It’s easy to think of the human body as a machine, just like a car. Put the right amount of fuel in and you’ll get the right amount of energy out, right? Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that. While we all know that fuelling before – and after – a run is important, your diet still needs to include the right mix of nutrients for your individual needs and you need take these in at the right time and in the right proportions.
Getting your nutrition right will help to improve not only your running performance, but also your overall wellbeing. Eating healthily is a big advantage for runners – and when you time your intake correctly, you’ll g of chicken, bolster your bone health and support your immune system.
What are the best foods for runners?
We’re not just going to give you a list of good and bad things for you to buy or reject. Everybody’s needs are different and getting hung up on the specifics could lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. Instead, here is some broader information about the different food groups that should inform and empower you to make beneficial choices in the supermarket.
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What you need to know about carbohydrates
It takes around 500g of carbohydrate to fill your glycogen stores – and this will keep you going for around 60-90 minutes of running.
Fad diets often consider carbohydrates do be the enemy. However, the reality is that carbohydrates are a runner's best friend – we need plenty of them if we’re going to have enough energy to repeatedly put one foot in front of the other. Scientifically speaking, our body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which it then grabs from the bloodstream to use as our main energy source.
Carbohydrates are also stored in our liver and muscles as glycogen, which the body then uses as another source of quick energy once glucose stores run low. That said, anyone who does long runs How to spot the symptoms of dehydration marathon will be painfully aware that these stores can run out as well. If we don’t fuel our muscles with enough carbohydrates before and A runner’s guide to dietary fibre, we’ll get tired, see a decline in our running performance and even ‘hit the wall’. A runner’s guide to fuelling for a marathon.
It takes around 500g of carbohydrate to fill your glycogen stores. At most, this will keep you going for 60-90 minutes of running at around 55-75% of your maximum heart rate. The faster you run, the quicker your glycogen stores will deplete – and if you run on most days, be mindful that your glycogen stores are always slightly depleted.
With that in mind, you need to consider your carbohydrate intake based on how much running you are doing. Going out more often, or harder, or for longer periods, will all require you to consume more carbohydrates.
Hungry hormones
Our eating habits and exercise habits can affect a key hormone called ghrelin – our so-called ‘hunger hormone’ – which is mostly produced in the stomach. Our levels of ghrelin rise after we exercise or several hours after we eat a meal, telling us that we need to refuel. When ghrelin is high, levels of leptin – another hormone – are low. Both hormones will return to normal levels when our energy demands are met. However, if a runner continually fails to fuel properly after a training session, intentionally or unintentionally, leptin levels stay low. Chronically low levels of leptin encourage the body to preserve energy, which means that you burn fewer calories and store more fat.
So, in simplified terms, while runners may think that running will help them to lose weight, the reverse can happen. This explains why some runners, even when they restrict calorie intake or increase training, still don’t achieve the body composition and weight goals that they would expect.
How much fuel do you need for a run?
For runs lasting longer than 60 minutes, aim to consume 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour for the first three hours.
Running and nutrition: Your questions answered deliberately fasted or carbohydrate-depleted state, owing to poor fuelling in the hours or even day beforehand. More issues arise when runners do not feel hungry immediately after a session, as they’ll fail to refuel properly and, as a result, compromise their recovery and training adaptation.
Both situations can negatively impact hormonal regulation and even have long-term consequences on your running performance and overall health. A compromised immune systems, maintain your hormonal balance.
You can almost certainly manage an hour of running without needing to bring any food with you. After that, it is generally thought that people should take on 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour of running, for the first three hours. After that, the quantity should increase to 60-90g of carbohydrate per hour. Lots of people choose easily digestible sports products such as energy drinks, gels or bars, but you may find that you prefer ‘proper’ food like bananas, cereal bars and sweets. Ultrarunners often go for something akin to full meals, including salty boiled potatoes, instant noodles or pizza.
Tip for effective fuelling on the run
Make sure that you experiment with different types of fuel on long runs before a big race, because your body often needs time to get used to eating on the run. Gastric distress, such as runners’ trots, is not uncommon. Some who have been through this unpleasant experience might prefer to forget about fuelling altogether on long or hard runs, but it is more important to find a way to keep those carbohydrate stores operational. Hydrating properly – by drinking fluids that restore electrolytes – and eating small things more frequently can help. Changing your pace is beneficial, too.
