Nutrition while running. Nutrition before, during and after running. Nutrition before a long distance race

How to eat properly when running? What to eat before and after training? ? To my surprise, questions about diet turned out to be one of the most frequently asked questions in mail and comments.

To be honest, I think that studying someone else's diet in search of answers is a useless exercise. Just out of curiosity 😉 The basic rules are well known: maintain a balance of what you eat and what you spend, eat more vegetables and fruits, less processed foods,... blah blah and a dozen other standard points. The rest is subtleties that can vary as much as you like and depend on the individual characteristics of the body, habits, physical activity, lifestyle and other factors. Everyone finds their own formula; there is no universal formula that works equally for everyone.

But since they ask, I’ll share the principles of my intuitive, unprincipled nutrition and an example of a standard diet.

My food

Key Facts

• I do not adhere to vegetarianism, veganism, paleo, raw food diet or any other food systems. I believe that there is no single “correct” system for which the human body is designed. It is designed to be omnivorous and adaptable, the rest depends on living conditions and lifestyle. Many generations of vegetarians around the world have enough protein, and northern peoples survive quite well on a diet based on meat and fat.
• I don’t fast and don’t go on diets.
• I use an approach in which the diet is based on relatively healthy food, but I do not forbid myself “harmful” foods in moderation. On weekdays it’s easier and more convenient for me to stick to the “correct” diet, on weekends I eat delicious junk food. But it happens in different ways - there is no rigid system and no prohibitions.
• I eat 5-6 times a day, in small portions.
• I eat intuitively, listen to what I want/don’t want. With regular physical activity, our understanding with the body has noticeably improved, and more often than not we crave simple, healthy food.
• I eat little meat, mostly poultry - turkey and chicken. After I started running, it began to be perceived as heavy food. There are times when I don’t eat at all. The more load, the less you want it.
• I use olive or coconut oil for cooking and dressing.
• I feel good about my balance - how much I have for the current physical activity. My weight is stable, when preparing for the marathon I lose a couple of kilos, then I gain weight. The system only fails when traveling, when you have to greatly reduce your usual running volumes, and your appetite is in no hurry to disappear. I don't count calories. I tried it a couple of times out of curiosity: the daily caloric intake is 2200-2400, which is not so low for my size.
• I eat everything if necessary. When I travel, I try a lot - from durian to fried cockroaches and crocodile meat.
• I drink plain water, tea, and compotes in the summer. I do not drink industrially produced sweet drinks.
• I drink strong coffee, usually once a day.
• I drink alcohol - on average, a glass of wine once or twice a week, sometimes beer. I don’t drink during active training - my heart rate still rises from alcohol the day before.

Standard daily diet

I usually run in the morning and before training I don’t eat anything, I just drink a little water. Sometimes I eat half a banana or a date. The exception is long workouts (more than 2 hours), before which I try to have a more substantial snack 30-40 minutes before. I choose something that is easy to digest and won't cause trouble on the run, like toast with banana and peanut butter.

Rule for training at other times of the day: eat before running no later than 2 hours before the start of the run. Of course, all this is individual and can only be verified in practice.

IN nutrition after running I don’t adhere to any special rules like “eat something protein immediately to restore muscles” or “close the carbohydrate window.” After light to moderate intensity workouts, I have a good appetite - I shower and eat a regular breakfast. After heavy periods, it happens that for a couple of hours you only want fruit - I eat only that. After the marathon, digestion turns off for about 5 hours, only oranges (and more!) are available - I stock up on them in advance and eat them.

Mandatory morning ritual - a cup coffee. I drink it after a run, sometimes before breakfast, sometimes after. I prefer strong espresso, accompanied by almonds in a milk truffle. This is usually my only cup of coffee a day, occasionally a second. I don’t drink coffee before competitions.

Breakfast is always substantial. I got used to it, and turned from an owl into a lark. Before this, I was firmly convinced that the body wakes up closer to noon and is not capable of absorbing anything other than coffee earlier. As with getting up in the morning, it turned out to be purely a matter of habit.

On weekdays, breakfast is almost always standard:

• porridge(oatmeal or multigrain) in water, to which are added fruits, berries, dried fruits (dried apricots, raisins, cranberries), nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews), flax seeds, a mixture of seeds. There are many variations. In winter I often use frozen berries.

• homemade yogurt With

I make yogurt from milk and starter culture in a yogurt maker, the whole process with my participation takes about 5 minutes. Sometimes I eat it in the Greek style - with honey.

