Nutrition is an important part of running. Scratch that. It's an important part of healthy living. But when you run all the time, or even if you exercise regularly some other way, it's crucial that you are giving your body the proper fuel it needs to keep going.
Hydration is key! Water water water. Carry a reusable bottle around with you all day- you'll find yourself mindlessly sipping at it. And that's great! You need to keep your body hydrated so when it's time for that workout you don't get awful cotton mouth or worse, pass out. But you need more than just water. Start stocking up on sports drinks, like Gatorade and Powerade. They're packed with sugars and vitamins to replenish what you sweated out during your workout. They're also full of electrolytes, which again is something you lose when you sweat so you need to take in more. There are awesome flavors, so you can never complain that you don't like them! I always keep a bunch in my fridge, and I highly recommend you do the same. Stock up when they go on sale!
When you're eating, make sure you don't skimp out on calories! Carbs carbs carbs!! Load up on those carbohydrates; your body needs them as fuel to burn off during your run or workout. So eat lots of pasta and bread. Pasta dinners before a race is always a good idea; in fact, it became a big social for my cross country team in high school! Other good carbs are potatoes, bagels, bananas, cereal, and apples. Your body also needs a lot of protein to repair your muscle tissue after a run. So for protein, you're going to want to get plenty of peanut butter, lean beef, chicken, yogurt, and nuts. Always feed your body after a run to replenish everything you've lost and to help the recovery process!
So here's what I want to know: what are your favorite things to eat/drink before and after a workout? Do you consume anything specifically because of your workout, or do you tend to eat as you normally would?
I'm really terrible and don't eat anything before I work out. In my defense, I eat little meals all day long, so I always feel full enough. I do drink about twelve glasses of water a day, so before I work out I'm always hydrated. Afterwards, I tend to eat a protein bar and drink more water.
ReplyDeleteHey Katie,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your blog! I just signed up for my first 5K in April and I'm pretty stoked about it. The information you've been providing is definitely helpful in my preparation for the race.
Anyway, to respond to your question, I too am not too great with making sure I eat the proper food before and after my workouts. Right now, I am just focusing on making sure I get my workouts in several days per week. But I do want to make sure I'm paying attention to proper nutrition. Like the previous comment, I at least have the hydration part down: I drink a ton of water daily and make sure I bring my water bottle with me to the gym when I work out. But there's always room for improvement!
Thanks again for your tips.
My favorite things to drink and eat are water and hard boiled eggs. The protein keeps me going and the water is pretty much self explanatory. They only thing that I have to remember is to keep my water at room temperature. Ice water tends to give me heartburn post workout.
ReplyDeleteI usually drink LOTS of water. Staying hydrated is one of the keys to a successful workout. If I don't drink enough water, I can feel my body getting tired.
ReplyDeleteI like to eat something healthy after my workout. My favorite thing to eat is a bowl of mixed fruit, such as strawberries and blueberries. Fruit tastes good and it's good for my body. :) Yogurt is always good too!
I've actually been looking into proper hydration a lot lately. I was somewhat shocked to find that the ideal amount per day is half your body weight in ounces (ie: 160 pound male need 80oz minimum per day). The crazy part is that is for people who are inactive and do not consume any type of caffeine. Any type of exercise or caffeine use makes that number go up much higher. A startling statistic I read was that if your body is even 1% dehydrated it decreases your performance by 10%. I think you've hit an important note by mentioning Gatorade. Without the electrolytes and sodium Gatorade contains, our bodies are not capable of retaining the water we consume and we end up wasting a lot of that precious H2O with tons of trips to the bathroom. Great post, look forward to hearing more soon!
ReplyDelete