Some runners, meanwhile, avoid fuelling A runner’s guide to dietary fibre because they want to ‘save’ their energy for later – but this disrupts the body’s performance and recovery. Instead, runners should be fuelling before, during and after their runs, especially since this also helps with satiety and appetite.
Mid-run fuel should be in the form of glucose and fructose. While the body can absorb around 60g of glucose and 30g of fructose per hour, some studies suggest that this 90g limit could be increased to 120g in some athletes who train their gut. (It’s worth noting that these studies have only involved small samples of men running at altitude.) Whatever you choose as your mid-run fuel, practice running with this until you have nailed what works for you and avoided the following mistakes…
- Fuelling too late into your run. To avoid this, start taking on nutrition within the first 30 minutes of your run, then top this up every 30-40 minutes after that.
- Taking gels too quickly. Take one gel over the space of 4-5 minutes – not all in one go – to aid absorption and tolerance.
- Becoming dehydrated and not replacing fluids and electrolytes – specifically, sodium.
Best practice for hydration
Talking of dehydration, runners should be particularly aware of their fluid intake. It is well documented that proper hydration is important during exercise and especially critical over longer training sessions and events. Along with maintaining good hydration levels, fluid intake during endurance running helps to regulate body temperature (thermoregulation) and ensure adequate plasma (blood) volume – both of which have a direct impact on running performance. Dehydration causes your core body temperature to rise, which in turn decreases plasma volume, increases your heart rate and accelerates fatigue.
Just a 1% reduction in bodyweight through fluid loss can bring about these negative physiological effects. What’s more, dehydration can markedly affect cognitive function, compromising your ability to think clearly and make good decisions.
How much salt do runners need?
Most electrolyte tablets, salt capsules or sports drinks provide 250-300mg of sodium.
Most runners will produce between 400ml and 2,400ml of sweat per hour of exercise. The average is around 1,200ml per hour, although this varies depending on factors like your age, sex and weight, as well as the intensity of your training and the temperature. While you lose mostly water through sweat, you also lose electrolytes – mainly sodium.
The sodium content of sweat can be anything from 115mg to more than 2,000mg per 1,000ml. Most electrolyte tablets, salt capsules or sports drinks provide 250-300mg of sodium. If you are diluting your electrolytes into 750ml of fluid, this will mean that you’ll have to consume around 2,250ml of fluid per hour to meet your sodium requirements in longer races, which is hard from a consumption and transportation point of view. A runner who is a ‘salty sweater’ may lose even more sodium than the recommended intake.
So, it’s little wonder that many runners complain of symptoms associated with low sodium intake and dehydration, such as gastrointestinal distress, nausea, bloating, fatigue, impaired concentration and dizziness. In fact, the biggest cause of mid-run stomach issues is related to sodium imbalance – not sports nutrition gels or bars. If you are dehydrated and consuming glucose, it becomes highly concentrated in the gut. This is because blood is being directed away from the stomach to the working muscles, so the gut cannot absorb the glucose quickly enough, resulting in stomach upsets.
Runners should take on 700-900mg of sodium per hour during longer training runs and races. This can be a mix of salt tablets, electrolytes, energy drinks Nutrition tips for runners with chronic illnesses.
or has been past mile 20 in a before big training sessions and races, too. As such, runners should start drinking electrolytes in the 24 hours before race day to help prevent the issues outlined above.
Which fats are right for runners?
Opt for good fats – from foods such as peanut butter and oily fish – over saturated varieties.
Not all fat is bad for you. You need some fat in your diet to help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and to provide essential fatty acids that the body can’t produce itself. These nutrients are important for recovery and immune health and to prevent inflammation and fatigue – so fat should be an integral part of your runner’s diet.
