These nutritional tips will help you run better!
What is the best diet for runners? How do you organize your meals according to your running outings? Discover in this article all our nutritional tips to increase your running performance!
Nutrition for Runners: The Basics
A good "THE" diet does not exist. This depends on the hostility and its goals. But one thing is for sure: Eating better makes you run faster. So follow some ground rules based on a balanced diet and solid knowledge of how metabolism, performance and recovery work.
Speaking of recovery, it is very important to make sure that your body has enough time to recover and proper nutrition to perform better while running. Our Recovery Acids are specifically designed to make sure you help your body regenerate. Try them to get the most out of your workout!
The basic rules are as follows:
Tip #1: Eat enough
Endurance athletes need energy. Specifically, long endurance races, resistance races, or interval training consume a large number of calories. If running is your main sport, your diet should be high in carbohydrates.
To give you an idea, the macronutrient distribution in runners should look like this:
55-60% carbohydrates
25-30% protein
15 to 20% fat.
Of course, these values may vary. On rest days, it is very important to eat less carbohydrates and more protein in order to promote the maintenance and development of muscle mass. Our six tips for what to eat on your days off will give you some ideas for your days off.
To cover your energy needs, you need to know what you're really burning. To do this, add the basal metabolism, energy expenditure and calories burned during a sports session.
Calorie Calculator helps you determine your calorie needs, regardless of your running training. You can measure your additional needs with a connected watch or fitness tracker during each of your sessions.
Second tip: Eat the right foods
You also need to meet your micronutrient needs. These are essential for all body functions and affect your performance on the one hand and your ability to recover on the other.
When you sweat, you excrete minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, sodium, and B vitamins, among others. This is especially the case when you're training for a marathon, often running long distances, or in the heat.
When it comes to micronutrients, remember this: there's no need to consume too much. Blindly taking nutritional supplements can nullify the positive effect of targeted nutritional supplements. When micronutrients interact with each other, it is important to consume them in the right proportions. If you have too much calcium, your body will have more difficulty absorbing iron.
So always pay attention to nutrient reference values, avoid overdosing supplements, and supplement yourself in a targeted manner before, during or after performance and with your doctor's approval.
Your health always depends on a balanced diet consisting of complex carbohydrates, many sources of high-quality plant-based protein, healthy fats, and an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
Tip #3: Stay hydrated
Although it contains no calories, water is a food. In addition to drinking the 1.5 to 2 liters recommended by the Ministry of Health per day, you must also replace the water you lost during the exercise session.
Depending on how much you sweat, this can represent between 0.5 and 1 liter of water per hour. You can drink it after a run, or even on hot days. During aerobic exercise, the body can swallow about one liter of water per hour. And for sessions that exceed the anaerobic threshold, this value drops to about 0.7 liters.
If you're a little dehydrated while running, your performance drops quickly. It can also happen to amateur runners during the first 60 minutes of running.
If you are hydrating yourself during the session, it is best to drink approx. 100 to 250 ml per hour and swallowed in small sips to avoid dehydration in the first place. And if you've been drinking before, pay attention to the timing. To avoid unplanned stops and the inconvenience of a full stomach, stop drinking half an hour before the race.
Tip: Drinking a lot of water is also not good, because if its mineral content is too low, your body will lose more electrolytes. And in the worst case, it can lead to water intoxication. It is precisely when one travels great distances and this results in intense efforts that it makes sense to consume isotonic drinks.
They are designed to meet the needs of athletes, and generally contain various carbohydrates, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium to help you fuel up and minerals while racing.
Should you eat before or after running?
Monday ! It's all about timing. Before the race, it is best to avoid large meals that are difficult to digest. They will only stick to your stomach and eventually cause stomach pain, side stitches, and discomfort.
But without power, it doesn't do well either. Eating a small snack or, exceptionally, drinking fruit juice 30 to 60 minutes before you go for a run can be beneficial.
An energy-rich snack will allow you to train with greater intensity. This is the key to success in any sport.
It is important to understand that it is not enough to eat well during the hours before and after the performance. In fact, when you follow a training program or combine running and strength exercises, every meal counts.
So be sure to fill your glycogen stores with complex carbohydrates, combine protein sources with different amino acid profiles, and consume healthy fats. If you run in the morning, it's a good idea to eat a carbohydrate-rich meal the night before. If your outings are in the middle of the day or evening, make sure, at the time of training, that you have digested your meal without feeling hungry.
Eat before the race
So far, so good. Below we show you with examples of what you can eat before you go for a run, and when and when before you run it is better not to eat anything.
Here, too, everything depends on each person. Monitor the effects of different foods on your performance and well-being. This will allow you to gradually come up with the optimal eating strategy. And it will come in handy when you want to participate in competitions.
What should you eat before the race?
Anything you can digest easily. It may not be the same depending on the person. From a nutritional point of view, this means above all: easy-to-digest carbohydrates and as little fiber as possible. You are also entitled to eat some digestible protein and healthy fats, but only in small amounts.
Examples of perfect pre-race snacks
A banana, perhaps accompanied by a few mashed almonds, cashews or peanut butter
dried fruit
Nuts and berries
Toast with honey or jam (even with white flour before intense running)
nutritious pieces
When should you eat before a race?
