my opinion and a summation of a very good book. Have you read it? I’d be interested in your thoughts.

[@toddp822]

@@ThisMessyHappy Deal! It's not my place to tell someone else what to eat, nor theirs to tell me what to eat. I just wish there wasn't a clear agenda to stamp out animal protein and fat. No, I have not read the book, and will admit that I jumped straight to the comments looking for confirmation bias (we all do it, right?) I will promise you this though - I will purchase the book and see what works best for me... anything will be better than the freezie pops I've been eating a ton of lately (it's HOT in Florida!) I'm sure we can all agree on that. I love your channel and nothing was a direct response to you as a creator, more of a "I'm sticking up for meat" kinda thing.

[@whycantiremainanonymous8091]

I'm a bit apprehensive about these suggestions. Right now, the one thing I've effectively cut out of my diet entirely is precisely the high-quality carbs (I mean, apart from being a strict vegan, but that's for moral reasons, not for health/fitness reasons, so can be kept out of the discussion). Why? Because my experience tells me that once I start cooking high-quality carbs, I will add 10 kilos to my body weight in a month. It happened more than once in the past. With more processed carbs (bread of various kinds, or the occasional leftover french fries from the kids' supper), I can limit quantities more effectively. Five or six slices of bread (at least it's wholegrain wheat bread, but still bread) a day is workable. That way I manage to keep my body weight roughly stable (well, my BMI is about 26.5, and it keeps creeping up slowly, but at least it's slow, and I do manage to lose some of it back once in a while). A freshly cooked pot of buckwheat, on the other hand, will end up as a single meal. And the fact that I'm currently running about 110 to 120 km a week can at best slow the 10kg weight gain by a few days, if I'm lucky. Any tips?

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Hey, as I’m not a nutrition specialist I’d hesitate to give advice. The video is my opinion but I’d suggest you read it and get a fuller context around it all. When Matt increased his high quality carb intake he actually lost weight! Worth a read just as context 😊

[@whycantiremainanonymous8091]

@@ThisMessyHappy Yep. I guess I'll go on experimenting (see point 5 🙂) and seeing how it goes. I'm still worried about a possible fast deterioration, but oh, well, I won't know if I won't try.

[@toddp822]

I'll give you a tip, but you're not going to like it.... Protein > Fats > Carbs. I'm sorry to say, but the body processes real protein easier than plant protein. Every time. If it's a moral thing... sorry again, but look up the animals lost due to vegetable farming... sorry mate.

[@whycantiremainanonymous8091]

@@toddp822 Protein is real, no matter its source 😃 And no, I'm not going to eat dead bodies, whatever the consequences. Sorry, matte.

[@masuooo4452]

Eat different plant based proteins as not all of them have the same amount of essential amino acids you need(also you can take plant based protein supplements and go on on from there).I can see why the other guy said what he said bcs protein like eggs meat or fish have all the amino acids all ready.I think there’s videos about this I remember watching but I forgot.I’ll try look for it and edit this comment. ​@@whycantiremainanonymous8091 just

[@01lsw]

Does Matt suggest to cut out all carbs 7 days before a marathon race for three days before a 3-day carb loading leading up to the race day?

[@darrylbrabant3429]

Love Matt Fitzgerald, but i do not believe this is the best advice for overall health especially when numerous studies show that processed foods leads to inflammation. Inflammation then leads to other problems like Cancer, Alzheimer etc. Then you also have the issues of insulin resistance when consuming that level of carbs and seed oils in your diet. I'm a runner myself and took up the sport two years ago at the rip age of 51, had never ran a day in my life before that. Exactly one year later, I ran my first official 1/2 Marathon (The QCM) in a time of 1:45. This past Sunday, one year after my first go and at the age of 53, I finished in 1:38 good enough for 56th place out of 876 racers. I contribute all of this to a healthy animal based diet that consists of high quality grass fed beef, eggs, some raw dairy and the occasional strategically placed piece of fruit (organic bananas, berries, mango...). I had started this way of eating one year before I started running and it has completely changed my life. Next year at the age of 54, I will be shooting to finish in under 1:30, this will put me in the top 30 in this race after only 3 years of running.