More favorite breakfast recipes:

Cherries in one quick approach

Green smoothie: banana + apple + spinach + some water

Next meal - like dinner. I hardly eat soups, I don’t like them. Exceptions: all sorts of seafood and fish delights, which happen rarely, as well as classic borscht with a crust of black bread and garlic in the frosty winter about once a year. And, of course, gazpacho, which is actually not a soup, but a liquid salad - I’m ready to eat it every day.

The standard option for the “lunch type” is eggs in different types. Omelette or scrambled eggs with vegetables (in winter I use frozen sets), boiled eggs and all sorts of additions:

• I love hummus, the best souvenir for me from Israel :)
• I respect avocados, however, it’s almost impossible to buy ripe ones from us; you have to take green ones and wait until they reach the right condition. Compared to a properly ripe avocado, of course, it’s not the same, but I eat it.
• I appreciated the green mung bean: I don’t cook it, I just soak it for 12 hours - it tastes like green peas.

Eggs + toast with hummus + cheese + vegetables

Scrambled eggs, Adyghe cheese, vegetables

Here are my options and a story about how food is organized in the office.

The next meal is usually cottage cheese(5%). I love it and eat it often, also with different additions. It’s delicious not only in the sweet version - with fruits and berries, but also with green onions, garlic, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and radishes.

Cottage cheese with sour cream + green onions + cucumbers

Cottage cheese with sour cream + strawberries + kiwi

Dinner: salad/vegetables, side dish - potatoes in various forms (most often baked in the oven), pasta, rice. The salad can also be a self-sufficient dish - then, in addition to vegetables, cheese (feta, etc.) or fish (lightly salted or banal canned tuna in its own juice), and boiled eggs are added to it. In season, all sorts of vegetables go well, baked or grilled. I can eat the same zucchini in terrible quantities. Sometimes fish or turkey/chicken fillet in different forms is added to dinner.

Fish, boiled potatoes, vegetables

Narcotic zucchini baked with tomatoes, garlic and mozzarella

Before going to bed, I always catch up with fruit.

Are you sick of eating healthy yet? 😉 I dilute it.

Main hazards and food outrages It happens on weekends, but on other days I don’t deny myself if I want something, otherwise there’s no reason to run all these terrible hundreds of kilometers a month.

My weaknesses:

• pancakes, pancakes, cheesecakes - I know how to cook delicious food and my family loves it (and me, for that matter). Traditional weekend dishes.

• cheese! All without exception, including smelly and moldy. And toast with cheese. I eat, but I try to maintain moderation (I’m just finishing off the last piece of excellent Swiss cheese that’s lying around in the refrigerator). Cheese is a great souvenir from a trip to some countries 😉

• milk chocolate. I try not to buy it or keep it in the house, since the brakes do not work with this product. But if I come across it, I eat it and don’t suffer, quite the opposite.

Run- this is not aerobics! Energy costs are huge! And they will have to be replenished according to a special nutrition plan.

You have firmly decided to follow our training program, run five times a week, and aim for a 20-kilometer half-marathon, right? Then you need reconsider your diet. More precisely, go on a special diet. Otherwise, in a couple of weeks you will feel weak, sick and always hungry, and in a month you will simply give up on everything - running, your figure, and the smaller dress that you have already had your eye on...

This is how nature arranged us: a lack of simple physiological fuel always leads to a decline in mental strength. Yes, yes, I haven’t eaten enough and now everything around me is seen in black colors. How to be? Shove everything? No, we will calculate our energy needs according to science, using a special formula (in two versions, one of them adjusted for weight loss).

Running and nutrition plan

How many calories per day will you need? This depends on your weight and fitness level. How to choose the optimal diet for yourself, read below.

Nutrition and Running Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4)

Yours energy costs are rising, and therefore you need to eat more. Of course, it will not be easy for you to switch from the “eat less to lose weight” principle to the “eat more” formula.

However, such are the paradoxes of running! Moreover, you will need to take in a lot of fat! And to do this, you will have to include fatty sea fish, nuts, fish oil capsules or evening primrose oil in your diet. This will make your ligaments more elastic and thereby protect against injury.

In order to jog 5 kilometers a couple of times a week, you do not need a special diet. But intensive preparation for a half marathon will require a complete restructuring of the body. nutrition programs.

To figure out how many calories you need to consume per day while running, grab a calculator and use our three-step formula.

