Running Fuel
By Verity Wright @
www.runverity.com
Running is a great way to burn calories and lose weight but at times it can be difficult to find a balance between satisfying your hunger due to an increase in activity and eating enough to keep you fueled. You may start thinking that because you have run you can eat what you want, or you may be so keen to lose weight that you don’t eat enough to keep you going.
If you skip meals or don’t eat enough of the right food before you run, you may feel like you are running through treacle and your legs become like lead; lack of fuel prior to running can cause mental tiredness as well as physical tiredness which can make the difference between a great run and a bad one.
The area of sports nutrition is huge and quite complex so here are some very basic tips for getting your food intake right now that you are a runner.
As a runner your body needs carbohydrates (carbs) and these are stored as energy in the muscles and liver as glycogen. They are then quickly and efficiently released when you are running.
You
also need good fats and protein. Fats are also an essential source of fuel and these are released more slowly, and protein is essential as this helps repair the muscles after running. That’s all the basic food groups sorted and to make sure that your body works more efficiently you need to drink plenty of water to store the glycogen (energy) in the muscles until you need it. If you don’t drink enough water throughout the day again you may struggle when you run.
The following foods which are classed as carbs are rich in nutrients and should form the base of your diet: • Wholemeal breads, cereals and wholegrains (e.g. oats, pasta and rice),
60
• •
• Fruit
Starchy vegetables (e.g. potato, butternut squash)
Legumes (e.g. lentils, beans, peas and peanuts)
Nutrient poor carbs Foods and fluids that contain carbohydrate but minimal or no other nutrients.
All sugars (e.g.
dextrose, sucrose, honey) soft drinks, energy drinks, sweets, carb gels, sports drinks and cordials and any type of white bread. These shouldn’t be a major part of your everyday diet.
High-fat carbs Foods that contain carbs as well as being high in fat. Pastries, chips, cakes, chocolate and crisps. These can be occasional foods but are best not consumed before running.
My advice is not to reward yourself with “treats” after every run, yes you are burning calories but not as many as you think; optimise how much nutrition you have in one day, make sure you have foods that are high in nutrients like fruit, nuts, porridge, whole meal pitta, hummus, cooked meats and vary what you eat day by day. You could have stewed fruit for breakfast with some Greek yoghurt and a bit of honey or black pudding or ham and eggs. Try to have porridge or a smoothie for breakfast as this will release energy slowly and snack on fruit and nuts, banana nut butter sandwiches and try to cut down on your sugar content in your food.
Try different things and see what works for you, keep a food diary but don’t become too hard on yourself if you don’t get it right all the time. Eat at least 2 hours before you run but if you are really hungry have a banana to keep you going.
about balance so a treat like the odd piece of cake or a burger at the weekend won’t do you any harm.
To advertise in thewire t. 07720 429 613 e.
fiona@thewireweb.co.uk
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