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Great work, Darryl! Go for it. I do wonder if you’ve slightly misinterpreted Mary’s message though? It’s not that you should eat processed foods. It’s that it is unhealthy psychologically to deny yourself anything. Once in a while will make no significant differences to inflammation etc. And, as you saw, Eliud Kipchoge eats chocolate and French fries once in a while. It’s why the evidence points to people living longer when they drink one glass of wine per day compared to people like me who drink none 😊

[@darrylbrabant3429]

@@ThisMessyHappy while I agree that you may escape some of the side effects if you are performing at that level, the average person will not be able to "outrun" that type of diet. The average person runs an average of what?? approx 20 miles a week if i remember the stats correctly, that is a far cry for 120 miles or more the elites run. Most recreational runners already suffer with weight/health issues and this is not a diet that will help them resolve that. As for the wine study, I would recommend not giving much credence to any "epidemiological studies" these are the lowest quality of all studies and cannot infer "causation"

[@katesmiles4208]

For me having a cheat day a week is a bit like telling an alcoholic it is ok to have drinks on fridays just not the rest of week. Junk food has very clever technologists designing the right amount of excessive fat, sugar and salt to make us crave it. Works on me every time 🤣. Im happier eating clean foods, processed only by me 😊.

[@rualablhor]

Newish runner here...but had been interested in nutrition and dieting long before I began running. The substance of the video is pretty elementary (to me). Of course, if most folks esp westerners get out and do more (esp running/jogging)...then they would have better health esp of the chronic/ metabolic variety. Health/wellness consists of nutrition, fast and exercise (meditation too, for some) at least. Athletes esp of endurance type, have to worry *much less than the average non fasting, non exercising bad diet, sedentary average Joe/jane. Much like cycling...fwiw I used to almost never watch what I ate, but I did cycle 8-30miles a day, 6 days per week. However, 98+% don't do endurance sports. I run maybe 3/4 days ~17miles per week...a light weight (bad pun🤭) yet most probably don't run half that. Conclusion: runner's diet, you have much more freedom than most, you could indulge in most anything practically. Lol...saying you switched from white rice to brown, and potatoes to sweet potato is like saying you are going from Coke Cola to Pepsi, in the grand scheme of things, seriously. Anyhow, I appreciate and enjoy your channel, keep it up😊

[@moosestubbings1853]

I drink only water and chaga tea,no soda,no juices,no syrups just clean H20 W minerals of course.

[@el_carbonara]

I've always had a tough relationship with food, the hardest part for me is not over eating regardless of how perfect the diet might be considered. Running bloated sucks for motivation and getting the most of out a session.

[@lalrempuiaralte5896]

As a diabetic, i really wish i could eat all the carbs, but any carbs (even the so called good ones) raises my blood sugar levels sky high. Fortunately, i think i have adapted to a relatively high protein and good fat diet that i can run 30k - 50k a week without adverse effects.

[@MatzeDude1]

You should look into fasting, because the main problem aren´t the carbs but insulin resitance. There are two ways to deal with it. Either a keto diet or fasting or both. Search for Dr. Sten Ekberg on youtube for more information.

[@pdev9414]

On the long run a whole food plant based diet is probably even better then keto. After watching the documentary Forks over knives I switched to plants only. A lot of endurance athletes follows this, like Scott Jurek and Rich Roll, and many more. And it helped many people to reverse their diabetes.

[@mathews0618]

Veggies spike your blood sugar?

[@lalrempuiaralte5896]

@@mathews0618 i actually eat lots of veggies especially the curciferous ones while avoiding the starchy ones

[@thankyoujesus2836]

Reason is you have too much fat in your blood from your diet. Cut out fat and increase carbs slowly and your issue should resolve itself

[@ForgottenHistory-mn6mz]

Ifound the same thing to be true. I only manage to eat little processed food, if I allow it on one day of the week. Plus I have myself eat all of the good foodgroups as well on that cheatday, so there is not much appetite left for the cheatstuff.

[@JayRappa]

This made me feel good knowing I now have 2 beers every saturday night even though I'm halfway into marathon training.

[@scout9930]

I can’t find the full video on FB?

[@cielostack2698]

Nutrition and health is different for everyone. What works for you won’t work for the next person. If you’re frequently super active then your caloric intake should be relatively high. If you’re not so active then choose foods accordingly.

[@AnOldGuy164]

Real hiking uses 400-500 calories per hour. Real running (or cycling) has greater requirements. Many people have learned to consume that amount of calories during an event. Mostly carbs. Saving difficult to digest fats and proteins for the end of the day.