1. Multiply your weight by a factor of 26.5.

For example, if you weigh 60 kilograms, you should get 60 x 26.5 = 1590 calories per day.

So, basic daily energy expenditure (BDE) at rest: 1590 calories. This refers to the number of calories that is necessary to maintain life at rest (for the heart to beat, the lungs to work, metabolic processes to occur, and so on). We will use this value as a starting point in the calculations.

2. Add to the resulting value the number of calories which you spend per day in training.

If you are not jogging, but race walking at a speed of about 6.5 km/h, count on about 5 calories per minute or 300 calories per hour.

The calculation for a woman weighing 60 kilograms, who runs an average of 8 kilometers a day at a speed of 11 km/hour, will look like this:

1.15 calories x 8 km - 9.2

9.2 x 60 (Body weight) = 552

So, 552 calories are burned during the workout.

Keep in mind that you will only need these extra calories on the day you run. But on rest days, no “supplement” is needed!

3. Finally, sum the TSB with the number of calories, spent during training and increase the amount received by 10%.

1590 + 552 = 2142

2142 + 2 AND (10% of 2142) = 2356 or 2300 calories per day.

If you have set a goal to lose weight, you do not need to increase 10%.

How can this be translated into specific dishes?

With caloric intake at 2300 calories you should eat at least:

Four servings (80 calories each) of any porridge.

Half a plate of beans or peas.

“Five by five” servings of vegetables and fruits. This means five servings of vegetables and fruits in five different colors every day. You should eat about three bowls of vegetable salad a day. For fruits, your goal is 300 calories, or 3-4 apples.

200 g lean protein. For example, lean poultry, lean meat, fish or egg whites. For reference: 100 g of meat/poultry/fish is a piece about the size of a deck of cards.

2 cups low-fat dairy products. For example, kefir, unsweetened yogurt, cottage cheese or milk. Or 60 g of cheese.

30 g nuts or 1/2 cup soy milk or cottage cheese, or 2 tablespoons ground flax seed. These foods are excellent sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

In total these products give approximately 1400 calories, so our hypothetical 60-kilogram woman can fill up the remaining calories with other healthy foods of her choice.

With this diet, you can already meet half of your body's daily needs for vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Everything else will have to be obtained through vitamin preparations and nutritional supplements.

Nutrition and Running Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8)

You need to eat little, but often: 5-6 times a day. If you train in the morning, before lunch, your breakfast should consist of oatmeal or any other porridge.

If you go for a morning run before breakfast, drink sweet tea and cookies. You can eat an apple or a banana. For dinner you should plan porridge, fish, meat or cottage cheese. And before going to bed, drink a glass of kefir or yogurt.

Proteins should be present in every meal you eat. To calculate the approximate need for pure protein, multiply your weight by 1.2 g. To save yourself the hassle of preparing meat and fish dishes, buy protein powder and dilute it in water or juice.

However, eat protein in natural form at least once a week. It can be boiled chicken or beef and filleted fish.

Use your imagination and try your best diversify your diet. And a monotonous diet can be useful, but you will quickly get tired of it psychologically.

You can do this: take boiled chicken breast, vegetables and salad left over from yesterday's dinner and make a sandwich to eat for second breakfast. Or you can do it another way: put boiled beans and tomatoes on a piece of pita bread, add cumin and herbs, and wrap it with breast, vegetables and salad.

Fluid intake during intense training - a special conversation. To prevent dehydration, you will have to drink much more water than before. To figure out how much fluid you need, try an experiment: weigh yourself before and after a long-distance race.

You will need to drink at least two glasses of water for every pound of weight you lose while running. If you have to go to training tomorrow, increase this amount by one and a half times.

Two hours before training drink half a liter of water, and during exercise, apply to the cooler every 15-20 minutes. If you are training in a hot and stuffy gym, drink up to two glasses at a time.

Well, of course, the time has come to master the “running” wisdom of nutrition. Try drinking half a glass of water (or even a whole glass) every 15 minutes of your run. Running while liquid is splashing in your stomach will be unusual at first, but over time this inconvenience will pass.

What if you drink carbohydrate sports drinks? Actually, a runner needs carbohydrates if he runs for more than an hour. Plus, many sports drinks contain too many carbohydrates. And this can lead to a problem called osmotic diarrhea.

