Running Nutrition Guide for Endurance Athletes

Running is one sport that places a great degree of stress on your joints and muscles. Runners need to support their body and muscular system in order to stay in shape all year round. If they don’t have the right nutrition plan in place, they are likely to perform below their best and increase the risk of injury. However, with the correct nutrition, runners can improve performances, recover more quickly, reduce their risk of injury and feel much healthier.

Nutrition for runners

Running nutrition is an important aspect of performance improvement. Runners need to get enough fibre from their diet as this helps with digestion and elimination. The best foods to eat include fruits and vegetables, unprocessed brown rice and whole grain pasta, cereals, and breads. If you can’t get the recommended 20 to 25 grams a day, consider taking a fibre supplement which come in capsules, tablets, and powders to mix with liquid.

Vegetarian runners

Many runners are vegetarians. This is not an issue as long as you are able to take enough protein from your diet. Protein is very important for a strong body and in order to aid your recovery.

If you are a vegetarian, you should strongly consider using a good protein supplement. While it is true that many vegetarian friendly foods contain protein, they usually do not contain all of the nine essential amino acids that your body cannot produce. These are usually found in animal products. So, as a vegetarian, make sure you find a way to get these essential amino acids into your diet.

Eat fruits every day, and many times during the day. Fruits contain many essential vitamins and antioxidants, which can help you with a good energy boost. Eat a variety of fruits like oranges, apples, and berries to supplement your diet. A good mixture of fruits is usually advised because it covers a broader spectrum of antioxidants and vitamins. They also help to keep you feeling light but full up.

Multivitamins and minerals

Multivitamins and minerals are very important, and runners should supplement their daily diet with the essential vitamins and minerals each day. However, don’t substitute multivitamins for food. A multivitamin is supposed to act as a supplement to your diet, not a replacement. You need whole foods in order to get optimum nutrition. Supplement your food intake with a generous portion of vitamin C each day. Oranges and many other types of citrus fruit contain vitamin C, which helps your immune system fight off disease and energizes your mind and body. If you cannot eat enough
citrus or if your stomach reacts against citrus acid, there are plenty of sports supplements and vitamins on the market to help you get the right levels of this nutrient in to your diet.

Protein for runners

Runners should try to eat protein on a daily basis. The human body only stores small amounts of protein, so it has to be replenished each day.

The average daily intake of protein is said to be around 45 grams for a woman, and 55 grams for a man, but runners will usually need more than this. You could consider using a whey protein powder after each running session as you will recover much more quickly and it will help to reduce any soreness. While people tend to associate protein with meat, it is also found in eggs, dairy, nuts and legumes.

Wikipedia: Running

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