Is your diet causing your injuries?
New research suggests these two fuelling mistakes are hurting more than your pace
We all know you can’t run on empty, but a surprising number of us are still trying. It seems obvious: if you’re asking your body to do more, you have to give it more. And yet, new research shows that far too many runners—especially women—are falling short on the fuel front, and it’s costing us in injuries. Here’s how to spot the gaps and fix them before they trip you up.
Fuel fails: calories and cuts
A recent study, published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, dug into the numbers. Researchers analyzed data from 15 studies involving nearly 6,000 distance runners and found a consistent pattern: injured female runners consumed, on average, 450 fewer calories and 20 grams less fat per day than their uninjured peers.
That’s not just a slight dip—it’s the difference between staying strong and ending up sidelined. While the study focused heavily on women, it also found that both male and female runners with bone stress injuries tended to eat three grams less fibre per day. Not massive, but enough to matter.
Why fat is your friend
Forget the ’90s diet playbook—fat isn’t the enemy. In fact, it’s crucial for runners. Healthy fats help regulate hormones (like estrogen, which is vital for bone health), reduce inflammation and protect lean muscle mass. As Dr. Alison Hill, senior researcher on the study, explains: “When runners don’t consume enough energy, their body’s needs go unmet,” leading to issues like fatigue, skeletal weakening and stress fractures. Bring on the avocado toast, olive oil drizzle and handfuls of nuts. Your bones will thank you.
The fibre fix
Fibre doesn’t get the glory that carbs and protein do, but it’s a quiet hero. It supports gut health, immune function and inflammation control, all key to keeping your body running smoothly. The study showed that injured runners ate slightly less fibre than those who stayed healthy. Government guidelines suggest around 30 grams per day, but most people, and many runners, fall short. Think lentils, whole grains, berries and beans.
What you can do today
Knowing you need to eat more is one thing—doing it is another. Try this:
- Do a quick food audit to see if your intake matches your output.
- Add healthy fats: nuts, seeds, fatty fish, avocado, olive oil.
- Boost fibre with whole grains, legumes and veggies.
- Stop glorifying the calorie deficit. Fuelling well (even on rest or easy days) isn’t “cheating,” it’s training.
The final takeaway
You wouldn’t show up to the start line without your shoes, so why run without proper fuel? Under-eating doesn’t make you faster, it just makes you fragile. Treat your nutrition with the same intention as your workouts, and you won’t just perform better—you’ll actually stay in the game and be far less likely to lose time to injury or burnout.