While running, you may get a tingling sensation in your side. The reasons for this phenomenon are still unclear. Experienced runners are sure that everything is explained by excess water drunk. So, right before and while running, you shouldn’t drink a lot. The exact amount of liquid is a matter of personal experience.

Nutrition and running for weight loss: food is prohibited

During serious training, you will have to give up some of the gastronomic pleasures of life. IN prohibited list Ingests food that dehydrates the body or contains unhealthy saturated fats:

Alcohol

Anything deep fried

Desserts with a lot of butter

Sauces and fatty gravies

Any semi-finished products and fast food dishes

Sweet carbonated drinks

Chips, crackers, crackers and other “ballast” food

Nutrition and Running Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12)

You have reached the decisive phase - the last four weeks before the competition. You'll have to fine-tune your nutrition program, select nutritional supplements that will enhance the effects of the diet, and try out different sports nutrition products that will help you run faster and longer.

A few days before the final race reduce your fat intake, and replace the “released” calories with carbohydrates. If previously carbohydrates accounted for up to 60% of the daily calorie intake, now the proportion of carbohydrates increases to 70-75%.

Drink more fluids: for every gram of carbohydrates in your diet, you need about 3 ml of water.

Essential multivitamin complexes

You train to the fullest extent, which means that your body consumes more vitamins and microelements.

To avoid deficiencies of both, take a “boosted” multivitamin and multimineral supplement.

It should be emphasized that runners especially need antioxidants - vitamins A, C, E and selenium. In addition, a runner needs more B vitamins. And finally, your need for iron will increase.

A simple blood test will help you check whether you are suffering from iron deficiency anemia.

Please note that it does not prevent you from passing it if

A) you have episodes of extreme fatigue, nausea and depression

b) you have a poor appetite.

A runner loses a lot of potassium through sweat. Either take it as a dietary supplement or eat more bananas, oranges and yellow vegetables.

Last dinner before start

In the last few days Before the decisive race, try to relieve your digestive system of unnecessary stress.

Eliminate dairy products from your diet.

Don't eat peas, beans, cabbage.

Drink, drink and drink again. In the last few days before the race, try to hydrate your body. A good indicator would be to visit the toilet at least five times a day.

The evening before the start, do not forget to have a hearty dinner, and in the morning before the race, have a light snack. According to science, it is recommended to eat the last dinner 15-17 hours before the start, so that all food has time to be completely digested, and no later than two hours before bedtime. (Otherwise you won't be able to get a good night's sleep.)

Concerning breakfast on race day, then you can eat a plate of porridge, an apple, a piece of cheese, drink a glass of kefir and about two or three glasses of oxen.

If the start is in 3-4 hours, breakfast can be full (up to 450 calories). But if there are only 1-2 hours before the race, 200 calories and two glasses of water will be enough.

Little last-minute tricks

Before the start, go to the toilet and try to empty your intestines as much as possible.

Just in case, keep one or two painkiller tablets and a patch, put them in a bag and hide them in your pocket. You never know what can happen on the course. Suddenly you slip and fall on an uneven road.

Stock up on sugar cubes, raisins or glucose tablets.

During your warm-up, try to think of the race as a fun, festive event. Remember, if you trained for all 12 weeks according to our plan, you have already won - in the fight against your laziness, character weaknesses, and overweight.

What to eat before the start?

Formula:

Your weight in kilograms + 10% shows how many carbohydrates you need for breakfast one to one and a half hours before the race. For example, if you weigh 55 kilograms, you should get 60 grams of carbohydrates from food.

An example of a pre-race breakfast containing 60 g of carbohydrates:

First option

A bowl of porridge (30 g dry weight)

Second option

1 orange

2 whole grain breads (45 g)

Option three

A plate of rice

1 medium banana

Option four

1 medium bunch of grapes

1 energy bar (45 g)

You give your all in classes and follow all the trainer’s recommendations, but have not yet achieved the desired result. Perhaps the reason lies in an unbalanced diet. Proper nutrition for a runner is the basis for quickly replenishing energy costs. Read below how to balance your menu, what to eat when training at different levels of intensity, and what to exclude from your diet once and for all.

Nutrition for Runners: Basic Principles

Proper nutrition is based on the following principles:

1. Correspondence. The daily average should be commensurate with energy replenishment.
2. Balance. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates and microelements contained in food must satisfy the body's needs.
3. Diversity. Useful substances from foods should ensure the synthesis of substances that are not produced by the body.
4. Mode. A clearly established time and sequence of eating allows the body to correctly calculate its strength.