That said, not all fats are good. Eating too much saturated fat can raise your body’s harmful cholesterol levels, which increases your risk of heart disease. Sources include pies, cakes and biscuits and fatty cuts of meat like sausages and bacon. Saturated fat also encompasses trans fat, which is often found in processed foods. To up your intake of the good stuff, aim to include the following in your diet:
- Oily fish, such omega-3-rich salmon and mackerel
- Nuts and seeds, including their oils and butters
- maintain your hormonal balance
- Avocados
Although runners should choose good fats over saturated varieties, these fats still have a high energy value and should be eaten with that caveat in mind. It’s also worth noting that high-fat foods slow digestion, so they should be avoided as an immediate pre-run fuel source.
The importance of protein for runners
unusual foods that can prevent muscle cramp.
Protein is a very popular thing in the sports and fitness industry. It can seem like half the products in the supermarket now come with extra protein included – and yes, it is an important macronutrient for runners. However, it’s more valuable when consumed after a run, for recovery, than it is as a source of fuel before starting exercise.
Numerous scientific studies detail the importance of protein in the recovery phase. During endurance sports, team sports and also resistance training, protein breaks down more quickly in the muscles. Taking in a large quantity of protein straight afterward is best for recovery, but a spread of protein-rich foods throughout your daily diet will help to prevent an imbalance. Runners and active people should consume 0.4g of protein per kilogram of body weight four to six times a day, depending on their training load.
On a molecular level, protein consists of combinations of structures called amino acids. There are 20 amino acids that together form the building blocks of the body, combining in various sequences to make muscles, bones, tendons, skin, hair and other tissues. Amino acids also transport nutrients and produce enzymes, among other functions.
Eight of the 20 amino acids are essential and must come from your diet. These are found as a complete source – where all essential amino acids are present – in animal proteins, such as dairy, meat, fish and eggs. They are found as an incomplete source – where one or more of the essential amino acids are lacking – in plant-based proteins, such as vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes. If, however, these incomplete sources are combined in the correct way, you can make a complete source of protein. Some good combinations include baked beans on toast, rice and dhal, or a whole grain bagel with peanut butter.
Sunflower and olive oils:
- 4 medium-sized eggs
- 100g of chicken
- 100The benefits of the Mediterranean diet
- 300g of tofu
- 250g of Greek yoghurt
- 150g of chickpeas
What are the key micronutrients for runners?
Along with macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat), micronutrients are vital for many metabolic processes – and you'll need to get them from your diet. These include:
- Vitamins: A, B, C, D, E, K
- Minerals: Calcium, iron and phosphorus
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Electrolytes: Best wireless headphones
- Trace elements: energy gel alternatives for runners
Most micronutrients function as co-enzymes or co-factors – that is, they aid enzymes and proteins in their function. For example, the B vitamins are needed for carbohydrate and fat metabolism, while vitamin C, along with zinc, is important for a healthy immune system. Magnesium and calcium, meanwhile, are vital for good muscle contraction. You need all of this ‘small stuff’ in your diet to stay healthy and run at your best.
Should runners take supplements?
The research is inconclusive as to whether runners need more minerals and vitamins in their diet. Some studies show that runners have a greater requirement for supplements because their muscles are more damaged by free radicals, which accumulate in response to exercise. (Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, can also produce an excess of free radicals in the muscles.)
When it comes to important nutrients, iron is high on the list for runners. Red meat and eggs are your best sources of iron, as plant-based options – such as green, leafy vegetables, pulses, whole grains and fortified cereals – are harder to absorb than animal products and must be taken with vitamin C to enhance absorption. Dairy is also your best source of bone-essential calcium and phosphorus, although soya products and oily fish lsquo;hit the wall&rsquo.
In addition, though you may not spend much time thinking about iodine, metabolic problems can arise from a lack of this substance. The rise in popularity of plant-based milks, which don’t contain any iodine, can be a factor here. Vegan and vegetarian runners should also make sure that they’re taking on enough iron and vitamin B12, both of which are harder to come by when you exclude meat from your diet.
No matter who you are or what your preferences, the quality of your diet as a runner is crucial. As an active person, you should be naturally taking in more food to fuel your running – and so long as you consume a balanced, nutritious diet that includes whole grains, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy, if possible, you should have no problem in getting all that you need.
