I’ve been using Huel regularly for just over 2 months, building up to 4 shakes a day during the week (500ml water, 3 scoops) and a regular meal in the evening (I eat a predominantly pescatarian diet). I eat regularly at the weekend. I have also been using Huel as a recovery shake for training 3-4 times a week (2 scoops with 330ml of water), so I’m getting through a fair amount of packages during the month!
I’m a keen runner and train regularly, generally over 80 miles per week (unless tapering for a race) and have seen some pretty good improvements in my times during my change in diet. As an example, prior to using Huel I had run 16:48 for 5k, 34:51 for 10k and 77:08 for Half Marathon. Over the last month I now have best times of 16:28, 33:42 and 73:31 and am seeing my resting heart rate + average heart rate on my training runs dropping. I haven’t changed anything else with my training (other than an increase in mileage leading into my last half) and am curious to see if anybody else has noticed an increase in their athletic performance? I realise this could all be coincidental, but surely there must be something in it?
Apologies for the length of the topic, I just wanted to share my experience. If anybody else has had a similar one, let me know!
My missus is a keen parkrunner and most of our weekends away are centred around visiting a new one so it’s entirely possible we could end up visiting your local one!
Wow! Those are impressive times! I only took up running in March after going Pescatarian in January. I never saw any improvements until June and completed a half marathon at the start of this month. Unfortunately I can’t tell you if my 1.5wks on huel has helped as I’m out the game due to Plantar Fasciitis at the moment, I’m hopeful it’s going to help me improve on my parkrun times as I want to get sub 30 before new year!
Well done on completing your half, massive achievement! Good luck in your quest for sub 30, hopefully you’ll shake the plantar and be able to get out soon. Can you do any cross training to tide you over? I was out with a stress fracture for 3 months and managed all my training on a spinning bike. Thankfully I didn’t lose too much fitness!
Back at the gym doing strength training and need to get back to spin too - it’s sheer laziness as I’ve been so used to being outdoors all summer and can’t be bothered getting back into the gym, but I know I need to!
Hoping once I drop a couple of stone on Huel, it’ll give me a bit more running speed too
Classes are a great way to stay motivated. I was hooked on Body Pump and the Grit classes are also a great way to get some interval training in, they definitely help benefit your running. Spinning has to be the best though, it;'s so tough but I love it
I used to do loads of Les Mills years ago, but it’s not my favourite. Big Kettlebell/spin and circuits fan, but I’m in my element lifting heavy, that’s my strength and running is something I really need to work on!
Dislocated my knee years ago so struggle with squats/lunges as it grinds so just gotta watch what I do, but running has strengthened the quad so once my feet stop feeling like I’m walking on a sockfull of plugs and lego, I’ll be back out!
I’ve also noticed much better running times. I’ve been on the Huel for six or seven months and I’ve blown away my previous PBs for 5k, 10k and half marathon. I did my fifth Great North Run this year and knocked 31 minutes off my PB. Yes, you read that correctly, 31 minutes!. Also, about 12 minutes off my 10k and 6 minutes off my 5k.
Now mostly I put this down to the weight loss the Huel helped with of around 6 or 7 Kilogrammes, but I’m sure there is an element of this that comes from the better nutrition as well.
I started Huel late last year and have had my best year this year with 8:59 3k, 15:44 5k and 32:51 10k. I did radically change my training in January though and put it mainly down to that as opposed to Huel. I have 3 scoops every morning for breakfast and after every training session.
I am sure it is beneficial but didn’t think it would be responsible for big performance gains but maybe it played a bigger factor than I thought!
Oh wow, some seriously impressive improvements there! Keep it up! I guess moving to Huel has made me think more about every other aspect of my diet which will have helped too
Nice, those are times I could only dream of! I’ve started track training with a really good group on Tuesdays which has no doubt helped too. Last session was 20 x 400m, 1 min recovery. Absolute hell for a Diesel engine like me! Haha
I’ve just ordered a batch of the matcha flavour boost (pure matcha might be a it hardcore for me!) I believe it’s about 50% matcha so I’ll let you know how I get on. My metabolism doesn’t really need much of a boost though as I eat 4000+ calories a day and weigh 132lb (at 6ft)!