Let's take a closer look at the elements that make up a runner's diet: proteins, fats, carbohydrates and microelements.

How much protein do you need?

book author "Sports Nutrition" Renee McGregor advises, when calculating the amount of average daily protein, to start from the diagram protein pulsing. This regimen involves eating small portions of protein frequently throughout the day instead of one large portion. Intensely training athletes should take protein at 0.25 g/kg body weight up to 6 times a day.

Animal protein is found in chicken and beef meat, fish, eggs, as well as milk and dairy products. This food contains a complete list of amino acids (including BCAA) necessary for the restoration of the body. In proteins of plant origin - nuts, grains and legumes– not the entire set of amino acids. But with the right combination of products, the benefits will be ensured.

Instead of one or two protein meals per day, you can take a whey protein-based sports nutrition for runners. However, you should not consume protein before exercise, as this may lead to digestive problems. It is better to drink the mixture an hour after training.

Protein– an essential component of a runner’s proper nutrition. This element promotes the construction of muscles and tendons, regulates hormonal balance, and restores the body's strength. Physical activity for endurance accelerates the breakdown of protein in the muscles. The runner’s task is to restore protein reserves in the body and create a positive balance. This means that the amount of protein taken in should be greater than the amount expended during training.

How much fat do you need?

Fatty acids are not produced by the body. Therefore, you need and can eat foods containing healthy fats. They help the body absorb certain types of vitamins – A, D, E, K. However, a runner needs to eat mostly unsaturated fats. The optimal daily amount of healthy fats is 1 g/kg body weight per day.

Unsaturated fats are found in the following foods:

• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardine)
• Raw nuts and seeds
• Avocado
• Vegetable oil: olive, rapeseed, flaxseed, sunflower

As the intensity of exercise increases, the average daily fat intake can be increased. But note that healthy fats also have increased energy value.

How many carbohydrates do you need?

Carbohydrates serve as a kind of fuel"for the runner. These substances accumulate in the muscles and liver cells. An insufficient supply of carbohydrates can lead to rapid fatigue, decreased performance and weakened immunity.

All types of carbohydrate-containing foods differ in the level of glycemic index (GI). Due to the consumption of foods with high GI, the level in the blood increases sharply, and a surge of energy is felt. However, such energy is consumed quickly and is replaced by feelings of hunger and fatigue. Products with high GI (from 70 units) include:

• Sweets and confectionery
• Pastries and white bread
• Potato and white rice dishes
• Pasta made from soft flour
• Carbonated drinks

A balanced running diet includes foods with a low glycemic index. Complex carbohydrates take longer to process and absorb, thereby ensuring a smooth rise in blood levels. The following products have low GI:

• Natural juices without sugar
• Durum wheat spaghetti
• Brown rice
• Dried fruits
• Rye bread

It is difficult to calculate the average daily intake of carbohydrates. Their consumption directly depends on the frequency, intensity and duration of training. If you run longer or faster than usual on a certain day of the week, your running rate will increase.

But we can say that the starting point for the calculation can be considered 4 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of body weight.

How many microelements do you need?

Microelements contribute to the proper functioning of metabolic processes. But the body itself does not produce them, but receives them directly from food. The main microelements that an athlete’s body needs are:

1. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K
2. Sodium and potassium
3. Calcium, iron and phosphorus
4. Magnesium, iodine and zinc.

With high-intensity long-term load, a reduced level magnesium in the body can cause muscle pain. Sweating leads to dehydration and increased levels sodium and potassium. In such cases it is necessary to take. Use medications as first aid magnesium. A rational diet will help you avoid such situations in the future.

It’s easy to calculate the MHR: use ours.

The peculiarity of this training is that the runner easily carries on a conversation, and after the race he feels a greater surge of energy than at the beginning. On days of rest and low-intensity exercise, the athlete’s body does not need to increase the average daily carbohydrate intake. The body's need for carbohydrates is 3 g/kg body weight. To restore muscle tissue and combat inflammatory processes, it is recommended to consume polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3.

During low-intensity but long-term training, the body receives energy primarily from burning fat reserves. If on low-load days an athlete exceeds the required amount of carbohydrates, the body converts them into quick energy, and the excess carbohydrates accumulate in fatty tissues. Such frequent nutritional imbalances in the future will lead to a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in body fat.

