Eat Right And You'll Run Better
It's that simple. Your body functions best, and you run better, when your
diet includes the right kinds of foods in the right amounts at the right times. The following sports nutrition information
will enable you to put together your ideal diet, one that will help you achieve your ideal body weight, and get the most out
of your running. You'll learn the basics of good sports nutrition. Finally, you'll learn how to hydrate and fuel your body
before, during and after your workouts.
Carbohydrates
Why are carbohydrates so important?
Here's the easy one-word answer: Energy!
Carbs (as they're sometimes referred to), are your body's main source of energy for aerobic exercise. Your body coverts
the carbohydrates you eat into glucose (a simple sugar). Glucose is then immediately used by your body for energy or is stored
in the muscles as glycogen. Glycogen stores are utilized by runners and help keep you from "bonking" or "hitting the wall".
You've run out of carbohydrates if you have to slow dramatically to continue running.
So, how do you keep from "hitting the wall" or running out of glycogen stores?
The trick is to store energy by eating carbs on a continuous basis. Experienced runners focused on meeting their
nutrition needs eat the right carbs in the right amounts at the right times! Experts recommend that your diet should consist
of 60 to 65% carbohydrates. This amount will keep your muscles well-fueled so that you can meet both your nutrition and training
goals.
Carbohydrates are broken down into two basic categories:
Simple carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates are the most basic form of sugar. Examples of foods containing simple carbohydrates are candy,
fruit and sodas. These foods can provide a quick burst of energy-but it's only temporary. For this reason, you should keep
simple carbohydrate snacks to a minimum. But feel free to enjoy a treat every now and then, especially after a good run.
Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates provide energy on a more consistent, long-term basis. That's why experts recommend that the
majority of the calories you get from carbohydrates be in the form of complex carbohydrates. Foods that are high in complex
carbohydrates include cereals, pasta, breads, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. It's important that you maintain a diet high
in complex carbohydrates to support your running program and meet your sports nutrition needs.
Fats
Fats, in many cases, get a bad rap. The confusion lies in how much fat is healthy
in your diet as well as the type of fat you should be eating. So what's the bottom line? Your body needs fat but not all fats
are created equal! Each type of fat is okay in limited amounts, but some fats better meet your running nutrition needs than
others. Fats are classified as:
- Saturated
- Poly-Unsaturated
- Mono-Unsaturated
Saturated fats
Saturated fats are easy to spot. They remain solid at room temperature. Common examples include red meat and dairy products.
These fats are required by the body in small amounts and should make up just 10% of your overall caloric intake.
Poly-unsaturated fat
These fats stay semi-solid at room temperature. Many margarine and butter alternatives as well as vegetable oils are
made with poly-unsaturated fats. Poly-unsaturated fats are a step closer to the "good" fat you should make a staple of your
diet. However, you can go one step farther.
Mono-unsaturated fat
Mono-unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Examples include olive oil and most other natural oils. Recent
studies have shown that diets with a higher proportion of mono-unsaturates seem to reduce the risk of heart disease and better
meet your sports nutrition needs. As a result, you should obtain 20 to 25% of your daily calories from fats with the majority
of those coming from mono-unsaturated fats.
Protein
As you exercise and eat right, you'll feel your body getting stronger.
Why? Proteins absorbed during consumption. Protein helps to build muscle and tendons, repair broken down muscles, and regulate
hormones. Meats, eggs, beans and nuts are common examples of foods that contain significant amounts of protein. Experts agree
that runners need 10 to 20% of their daily calories from protein. Most people, however, eat two to three times their protein
requirement each day!
As a runner, your increased caloric intake needed to maintain a sufficient energy level for running should be more
than enough to meet your recommended protein and nutrition requirements.
Water
Did you know that water makes
up between 60-70% of your total body mass? Although water doesn't provide energy (or calories), your body requires large amounts
of H2O in order to function properly. It's a running nutrition requirement.
Water regulates the core temperature of your body. As you run, your working muscles produce large amounts of heat that
must be released in order to prevent your core temperature from rising to dangerously high levels. To dissipate this heat,
your body perspires causing water loss and potential dehydration.
As a runner, you should consistently hydrate yourself during both warm and cold weather. By the time you are thirsty,
your body is already suffering from dehydration, causing your running to suffer, and putting you at risk. Most runners fall
short on their fluid replacement and manage only to replace about half of their losses. You know you're drinking enough water
if you urinate about once an hour and it is clear.
Finally, spread out fluid intake during the day to maintain steady water levels and remember to drink past the feeling
of thirst to adequately replenish lost fluid.
Vitamins/Minerals/Supplements
Concerned that your running nutrition needs are not being met? Looking for the latest pill, shake, vitamin, mineral,
or supplement to help you gain a leg up on the competition (or your running buddy next door)?
In most cases, all you have to do is follow the advice your Mom gave you: Eat a varied, well-balanced diet.
A varied, well-balanced diet will include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and non-processed foods. One way to ensure
that you are getting all the fruit and vegetables you need is to eat them as healthy snacks throughout the day. While fruits
are an obvious snack, crispy handfuls of carrots, celery, cucumbers or other favorite vegetables make great desk foods. Juices
are also a great way to consume your daily allotment of fruits and vegetables. The advantages of juices include helping to
keep you hydrated, contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, and they provide a source of energy all day long.
In recent years, several major studies have shown that it makes sense for runners to supplement their normal dietary
intake with the antioxidants vitamins C and E and betacarotene. Vitamin C can be obtained easily through either fruit juices
or supplements. Vitamin E, on the other hand, is not so easily obtained within the diet. Sports nutrition supplementation
is an answer. Shoot for 30 to 200 international units per day.
If your diet is somewhat unbalanced and/or you feel you need some sports nutrition insurance, daily multi-vitamins
with minerals are the answer.
Eating and Hydrating Before, During, and After a Run
Pre-run
Consume
25-50g of carbs 1-2 hours before exercise. Try an energy bar, toast, bowl of cereal, bagel, or a banana. Avoid foods that
are likely to upset your stomach and bowel such as: greasy foods, high-fiber foods, high protein foods, and caffinated drinks.
Drink 8-16 oz. of water or combine with the above in a carbohydrate drink.
During run
Consume 25g of carbs for every 45 minutes of exercise. Go for a gel
pack or sports bar and remember to wash them down with water. Gel packs typically contain 25-30 grams and are easy to digest.
Drink 4-8 oz. water or diluted sports drink for every 15 minutes of exercise. The consumption of sports drinks and carbohydrates
during most runs reduces the stress on your body and improves your post-run recovery.
Post-run
Consume 25-50g carbs immediately after exercising. This can be a combination
of food and drink. You will need to re-hydrate with water while eating an energy bar, bagel, or some form of carbohydrate.
An alternative to combining food and drink is to drink 25-50 grams of carbohydrates in a sports drink if you have a hard time
eating right after a workout.
Drink 16 oz. of water for every pound lost during exercise and continue
to drink water throughout the day. Consume another 25-50g carbs 30 minutes after exercise. One hour after running consume
50-100g of carbs and 20-40g of protein. This is a great time to eat a well balanced, sit-down meal. Soup and a sandwich, salads,
whatever suits your tastes. Chicken and tuna are great sources of protein. Consume 50-100g of carbs per hour and 20-40g of
protein every 2 hours. Continue to do this for 6 hours after your run. You will find that by following this sports nutrition
routine, especially on your long run days, you'll feel refreshed rather than exhausted after your workout.
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You may already eat a nutritionally balanced diet and have no need
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