The 10 commandments of good nutrition for runners – Canadian Running Magazine

Nutrition for runners can often get overly complicated, and it’s easy to get bogged down in pages and pages of essential details. While this level of scrutiny may be important for elite runners looking for even the slightest edge over their competitors, for the rest of us, it’s simply not necessary. If you want your nutrition to support your training, follow these 10 guidelines to help you run your best.

snack frequently

Eat snacks frequently throughout the day. it will prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping too low and making you feel tired and sluggish while running. It will also help you consume enough calories to support your training, which some runners find difficult to do with meals alone.

Of course, the quality of your snacks is important if you want them to benefit your training. Ideally, your snacks should contain a good mix of carbohydrates and protein, such as a banana and peanut butter, a trail mix, yogurt and berries, or even plain popcorn are great choices for runners. Or, if you need something super convenient, check out our list of the best store-bought snacks for runners.

Can’t stand carbs

Say it with us: carbs are your friends. While there is some research to support carb cycling as a good nutrition strategy for runners, most studies have concluded that for most runners, skimping on carbs at any point in their cycle of training provides little, if any, benefit. Try to include carbohydrate-rich foods in all your meals like rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes, pasta, bread, oatmeal, and protein-rich carbohydrates like beans and lentils.

Drinking water

Dehydration can decrease your performance, even in cold weather. Most runners can stay adequately hydrated by drinking water with each of their meals, but you should monitor your hydration status to see if you’re drink too much or too little. Ideally, your urine should be pale yellow, indicating that you are well hydrated. If your urine is very dark, you’re probably dehydrated, and if it’s mostly clear, you can probably afford to cut it down. Keep in mind that some medications or supplements can also affect the color of your urine.

Time your nutrition

It’s important to schedule your nutrition around your runs and workouts. Eating too much (or eating the wrong thing) before a race and you might get cramps and other stomach issues mid-race, but eat too little and your stomach will growl at you mid-race.

Try to have a meal three to four hours before a race or workout that contains a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. If you’re eating closer to go time, you should reduce the amount of protein and fat in your pre-race snack because those nutrients are more difficult to digest. If you’re eating an hour after your run, choose something high in carbs but low in fat, fiber, and protein, like a banana, toast with jam, or a small smoothie.

eat to recover

You post-race nutrition it’s key to jump-starting the recovery process so you can be ready to go back the next day. Ideally, you should eat something that has a 4:1 carb to protein ratio within 30 minutes of your run (chocolate milk is a classic example of a recovery drink for runners). If you find you’re not hungry for a full meal right after your run, have a small snack and then give your stomach time to settle before sitting down for something more substantial.

Remember, fueling performance doesn’t just happen immediately after your runs. Eating well throughout the day will ensure that your body can recover properly and you can continue to train hard without exhaustion or injury.

Only supplement if necessary

Supplements can be helpful for certain runners, but should never replace good whole-food nutrition. Before considering adding a supplement to your diet, assess your daily eating habits for any gaps and address them before doing anything else.

There are some runners who may benefit from or need a supplement. Runners following a vegan diet may need a vitamin B12 supplement, and some runners may need an iron supplement if their levels are too low. There’s also plenty of evidence that runners in northern climates can benefit from a vitamin D supplement, but it’s a good idea to get a blood test first to determine how low your levels are so you know how much you should be taking.

Make room for treats

It’s easy for runners to become obsessed with their nutrition, so don’t forget to kick back and live a little once in a while. You don’t have to be perfect, and it’s perfectly fine to have pizza and beer for dinner once in a while or grab your favorite candy bar whenever you feel like it. Perfection is unnecessary and can take away from the pleasure of eating. Remember, happy runners are fast runners, so don’t forget to let your hair down from time to time.

Watch your alcohol consumption

A cold beer after a long run is one of life’s simple pleasures and can even provide some post-race benefits, but it’s all too easy to have too much of a good thing. Beer (or any other alcoholic beverage) should never replace water or food after a race. Binge drinking can also negatively affect your sleep, slowing down recovery, so if you’re going to drinkdo it in moderation and make sure it doesn’t detract from your regular good nutrition habits.

Watch for fiber overload

Be careful not to overdo fiber intake when trying to meet your carbohydrate needs with foods like brown rice, oatmeal, and whole-grain bread and pasta. While fiber is absolutely necessary for runners, too much can leave you with an upset stomach or send you running to the portable toilet on your next long run. Avoid eating high-fiber foods just before a race and when you’re carb-loading before your race goal.

Sleep

You may have heard the expression “sleep is a nutrient,” and if you haven’t, write it on a sticky note and stick it on your bathroom mirror. Your body cannot recover properly without getting enough sleep, and without it, you’ll miss out on significant performance gains, no matter how hard you train. Lack of adequate sleep also puts you at higher risk of injury, so aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night; his body will thank you.