Nutrition for moderate intensity training

A moderate intensity workout is running for 60 minutes at. This type of training is characterized by difficulty communicating and some tension in the muscles.

If you are just adapting to this type of load, you can take a portion of carbohydrates and proteins 1-3 hours before training. The optimal ratio is 1 g/kg BW of carbohydrates and 0.25 g/kg BW of proteins. When the body is already accustomed to moderate loads and has developed endurance, you can try training. However, in this case it is necessary to strictly observe the drinking regime. The best choice is either a homemade energy drink. You can drink before and during training.

A morning or afternoon run requires eating within 2 hours of completing your workout. If you ran after dinner, it is better to restore your strength with a light snack consisting of dairy products or a banana.

Nutrition for high-intensity training

High intensity training involves... Carbohydrate consumption can reach 60 g/hour. As soon as glycogen reserves in the body come to an end, energy consumption from adipose tissue begins.

Conclusion

The given standards and indicators are not universal. If you want to achieve the best results, listen to your body. With a properly organized regimen and nutritional balance, even after a grueling workout, the body will quickly regain strength and get in shape.

A nutrition plan for runners from a sports nutritionist.

Proper nutrition for a runner is “our everything.” Whether you're running a 5K or a marathon, a running-specific diet can help you feel more confident and achieve your goals more easily. Sports nutritionist James Collins, who is responsible for nutrition for the Arsenal football team, has developed a nutrition plan for any type of exercise.

Low intensity workout (less than 60 minutes)

What to eat on days of rest and minimal exercise? –Less carbs, more protein.

The amount of carbohydrates should be reduced in proportion to the volume of training. This means that only one meal can include carbohydrates - let it be breakfast or a snack. Reducing the amount of carbohydrates will allow you to increase the amount of protein-rich foods - they will satisfy your hunger throughout the morning. Protein will also help repair muscles that have taken a lot of strain on high-intensity training days.

Also, on days of rest and short training, it is recommended to consume more polyunsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids. They fight inflammatory processes and promote the restoration of body tissues. Consuming vegetables and fruits that are high in antioxidants will help fight free radicals and also reduce muscle soreness. Such a variety of recommended products provides a great opportunity to experiment with traditional recipes, flavors and seasonings!

Moderate intensity workouts and intervals (duration 60 minutes)

What to eat on medium-load days? – Moderate consumption of proteins and carbohydrates.

On moderate-intensity training days, carbohydrate intake should be moderate, which means including it in your breakfast and lunch. Carbohydrates will provide fuel during workouts and replenish glycogen stores. If you absolutely cannot do without carbohydrates in your evening meal, then choose foods with a low glycemic index, from which energy will be released slowly. Protein should be included in every meal, but only in moderate portions. In addition to all of the above, you should separately think about including iron-rich foods in your diet - at least 3 meals a week. Iron will help ensure an uninterrupted supply of oxygen to your muscles, which is especially important during endurance training.

Long endurance training or two workouts per day

What to eat on high stress days? – Increasing the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet.

Carbohydrate intake on these days should be high at every meal. You can even include carbohydrates in your snacks to provide your body with the energy it needs during workouts. A breakfast consisting of foods with a low glycemic index will provide the necessary calories for the whole morning until lunch. But before the workout itself, you can eat one snack with a high glycemic index. A large proportion of carbohydrates in the daily diet means that you will have to strive to reduce the proportion of fats (since the proportion of proteins remains moderate in any case). Make sure your evening meal includes a protein dish, as this will aid in muscle recovery after a high-intensity workout, as well as muscle growth overnight.

During training, it is also recommended to drink plenty of fluids to maintain the water-salt balance at the desired level and replenish the amount of water that the body loses through sweat. Before heavy training, you should not try new, untested sports nutrition. Also avoid foods that can cause gastrointestinal upset - fatty foods, foods with a lot of spices or high in fiber.

Maya Malenko worked on the article. Based on materials from: www.bbcgoodfood.com

Sports physiologist Covert Bailey once mentioned a cure for all diseases. Imagine a bottle whose label says: “Elevates mood, reduces stress, burns fat, speeds up metabolism, thins blood, normalizes weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, slows down aging, prolongs life. Instructions for use: Take after half an hour of running with a glass of water.”.

Whatever your reasons for running, nutrition will be a major part of your training process.

This is especially true for beginner runners. If you want to finish your first marathon, you need to seriously think about your diet.

