Nutrition and Training
Eating Like a Champion.
Everyone has to eat, and
runners are no exception. Some of us, especially those with the goal of
weight loss, assume that a runner’s diet
is one of abstinence or composed entirely of mountains of pasta. Not so.
Portion control and carbohydrates are part of the equation, but the human
body is a complex machine requiring all kinds of nutrients, and your coach
here at RUNNER’S WORLD is back to help you eat right to keep your
body in top form, on and off the course.
Take Control
One of the most important and challenging aspects of a runner’s diet
is taking control. In many cases, that means getting better acquainted
with your kitchen. Lunches are particularly challenging, because the food
choices at and near your workplace are usually among the least healthy available.
So brown-bag it! A simple sandwich with some fruit and a low-fat side is
fairly easy to prepare, and a money-saving alternative to even the cheapest
fast food restaurant. Preparing your own food puts you back in the driver’s
seat, because you determine the ingredients and control the portions.
Speaking of portions, being a health conscious runner does not necessarily mean consuming fewer calories, and in some cases, it means consuming more. Just make sure they’re the right ones. If you’re training for a marathon, rapid weight loss can reduce muscle mass as well as fat stores, and impede your performance.
5 Principles for Consuming Carbs
1. Make carbohydrate-packed
foods the mainstay of every meal. When you run, your body burns carbohydrates
more efficiently than fats or proteins. That’s why marathoners carbo-load
on pasta the night before a big race. Carbs should make up 55 to 65% of
your total calories.
2. Eat whole-grain cereal products—wheat, rice, oatmeal, bread, bagels—to anchor each meal. These calorie-dense carbohydrate foods also contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
3. Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables as well. They don’t provide as many calories as the cereal grains, but they are an unequaled source of vitamins, minerals, and extremely healthful phytochemicals. Keep the skin on to preserve the fiber content, which helps ease the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream, providing you with a steady flow of energy.
4. Avoid empty carbohydrates, such as the ever-present snack foods that contain excessive amounts of sugar and fat. When you have a sudden craving, select fruit or a bagel instead. Nuts, such as almonds, peanuts, and soy nuts, are another excellent option, and provide more energy per bite than almost any other food on earth.
5. If you can, consider grazing every two to three hours throughout the day rather than eating several large meals. At each mini-meal, eat some fruits, vegetables, or a low-fat protein food.
Don’t Forget Protein
New studies suggest that
reasonable portions of protein-rich foods, when eaten in tandem with carbs,
may enhance performance and speed up recovery times by helping you refill
your precious glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue damaged during tough
workouts. But don’t pick up that double
cheeseburger just yet! There are plenty of high-protein foods that are also
low in fat and cholesterol. Fish is a prime example, and salmon in particular
has long been a prime choice for athletes both for its protein content and
its high concentration of Omega 3 oil. For more details on what a balanced
meal might look like during your training period, see the sample menu I’ve
prepared below.
This day’s worth of eating includes 300 grams of carbs. Less than 30% of the 2,800 calories here are from fat. To graze, think about splitting your portions from lunch or dinner or consuming some of the side items at a later time.
Breakfast
4 whole-grain pancakes (with 2 teaspoons margarine and 2 tablespoons syrup)
¾ cup fresh sliced kiwifruit and strawberries with ¼ cup nonfat
vanilla yogurt
8 ounces nonfat milk
Lunch
Chicken sandwich made with 2 ounces roasted chicken breast, 2 tablespoons
pesto spread, 2 slices fresh tomato, 2 tablespoons bean sprouts, 2 slices
whole-wheat bread
¾ cup bean and cucumber salad (with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette dressing)
1 banana
2 oatmeal cookies
8 ounces iced tea
Snack
1 whole-wheat pita pocket with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 3 tablespoons
raisins
8 ounces orange-cranberry juice mixed with sparkling mineral water
Dinner
4 ounces grilled salmon (brushed with 1 tablespoon ginger-canola oil marinade)
½ cup fresh corn and black bean salsa
1 cup cooked black beans topped with plain low-fat yogurt
1 ½ cups mixed greens salad (with 2 teaspoons olive oil and vinegar
dressing)
1 cup peach frozen low-fat yogurt sprinkled with chopped nuts
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