Shock Over Portion Size 'Almond Mom' Gives Daughter Before 11-Mile Run

Any runner knows that what you eat before a run is going to influence your ability, so it's especially important to pay attention to what you consume the night before. But one woman has gone viral after sharing the small portion her "almond mom" gave her on the eve of an 11-mile run.

In a now-viral TikTok video, Antonia Passalacqua, 27, revealed the small plate of chicken, rice, and avocado that her mom, Carolina Erlandsen, dished up for dinner in their North Carolina home. While it was certainly nutritious, Passalacqua knew it wasn't enough to sustain her energy for a run.

On the eve of a big run, Passalacqua told Newsweek that she will eat a variation of that dish, but she prefers to "double-pack the protein." When dishing up, Erlandsen, 54, didn't know that her daughter was running the next day, so upon realizing, she gave her another piece of chicken for added nutrition.

"This was a typical dinner in our household, and my mom didn't know I was running the next day until dinner was served. She served me another piece of chicken as I requested, and then I was satisfied. Those are typical balanced meals in our house," Passalacqua, who is based in Texas, said.

The family has always been health-conscious and prioritized nutrition, but Passalacqua has started referring to Erlandsen as an "almond mom." The term is thought to derive from a resurfaced clip of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, showing supermodel Gigi Hadid telling her mom, Yolanda Hadid, that she felt weak. Her mom's advice was simply to have a couple of almonds and chew them thoroughly.

After that, the term has been widely used across social media, with many TikTok users using it to highlight extreme diet culture and the pressures to look a certain way. Passalacqua's videos (@passingthewater on TikTok and @antoniapassalacqua on Instagram) are all in jest, as she uses "the term loosely," since her mom focuses on health but she "isn't a foodie."

Thankfully, with the extra piece of chicken, the dinner was enough to get her through all 11 miles the next morning and she felt great throughout.

"Before a long run, I typically have toast with either almond butter and half-a-banana, or avocado depending on how many miles are on the books. I fuel during my runs, too. I carefully select the foods I eat the night prior and morning of, so I don't bloat while running," Passalacqua told Newsweek.

How Much Should a Runner Eat?

Nutrition is different for every person, based on a variety of factors, including exercise routine, overall health, gender, and age. However, as a holistic sports nutritionist, Joanna Chodorowska says that it doesn't just come down to the meal consumed the evening before, as it also depends on what you have eaten throughout the day as well.

"If you don't balance the blood sugar well with carbohydrate heavy meals, then a small dinner may be lacking in enough nutrients to sustain your run," Chodorowska told Newsweek. "If you are balancing the blood sugar well, and your body is in a metabolic-efficiency state, meaning you are burning fat for fuel, then a small meal like this might be enough."

Chodorowska's suggestion for any keen runner is to increase the dinner carbohydrates by 15 to 25 percent for women, and up to 45 percent for men. It certainly isn't one size fits all, and what works for one athlete might not work for the next person.

"For one client, the right prerace dinner might be chicken parm with pasta and broccoli. For another, it was turkey thigh with sweet potatoes and sauteed collard greens—and she would eat that the morning of as it gave her the best energy," Chodorowska said.

How Did TikTok Users Respond?

Since the clip of what the "almond mom" feeds her daughter before a run was shared on TikTok, it has amassed over 4.3 million views and more than 360,000 likes at the time of writing. Alongside the clip, Passalacqua asked: "Is this enough food for an 11-mile run?"

The online response has been mixed, with many people agreeing that it was a perfectly healthy meal, and others were horrified by the quantity.

Passalacqua said: "The reactions don't surprise us as this topic is incredibly sensitive for good reason. At the end of the day, no nutritious plan is the same for everyone. One plan for one may not work for someone else. We should be able to eat whatever we like in portions that are healthy for our body.

"I have a high-protein diet, and I don't eat foods that are processed with artificial sugar, fats, seed oils, chemicals, and other nasty stuff. I'm grateful my mom taught me these habits. Regardless, no matter how nutrient dense a meal is, even if it covers a whole plate, it's never enough for some of viewers."

With over 5,600 comments on the viral TikTok post already, many social-media users were keen to share their thoughts, too.

One comment reads: "Might be an OK portion normally, but definitely not before or after running 11 miles!"

Another person responded: "Anyone who runs knows that this is a good pre-run meal. Not too much and not too little. Good fats and protein."

Another TikTok user posted: "This is what I'd eat while testing to see if the food is cooked properly before serving."

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