How should a runner eat? What should your body get when getting used to new loads? Is it possible to revise the menu without drastic changes and improve your running results?

What to exclude from the diet?

Say adieu to carbonated drinks, fast food, white flour, processed foods, your favorite sweets made from sugar and fat. A small list of what should be excluded from your diet and thrown into the firebox. You need to stop throwing “food waste” into yourself. Of course, everyone sometimes wants “something like that,” and that’s normal. The main thing is to eat this as little as possible.

The basis of the diet should consist of complex carbohydrates, vegetables and proteins

Vegetables in a runner's diet

Vegetables can be in any form. A win-win option is a salad of fresh vegetables, seasoned with olive oil. Baked or grilled vegetables are perfect as a side dish for fish, chicken or beef. Moreover, fresh vegetables can be eaten unlimitedly.

Add complex carbohydrates to your diet

Oatmeal, beans, whole grain bread, spelled, buckwheat, dark rice, couscous and durum wheat pasta, bulgur, quinoa are your best friends! Remember that foods have a glycemic index (GI) of high, medium and low.

By consuming foods with a high GI (simple carbohydrates), the body suddenly receives a large dose of carbohydrates, converts them into energy and provides rapid saturation and satisfaction. But there is also a downside. Such “fast energy” quickly ends. Therefore, the proper nutrition for runners is complex carbohydrates. This is especially important for the nutrition of long-distance runners. An exception may be the period immediately after training, when you can load up on simple carbohydrates if there are no problems with excess weight.

By using foods with a medium or low GI (complex carbohydrates) in your diet, the increase in blood glucose levels occurs more gently, preventing sudden jumps, thereby keeping you full and satisfied longer, since low GI foods take longer to digest.

As a result, the functioning of all organs, especially the digestive and heart organs, is normalized, and physical strength and endurance increases.

Eat fruit every day, but no more than 1-2 servings in the morning

Remember that any fruit contains a sufficient amount of sugar, which gives a quick spike in blood sugar and rapid insulin production. After your blood sugar drops, it's hard to resist the urge to snack on something sweet. At the beginning of the transition to proper nutrition, watch your portions of fruit, limiting yourself to two slices of watermelon, not half, a bunch of grapes, not a kilogram.

Protein and running

Protein or protein(this is one and the same!) – the building material of the body, the basis of physical form. It is necessary not only for “jocks”, but also for runners. Moreover, everyone needs it! Protein for runners plays the role of an excellent restorer, and the need for it increases with training. A runner's diet must contain a sufficient amount of protein - 1 gram of protein per 1 kg of body weight.

Protein for running– the same protein as for other sports. It’s very strange to hear from runners, even experienced ones, that protein for running is one thing, but for the gym it’s another. Protein is the same for everyone and the body doesn’t care what you call it, protein or protein.

The highest quality and most complete protein is animal protein. Contained in chicken, fish, beef, milk, cottage cheese, eggs. It is advisable to add additional protein intake from protein mixtures to your diet. Perfect for this whey protein MyProtein. Consume protein after running within an hour. We do not recommend consuming protein before running, as it may cause stomach discomfort.

The basic diet plan is to eat every three hours.

First meal: complex carbohydrates. For example, porridge with water or milk.

Second reception: complex carbohydrates + vegetables.

Third trick: protein + vegetables.

Healthy snacks in between main meals: protein drink, bananas, low-fat dairy products, grain breads, nuts, dried fruits.

Before bed, cottage cheese or special “slow” protein – casein.

The most frequently asked questions from runners: what to drink while running? can you drink while running?

You can and even need to drink! At a minimum, there should be a lot of water, and preferably a lot special drink with electrolytes. During exercise, body temperature rises and sweating increases, which leads to a decrease in the volume of circulating blood and an increase in its viscosity. Due to viscous blood, the load on the heart increases, blood circulation is impaired, the brain experiences “starvation”, fainting and more serious problems are possible. 30 ml. water per 1 kilogram of weight per day is the best way to prevent low blood pressure and other consequences of lack of water in the body.

If workouts are long and frequent, then fluid consumption increases. Yes, and it is better to replace water with special sports drink, containing carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Fortunately, their selection is huge.

Do not forget that with age the desire to drink water decreases, but the need for water remains the same.

Keep a food diary

As you progress as a runner, learn to observe which diet is best for you. Pay attention to how your body reacts to the food you eat before, after and during exercise. Your diet will largely depend on the time when you train: in the morning or evening.