[@toddp822]

I think everyone should look up Ivor Cummins and listen to what he has to say about his boss's story. He's a marathon runner who ended up with T2 diabetes from all of the carbs. But I know, "athletes" love carbs, carbs, and more carbs... even though more and more athletes are coming out as carnivore, or at least high protein and low carb. All this being said, I don't hate carbs - I just think people overdo the carbs like crazy. Fat and protein are both absolutely essential.

[@layer8man]

Honest observation and question. I think it's legitimate to discuss the diet habits of the most successful elite runners, but at the same time, my 49 year old, 250 pound body is about the same as their bodies as the Empire State Building is to a local post office. I've just gotten back into running and am focusing on MAF running as a means of losing weight/fat, while also getting back into shape for eventual marathons and ultras. Videos like this (all of yours are top-notch, by the way) always leave me asking more questions and feeling like talking about the diets of the best runners is like comparing apples to oranges for what someone like me actually needs. Question: As someone who is 71" tall, 250 pounds, and 49 years old, should I be eating a "carb centered" diet, when I have SOOO much fat on my body that needs burning and is a legitimate source of fuel?

[@katiesackett2321]

Yes indeed. As long as you are eating in a deficit you will be able to see the results. If you are concerned, you could try to focus your carb heavy meals and snacks around high energy expenditure parts of your day. I used to do this when I was trying to lean out. I focused complex carbs at morning, pre and post workout. The rest of my carbs were fruits and veggies. Dinner time I would still have rice with my protein but half of my plate was more veggies.

[@layer8man]

@@katiesackett2321 Thank you for this explanation, it helps me to better understand this approach. I just ordered the endurance diet book discussed in this video and look forward to seeing me become half the man I used to be, lol.

[@theandroids]

I had a junk food binge and the next day had one of my best runs. I felt fantastic and could have run for hours. Doritos, donuts, fizzy drink, pizza etc. 😳 Before the run I had 100ml of water, and a bowl of granola with almond milk.

[@Seanonyoutube]

Disagree that cutting low quality foods out leads to binge eating those foods. I cut out all added sugar and refined grains and have stuck with it for two years. Had I simply reduced the amounts, I would be far more likely to binge them in weak moments. For me: truly out of sight, truly out of mind.

[@Trailrunner1978]

Ingebrigtsen family diet, seen in television series (over 7-8 years): Always breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening meal. Always eating before harder training. Water. Regular bread ( probably every day). Pasta. Pizza. Ready made cheap pizza for making in oven (often). Tacos. Burritos. Eggs. Hamburger. McDonalds. Bananas ( probably everyday) Applejuice. Coffee (everyday). Energy drink (Jakob , Red Bull.) No alcohol (except parents). No candy or chocolate. Chicken, ham or pepperoni on pizza. Sliced ham and salami on bread. Sportsdrink. Dont see much whole grain, oatmeal, nuts. Not much other fruit than banana. They are often seen eating Grandiosa (cheap Norwegian brand of ready made pizza for heating in oven). They eat rice and chicken. Bacon. Pancake. Gjert has mentioned "you can't train treshold on empty not eating breakfast" and he refers to getting faster carbohydrates like in bread or banana. They eat processed meats probably pretty often because of pizza, tacos, etc. They dont seem too obssess about food. But Gjert don't like them eating McDonalds or drinking Coca Cola, but homemade burgers are referred to in positive words. They eat regular Norwegian food, maybe trending towards "unhealthy" junk food for dinner, like pizza. They probably eat for fueling (high carbohydrate). Dont see protein powder or obsessive about protein.

[@joeybegoode9067]

“Eat everything.” I immediately thought that was Yujiro Hanma’s exact advice to his son Baki. And who wouldn’t want to be as fit as Yujiro.

[@courtnayj4990]

This is crazy. I totally do this without realizing it was the right way. I always have eaten like this. The problem would come in during periods of my life when I was not active enough and not running. If I'm active, I'm good. All the chicks at the office would be like "girl, what diet are you on?" I'd tell them how much I exercised and told them I didn't "diet", and they were like. "Oh" (as in, oh never mind). Most people don't realize how much more active we all should be. If we are active enough, we can eat normally and with treats and wine and all that stuff in moderation. People just don't move enough. Move more (probably a LOT more) and avoid processed foods. That's it, really.

[@charsiewriceisking]

nice!!!

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Thanks 😊

[@TruTube.1.]

Courtney Dauwalter eats Nachos and Beer and is very free in her "diet" . Yet she wins with what she fuels up with. 2023. At the end of the day. as long as the food you consume gives you that energy to keep going and at the same time NOT become Fat. Then ur good. 2023.