Food Is Fuel: How Ultra Runners Can Build a Healthier Mindset Around Nutrition & Mental Wellbeing

How Ultra Runners Can Build a Healthier Mindset Around Nutrition & Mental Wellbeing

A fair few of us, including myself, have a complicated relationship with food—especially as long distance runners. We’re can often be hyper-aware of what we put into our bodies, questioning what we put in to our bodies: Will this cause bloating? Will I gain weight? Am I eating too much? Could this lead to binging later?

This can cause stress and anxiety around food, which ironically impacts our running performance and overall wellbeing. For ultra runners, who need consistent energy to sustain long training and race days, this mindset can become a real obstacle.

The truth is, food is fuel. It powers every mile, every step, and every recovery. Shifting your perspective on nutrition can transform not only how you run but how you feel—physically and mentally.

The Mental Health & Nutrition Connection in Ultra Running

Ultra running demands a lot from your body and mind. When your nutrition isn’t supporting your energy needs, you risk not just physical fatigue but mental fatigue too. Under-fuelling can increase anxiety, irritability, poor sleep, and lower mood.

Good nutrition isn’t just about powering your runs—it plays a critical role in recovery and injury prevention. Eating enough protein and nutrients supports muscle repair, reduces inflammation, and helps your body adapt to the stress of training. Without proper fuel, your risk of injury and illness rises, which can derail your progress and affect your mental wellbeing.

Why Many Runners Struggle With Their Food Mindset

There are many reasons why runners might have a challenging relationship with food:

• Old beliefs: Many have heard that “you must avoid gaining weight” or “eat clean only” to be a good athlete.

• Social comparison: Ultra running often idolises lean physiques, which can create pressure and insecurity.

• Misunderstanding of needs: Ultra runners often underestimate how much energy they need, thinking less is better.

• Busy lifestyles: Skipped meals and irregular eating patterns add to the chaos and guilt.

  
  

One common worry is overeating—some runners fear gaining weight or losing control if they eat enough to support their training. This fear is understandable, but it’s important to know that your body needs extra calories to recover, build strength, and prevent injuries.

It’s not about eating unlimited amounts but about providing your body with quality, balanced fuel that supports your ultra goals.

Reframing Food as Fuel: A Practical Approach

1. Every Meal Is Training for Your Next Session

Instead of seeing eating as a guilty pleasure or a chore, frame it as essential preparation for your next run. What you eat today affects how you perform tomorrow. This shift helps reduce guilt and turns meals into a vital part of your training plan.

2. Focus on Addition, Not Restriction

Rather than cutting out foods or focusing on what you shouldn’t eat, think about what you can add to help your body perform better:

• Carbs for energy

• Protein for muscle repair

• Healthy fats for hormone balance

• Colourful fruits and veggies for vitamins and minerals

This approach builds a mindset of abundance and care, rather than scarcity and restriction.

3. Replace “Good vs Bad Food” With “Helpful vs Not Helpful Right Now”

No food is inherently “good” or “bad.” Some foods are simply more helpful for your immediate needs—like fuelling a long run or recovering after a race. This reframing removes emotional weight from food choices and encourages flexibility.

4. Everything in Moderation: Including Alcohol and Treat Drinks

It’s okay to enjoy your favourite drinks—like a latte or a glass of wine—as part of your balanced lifestyle. The key is moderation and being mindful of how these affect your hydration, sleep, and recovery.

Alcohol can impair muscle repair and sleep quality, so limiting it around heavy training days helps you bounce back faster. Lattes and other caffeinated drinks are great for energy but remember to balance them with plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Why Fasted Training Isn’t the Shortcut Runners Think It Is

Fasted training is often sold as a way to “burn more fat” or become more “fat adapted,” but for endurance runners, it’s usually unnecessary — and sometimes counterproductive.

Yes, the body is incredibly efficient at using fat for fuel during long, easy efforts. That process is built naturally into endurance training. You don’t need to under-fuel or skip breakfast to make it happen.

What fasted running can do is increase fatigue, reduce the quality of your workouts, spike cravings later in the day, and contribute to under-fueling. Over time, this can weaken recovery, increase injury risk, and leave you feeling constantly drained.

There’s nothing wrong with an occasional easy morning run before breakfast — but regularly training fasted doesn’t make you a better endurance athlete. Training well-fuelled lets you hit better paces, recover faster, and stay more consistent — which is what actually improves performance.

How Ultra Runners Can Build a Better Food–Mindset Relationship

Eat Enough — Most Under Fuel Without Realising

A fair amount of ultra runners unintentionally eat 300–800 calories less than they need. This leads to irritability, fatigue, poor sleep, and slower recovery. Eating enough helps you train consistently and reduce setbacks.

Plan Your Fuel Like You Plan Your Miles

You plan your running routes and workouts—why not plan your meals with the same care? Treat food as part of your training program.

Remove Guilt Around Eating More

You need more calories than many people think—especially with high mileage. Shifting language helps, from “I shouldn’t eat this” to “Does this help my training and recovery?”

Build Awareness of Your Inner Voice

Notice how you talk to yourself about food. If it’s harsh or punishing, practice replacing those thoughts with supportive affirmations like:

• “I fuel my body so it can perform.”

• “Eating properly supports my mental health.”

• “More running means more fuel.”

  
  

Using Food Tracking Apps: Helpful Tools or Potential Traps?

Food tracking apps like MyFitnessPal and Cronometer can increase awareness of your calorie and nutrient intake, which may help ensure you’re fuelling enough. However, these tools should be used as guides, not strict rules. Avoid becoming overly fixated on numbers, which can lead to stress or unhealthy behaviours. If you do, it is time to get rid of them.

Instead, use tracking to learn patterns and adjust intuitively over time, combining data with how you feel physically and mentally.

The Mental Health Benefits of a Positive Fuel Mindset

When you reframe food as fuel, your energy stabilises, mood improves, and stress around eating drops. You’ll recover better, sleep more soundly, and run stronger. Plus, enjoying your food again adds joy and balance to your ultra running journey.

When to Seek Extra Support

Sometimes, food anxiety or complicated feelings around eating need extra help. If you find your mindset is affecting your training, social life, or mental health, consider talking to a specialist dietitian or mental health professional experienced with athletes.

Conclusion: Your Relationship With Food Is Part of Your Ultra Training

Eating isn’t the opposite of discipline—it is discipline. Building a positive, fuel-focused mindset around nutrition supports your endurance, resilience, and enjoyment of the sport.

Remember: Food is fuel, food is recovery, and food supports your mental and physical wellbeing on every mile.