The last big meal should be eaten two to three hours before the race. But this duration also depends on your own digestion. How do you tolerate the meal you eat? How long does it stay in your stomach?
While some runners can easily eat a bowl of pasta a couple of hours before the race, others need half a day to digest it. Find out what works best for you by carefully monitoring how you feel after eating different foods. What foods, dishes, and time intervals between your meal and running affect your health and performance?
If you feel hungry before your session, eat an easy-to-digest snack 30 to 60 minutes before you start. Among the ideal snacks to have shortly before a race are bananas, dates or energy bars in particular.
Is it wise to run on an empty stomach?
Training on an empty stomach is a fat burner. This is only true if you are running at a very low pace in the recovery zone or baseline endurance zone 1.
Good to know: Burning fat doesn't automatically make you skinny. To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. If you are not currently running for more than 30 to 60 minutes, interval training with a post-burn effect consumes more calories overall than running on an empty stomach and at a slow pace.
If you train on an empty stomach, your body will not have its preferred energy resource, ie carbohydrates. So it will depend on proteins and fats. And if you train hard, it may contribute to the breakdown of your muscles. But if you train in moderation, your body can learn to use fatty acids more efficiently as an energy resource. This is especially interesting when you are planning to run an eventual marathon.
Do you want to test the race on an empty stomach? So take it easy! Blood sugar is low in the morning. With this effort, you can easily get dizzy or be less efficient. When your stomach is empty, train calmly and don't try to get over yourself.
Eating while running
If you are going to run 60 to 90 minutes at a comfortable pace and have consumed carbohydrates the day before, you do not need to eat during the session. Runners who plan long sessions or heavy interval training should recharge their batteries along the way to avoid decreased performance or circulation problems.
Avoid eating when hungry, but rather eat regularly throughout the race. The same goes for drinks. Thus, you will maintain your energy reserves and fluid balance in your body. You are also likely to be able to run faster and longer. Here's an already tested formula: Eat small portions of 15-30g of carbohydrates every 30 minutes. Calculate when you want to run to take the right amount of an isotonic drink or snack with you.
During the race and especially during the competition, apply the following slogan: "Don't consume what you don't know." During especially intense exertion, the stomach doesn't support everything and it's best to stay on your basics.
What do we eat after the race?
Within 30 minutes of running, the stomach is usually not yet ready for a hearty meal. Drinks and liquid foods are easier to digest for many runners. In addition, their nutrients are more readily available.
But here, too, there is no such thing as a good "universal" diet. It is up to you to find what your body tolerates best.
Examples of perfect post-race snacks:
banana
dates
Smoothie with a portion of protein
vegan protein + banana
Protein rice pudding with cinnamon and fruit
Isotonic drinks
Non-alcoholic beer
Sparkling water cuts fruit juice with a pinch of salt
One to two hours after the race, you can eat a meal that is rich in essential nutrients and contains a good proportion of carbohydrates and proteins. The ideal basic foods to eat as part of a balanced meal are:
Whole grains, such as pasta or bread
Oatmeal flakes
False grains like quinoa or amaranth
Legumes such as chickpeas or lentils
fresh vegetables
fresh fruit
Yogurt and white cheese
A handful of pumpkin seeds, almonds, or cashews will not only supply you with healthy fats, but also provide an extra portion of magnesium, which helps your muscles function properly.
The sooner the better. As with any other sport, post-workout nutrition is the first step in recovery. It's tempting to jump straight into the bathroom once the session is over. But unless Speedy Gonzalez is in the bathroom, it's best to eat or drink a serving of carbs first. In the first 30 minutes after a run, your body uses carbohydrates especially efficiently to fill up its glycogen stores.
After 1-2 hours, you will be able to eat a balanced meal that will allow you to enhance the healing process. Determining which foods are best suited for this purpose also depends on the training time. Breakfast, lunch or dinner that fills you up without overburdening your digestion, this is the best thing.
These days, make sure you eat as healthy as possible throughout the day and include complex carbohydrates and protein in every meal.
Running Nutrition: Eating During Competition
On D-Day, you don't try any new food. Already in the training phase, try to determine how long you should not eat anything before the race and which breakfast will enhance your performance.
In the last two or three days before the competition, follow a diet rich in carbohydrates and low in fiber. Instead of eating whole pasta or juices, you are exceptionally entitled to white pasta and pressed fruit juices. So when you hit the start, your glycogen stores will be full and your stomach will feel light.
During the competition, follow the food and drink strategy you've tried and tested in training. After that effort, the beer that awaits you is not only a well-deserved reward and refreshment, but it is also the first step in your recovery.
Again, there is no one right diet that applies to all runners. While training, experiment with different foods, meals, and times to find the best combination of nutrition and running.
Running Nutrition: Our Conclusion
When designing a suitable running diet, individual factors should always be considered, both in terms of meal composition and timing.
Runners must be careful to cover their energy, protein and carbohydrate needs.
Whole foods rich in nutrients and minerals are the foundation of a good diet.
In addition to individual health factors, a training goal also determines meal times and food intake, whether before, during or after a performance.