Fueling the Long Run of Life: Motherhood, Ultras & Letting Go of Control with Francesca Barbetta
Mon Feb 02 2026
What happens when you stop trying to control your body and start trusting it instead?
In this episode, I’m joined by Francesca Barbetta, aka @theearlymorningmotherrunner, for an honest, grounding conversation about healing from chronic underfueling and rebuilding a relationship with food that actually supports life, training, and motherhood.
Francesca shares her journey from restriction and body control to being deeply, intentionally well-fueled and how that shift transformed not just her running, but her confidence, strength, and capacity as a mom and (ultra!!) runner.
We cover:
How underfueling sneaks in (even when you think you’re doing things “right”)
What it looked like to dismantle control around food and body size
Practical fueling strategies for ultra marathon training
Balancing motherhood, work, and high-volume training without burnout
Talking back to lingering food guilt and body image thoughts
Making strength training work in real life
This episode is for runners who want to go far without running themselves into the ground.
Jacked Granny Protein Bars have around 16 grams of protein, the perfect post-run snack or mid-afternoon fuel — go check out jacked-granny.com and use code RUNNERGIRL to save 10%.
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian
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What happens when you stop trying to control your body and start trusting it instead? In this episode, I’m joined by Francesca Barbetta, aka @theearlymorningmotherrunner, for an honest, grounding conversation about healing from chronic underfueling and rebuilding a relationship with food that actually supports life, training, and motherhood. Francesca shares her journey from restriction and body control to being deeply, intentionally well-fueled and how that shift transformed not just her running, but her confidence, strength, and capacity as a mom and (ultra!!) runner. We cover: How underfueling sneaks in (even when you think you’re doing things “right”) What it looked like to dismantle control around food and body size Practical fueling strategies for ultra marathon training Balancing motherhood, work, and high-volume training without burnout Talking back to lingering food guilt and body image thoughts Making strength training work in real life This episode is for runners who want to go far without running themselves into the ground. Jacked Granny Protein Bars have around 16 grams of protein, the perfect post-run snack or mid-afternoon fuel — go check out jacked-granny.com and use code RUNNERGIRL to save 10%. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian