What foods do runners eat for breakfast? Sports nutrition for runners – is it necessary? Training and nutrition for middle distance runners

Running is a democratic sport not only in terms of equipment - put on your running shoes and run - but also in terms of nutritional requirements. However, without some sports supplements, it is more difficult for a runner to perform well.

Sports nutrition is absorbed by the body more easily than the same substances from regular food, which means we recover faster. In addition, it can be difficult to include the full range of essential microelements in your daily diet.

We recommend that before taking sports supplements, consult a nutritionist and do a complete blood test to determine the content of microelements and vitamins in the body. This will help balance your diet and meet the needs that the body really needs.

Please note: Contraindications for taking sports supplements are allergies, gastrointestinal diseases, metabolic disorders, diabetes, chronic heart, kidney and liver diseases.

Every day

Protein or protein needed for building muscle tissue and strong immunity. In the case of runners, it is mainly relevant for vegetarians, because meat eaters get it in sufficient quantities from their food. Runners need 1-1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. During intense training, it is worth increasing to 2 grams per day.

Omega-3 has a wide range of positive properties: accelerating metabolism, improving lipolysis, suppressing catabolism, reducing inflammation in joints and ligaments, etc. We can say that omega-3 improves the general condition of the body. Nutritionists recommend consuming 1 gram of omega-3 per day.

Vitamin and mineral complexes. The balance of vitamins and minerals greatly influence the biochemical processes in the body and muscle tone, so without enough of them you will be tired, drowsy and simply cannot train. They can be obtained from food, but for this you need to constantly monitor the balance of your diet. In addition, the quality of the same vegetables is not always in order - growing for several years in a row on the same soil, hydroponics and artificially accelerating growth leads to the fact that the vegetables do not have enough microelements. The most balanced and popular sports vitamin complexes: Opti-Men from Optimum Nutrition and Animal Pak from Universal Nutrition.

Amino acid complexes- these are the elements into which protein breaks down during digestion. They are necessary for the body to recover faster after physical activity.

Amino acids help in the production of important hormones, antibodies and enzymes, accelerate protein synthesis, suppress catabolism and burn fat. By taking amino acids, we do some of the work of processing food instead of the body, so recovery is less energy-intensive than when we eat meat.

Typically, amino acids are taken by runners who do a large amount of work (accelerations, long workouts, running uphill), when they feel that their muscles are overloaded and it is difficult to lift their legs after training.

Complex amino acids are produced in the form of capsules, tablets and caplets. They are usually recommended to take 2-3 capsules 2 or 3 times a day.

In training

Isotonics consist of water, carbohydrates and some electrolytes (two salts or more). They help quickly restore the balance of minerals in the body, which are responsible for transmitting nerve impulses to cells.

There are three main reasons to drink isotonic drinks: 1) loss of water by just 2% relative to the normal state leads to a 20% decrease in productivity; 2) with sweat, a lot of electrolytes are released, which are involved in the conduction of nerve impulses; without them, muscles can cramp and they can contract worse; 3) loss of water makes the blood thicker and makes it harder for the heart to work.

You should drink isotonic water in small portions from the very beginning of your workout until your thirst is completely quenched after it. Depending on the weather and individual characteristics, athletes alternate the concentration of drinks from hypotonic to hypertonic (more or less carbohydrates and electrolytes). Concentration is selected individually based on personal experience.

Isotonics are sold in liquid form, ready-to-drink, in the form of powder and liquid concentrate. There are also salt tablets, which are similar in composition to isotonic in everything except water - they need to be washed down. In the Running Laboratory you can buy isotonics: SIS, Powerup, Multipower, Arena, Saltstick (salt tablets).

At the competition

BCAA- these are three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine, which usually prevail in the muscle composition by 35%, therefore the athlete’s body’s need for these amino acids is higher than for others. BCAA is used to restore and increase endurance.

For prolonged physical activity during cyclic sports, the recommended dose is 3-5 grams - before or during training. BCAAs are especially important during multi-day races, when you need to recover overnight for the next competition day.

You can buy BCAA from Fit-RX at the Running Lab.

Glucose tablets- quickly digestible and fast-acting carbohydrates. A glucose tablet is enough for a short acceleration at the finish line or up a hill.

Energy gels, usually consist of fast and slower carbohydrates. They are needed so that the body can maintain fat metabolism, that is, obtain energy from fat over long distances.

For beginners whose glycogen reserves in the body are small, they are relevant when running for more than 40 minutes. Professional athletes increase their glycogen reserves through training and can run for up to two hours without burning fat. It’s very easy to determine when it’s time to eat the gel - when you’re tired and your legs can’t lift.

Runners usually don't eat gels during training. This is how the body understands that it needs a lot of energy and trains to accumulate more glycogen.

Gels come with different sugar compositions. For example, Sis gels contain carbohydrates faster than many others; they last for 30 minutes, but the effect is very noticeable. There are gels that last longer, but less intensely.

In addition to carbohydrates, gels may contain electrolytes, so the gel begins to function as an isotonic agent.

The gel sometimes also contains substances that tonic the nervous system: caffeine, guarana extract, etc. Such gels are taken when you need to wake up the nervous system, for example, when you start to want to sleep. You need to be careful with tonics in hot weather because they put additional stress on the heart. You should not use them every day, because the body gets used to it and the effectiveness is lost. In addition, caffeine has been added to the WADA shortlist and may soon become a doping drug.

In the Running Laboratory you can buy gels: SIS, Powerup, Multipower, Arena.

Energy bars This is a more balanced and long-lasting nutrition than gels; this also includes proteins. They are used by ultramarathoners, ultramarathon trail runners, cyclists and skiers.

Bars are a good way to snack when you've been running for longer than 6 hours and you're running out of gels. But still, they do not replace normal nutrition - you should not eat more than 2-3 bars a day.

The following bars can be purchased at the Running Lab: SIS and Powerup.

L-carnitine moves fatty acids into the mitochondria of our cells, where they are burned. L-carnitine is used for weight loss, it also increases endurance (by triggering fat metabolism) and maintains a healthy cardiovascular system. Runners use it at important long starts, or long special work to increase endurance.

The body quickly gets used to taking carnitine and stops producing this element on its own, so you shouldn’t take it often.

You can buy L-carnitine at the Running Laboratory: Multipower, it-RX.

Creatine Helps maintain ATP/ADP (energy) levels in cells. It short-term improves strength during training, helps increase the body's endurance, inhibits the release and effect of lactic acid, and helps muscles restore energy after exercise. Among runners, it is relevant mainly for sprinters.

Creatine is neutralized by caffeine, so taking them together does not make sense.

It is worth noting that not all athletes feel the effect when taking creatine. How much this drug affects performance can only be understood by trying it on yourself.

Summary

When you start training, notice that your body's need for nutrients increases. They can be obtained both from regular food and from sports supplements. In general, recreational runners do not need to take any sports nutrition regularly, but it can help balance their diet.

At important starts, nutrition depends on the length of the distance. During sprinting, creatine helps to increase strength for a short period of time. At medium and long distances, L-carnitine increases endurance, and gels prevent you from getting hungry. On an ultra-long run, the bars help you reach the end.

FOOD BEFORE A RUN As a general rule, try not to exercise on an empty stomach. Nutrients you need during and after training
her, during the recovery period. Rich food is not needed here, but by eating right, you can significantly increase the duration
and improve the quality of your classes.

Before your run, choose foods that are low in fiber and fat. If you don't feel like eating, drink a sports drink or smoothie,
containing 200–400 calories. Rich food is not needed here, but by eating right, you can significantly increase the duration and
improve the quality of your classes.

Have a snack two hours before your workout. Don't eat too much and choose foods low in fat and fiber. Give preference to proteins
carbohydrates and liquids. Also, eat only familiar foods. Don't experiment with new foods because you don't know how to react to them.
your body will react. We offer you the following pre-workout food and drink options.
“For most workouts, only a light snack is needed.

You can choose a full meal a few hours before or a lighter snack 30 minutes before class starts,” advises Berardi.

Choose what suits you best. A complete meal should include 1 or 2 servings of protein the size of
palm, 1 or 2 fist-sized servings of vegetables, 1 or 2 handfuls of carbohydrates, and 1 or 2 thumb-sized servings of fat.
For a light snack, choose something that is quickly digested, such as a smoothie. It is important to choose familiar products that do not cause you
stomach problems.

Bananas are an excellent source of nutrients and fast carbohydrates, as well as potassium. Carbohydrates supply your body with glucose, which
acts as fuel for training. Potassium helps support nervous system and muscle function. Eat a banana 0 minutes before
started training in order to make the training as effective as possible.

Oats are another excellent source of natural carbohydrates that are slowly absorbed by the body and provide energy throughout the day.
throughout your workout, so you can train longer. Eat a bowl of oatmeal with yogurt and berries at least 30 minutes before
start exercising to gain energy and train more effectively.

Whole grains are another great source of carbohydrates, and whole grain bread makes an excellent pre-workout staple.
Eat a couple of slices of whole grain bread with honey, jam, peanut butter or eggs 30-45 minutes before your workout.

Apples and peanut butter are an easy snack rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. It's fast and tasty
recharge for light to medium intensity workouts.

If you like coffee, don't add sugar and pour in more milk. In this case, coffee is a great pre-workout option. Milk
not only replenishes fluid loss, but also supplies your body with protein and carbohydrates, and coffee energizes you.

Sugar-free fruit smoothies made from natural ingredients with added protein -
Great pre-workout snack. To increase the protein content, add milk or yogurt.

For some people, running is about maintaining physical fitness, others do it purely professionally, and others, in turn, try to lose excess weight with the help of physical activity in order to be in better shape in the summer, to the envy of others. In any case, running only benefits the body, but only if you adhere to all nutritional rules.

If you don't eat the right amount of food, your body will become exhausted, and this is already very bad for your health. Therefore, the main goal of nutrition for runners is to maintain the required amount of energy substrates in the muscles. It doesn’t matter at all for what purpose the decision was made to start running. The main thing is to properly organize nutrition for classes.

First, let's look at nutrition for people who run to lose weight. The first rule is to not overeat before training. Food should be taken 2-2.5 hours before training. About half an hour before class, you can eat yogurt or fresh salad. After a run, it is also not recommended to binge on food. It is necessary to have a light snack an hour after finishing your run. The best choice would be stewed vegetables. The body absorbs them better than fresh ones. If you want to lose weight, then the calorie content in your daily diet should not exceed 1400 Kcal.

Jogging promotes muscle growth. For this, the human body needs proteins. As for simple carbohydrates, their amount must be minimized, since the body will consume them instead of fat. If we talk about complex carbohydrates, the best options would be greens, porridge or fruits.

When calculating your diet, you need to take into account that KBZHU (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates) must be multiplied by the desired weight, and not by the real one.

Now let's move on to looking at nutrition for those who simply like to keep their physical shape in good shape and want to eat right for greater training benefits.

Nutrition before running

Proper nutrition before running is 50% of success, because it is very important not to overeat before training, otherwise there will be a lot of heaviness in your stomach, which will not allow you to give even half your best. But you also can’t not eat, so a proper breakfast is the foundation of a good workout.

If you have extensive experience in running training, it is recommended to start training immediately after waking up. In this case, breakfast should consist of proteins that can be found in foods familiar to everyone or in sports nutrition. The ideal dose of protein in the first meal should not exceed an average of 0.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. Taking beta-alanine and arginine also has great benefits. Which affect blood circulation in the muscles and increase the level of fatigue.

If you are not a professional runner, then a protein breakfast combined with vitamins and minerals will be absolutely enough for a run, which will definitely only benefit the body. But still, the main driver of activity remains carbohydrates, which should be taken half an hour before training. Carbohydrates are essential for all types of runners, from weight loss joggers to professional runners.

It is worth considering the fact that simple carbohydrates will not give you the desired effect, but can easily cause harm to the body. Thus, you need to prepare a mixture of juice, food water and sweeteners. Alternatively, you can also eat foods that have rich carbohydrate reserves. These include:

• grapes (grape juice);
• sugar, citrus fruits, dried fruits, jam, honey;
• cream, kefir, milk;
• bread, pasta (from durum wheat);
• porridge: buckwheat, pearl barley, oatmeal.

But don’t forget about foods that are strictly prohibited in the pre-run diet. For example, when a person runs with the goal of losing a couple of kilograms, then the meal should be 1.5 hours before exercise.

• potatoes;
• fatty meat;
• fried foods;
• mushrooms;

Also, in order to protect the kidneys, blood vessels and heart from unnecessary stress, it is necessary to avoid drinking large quantities of liquid before jogging. For example, such as sparkling water. An excellent substitute would be a gainer or sweet tea.

In order to avoid problems with preparing food before training, you can use sports nutrition, which is offered by many well-known companies. With the help of sports nutrition, you can greatly save the time spent on preparing dishes with certain proportions.

Runners should not forget about such an important aspect as fluid balance in the body. You need to understand that the skin cools due to the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the body. When the body is struggling with heat and dehydration, human bodies react differently. This happens because each of us has different physiological and physical characteristics.

There are no specific standards for water consumption when running. The amount you need depends on the following factors:

• genetics (each person’s body produces different amounts of sweat);
• physical fitness (the better your physical condition, the faster fluid loss will occur);
• physical activity (sweat production also depends on increasing physical activity);
• body size (the more an athlete weighs, the more he sweats).

After we have decided on the amount of liquid, it remains to understand what exactly you need to drink. Not everyone likes to drink water, which is why there are many sports drinks to choose from these days. They come in different flavors and are usually in tablet or powder form. Sports drinks will not add energy to the body, but they will definitely save you from extreme heat.

If you don’t quite trust such products, then you can prepare a similar drink yourself. To do this, you need to dilute a glass of orange juice in 250 ml of water. This liquid has the same amount of carbohydrates as purchased energy drinks.

Nutrition after running

Post-workout nutrition is designed to restore carbohydrate reserves in the body. This is due to the fact that for an hour after running, the body tries to replenish the reserves of a substance such as glycogen. This substance is consumed during jogging.

Immediately after finishing the workout, eating is strictly prohibited, because the activity of the digestive system is significantly reduced. In order to reduce the feeling of hunger and thirst, you need to drink about 300 ml of natural juice. The following nectars are perfect: apple, tomato and orange.

Half an hour after training, you can start eating. It is best if it is oatmeal, semolina or wheat porridge with honey, as they contain the ideal ratio of protein and carbohydrates.

For runners who prefer sports nutrition, it is recommended to replace the juice with a complex containing amino acids. This will help relieve you of thirst and restore the required amount of carbohydrate reserves in the body. After half an hour, you need to drink 0.5 liters of the antioxidant complex. It will help restore muscle activity. After an hour has passed since the end of the workout, it is time to replenish the body with carbohydrates and proteins. To do this, you can eat bars, dry mixes or protein shakes.

If your workout takes place in the evening, be sure to have dinner one and a half to two hours before your run. You should exclude from your diet:

• fried food;
• grains and legumes;
• fat meat;
• flour products.

Be sure to remember that the distribution of nutrition during running training is not only the key to a successful workout, but also maximum benefit for the body. Unfortunately, not every person involved in sports understands how much harm training can cause to health if you eat improperly.

Video about a runner's diet

The video will clearly show what food products need to be purchased in the store, and that it is not at all necessary to eat supplements for athletes. Each product choice is accompanied by its characteristics and the reason why the runner should eat it.

Make the right choice, create the necessary diet for a healthy diet and look forward to new achievements in sports!

How to properly organize your nutrition when jogging - for physical fitness and health or for weight loss, it doesn’t matter, the rules are the same. Should you run on an empty stomach in the morning and should you “close the carbohydrate window” after a run? Feedback from a nutritionist on nutrition while running.

Running has always been, is and will be one of the most popular physical activities, both for maintaining good physical shape, for losing weight, and simply in the desire to live a long time without problems with the heart and blood vessels.

The benefits of running for the body

Wanting to get in shape and “lose the fat,” we buy new running shoes and vow to start a new athletic running life, and then everything will change. And indeed, a lot would change, because it’s not for nothing that running has gained enormous popularity over so many years.

What would happen if you started jogging regularly:

Active regular work of the muscles of the whole body, their strengthening;

Beneficial load on joints with proper organization of running and rest;

Increased metabolic rate;

Burning more energy obtained from food;

More active saturation of blood with oxygen and, as a result, good health;

Increasing immunity, training the heart and blood vessels.

Running does not require additional equipment or complex skills. Maximum, buying comfortable clothes according to the weather and three to four hours of free time per week.

Don't run alone

Although running is a great workout, it has been proven that without combining it with strength training, running alone will not help you effectively lose weight.

Should include both aerobic exercise and strength training. For aerobic exercise, running is an excellent choice. Supplement your weekly training with at least 2 sessions of strength training with weights and in addition to losing weight, you will gain a sculpted, toned body.

When you strengthen your muscles, build up even small muscle mass, the effect of running increases several times.

Why it's good to strengthen your muscles with exercise in addition to running:

Toned, strong muscles burn more calories while running, all other things being equal;

The risk of injury is reduced, strong muscles better protect the spine and joints;

Muscle helps give your body an athletic definition, in addition to helping you lose excess fat from running.

The best type of running for weight loss

Regular monotonous running is good for health and general endurance, but if your goal is weight loss, then it must be combined with interval (“ragged”) running.

During monotonous running, the body uses only sugar, which is present in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen and begins burning fat only when the reserves are depleted - after 45-60 minutes of running, while “tidying up” muscle tissue for work. It's not a very pleasant prospect to run for more than an hour and also lose some muscle.

Fat burning in the body occurs when heart rate reaches 65% of maximum.

Individual calculation is made as follows:

(Maximum pulse 220 beats/min. – age)*0.65

Example for a 30-year-old woman: (220-30)*0.65=123.5 beats/min

The result obtained is approximately the pulse point at which your body actively uses fat cells as fuel.

Good to know! Interval running is designed for a trained body and requires a good level of fitness. If you have a lot of excess weight - obesity or pre-obesity, insufficient muscle mass, or lack of any preliminary training, it is better to postpone this type of running until the body gets used to regular training and the muscle corset gets stronger.

How to run correctly to achieve a “fat-burning” heart rate

Burst running is alternating between running at high intensity and resting for short periods of time.

Interval run plan:

1) 2-3 minutes of warm-up jogging to warm up;

2) 30-40 seconds of running with intense acceleration to “suffocate”;

3) 30-40 seconds of active walking or light running to restore breathing and take a break;

4) 30-40 seconds active acceleration... etc.

Such intervals should be 5-7, depending on your general well-being and level of training. When getting used to such a load, you can increase the acceleration intervals and reduce the time for respite.

This type of running is more tiring and requires more recovery time than monotonous jogging, but its effectiveness is higher. Don't do interval training more than once a week(and at first even less often) and leave time the body needs at least 48 hours to recover before the next physical activity.

Nutrition while running

Post-run nutrition

In the life of any athlete, whether he is a beginner or an experienced one, sometimes questions arise related not only to training, but also to nutrition. In particular, the topic of after running still remains relevant for many.

In fact, to understand and determine what eat after running, and what is better to refuse is not so difficult.

However, even in post-training runner's diet its own characteristics.

As you know, with food a person not only saturates his stomach, but also restores energy costs. Unfortunately, many people who are losing weight underestimate the importance of nutrition during training. In particular, most of them refuse food after 18:00 or even cut their daily diet several times. This nutrition plan is absolutely not suitable for those who run, even for the purpose of losing weight. In addition, many people question that you can eat after running, they make a lot of mistakes:

Eat low amounts of protein, focusing on carbohydrates;

Ignore nutrition before training;

They refuse to eat after playing sports.

Taken together, this gives a very negative result: the body recovers poorly after running, which often provokes increased fatigue, muscle pain and other symptoms of overtraining. The solution to this problem is to create a clear nutrition plan that will not only help you understand what eat after running, but also in what quantities and over what period of time.

What to eat

First of all, nutrition after training is aimed at replenishing carbohydrates in the body. After intense exercise, he begins to actively restore the glycogen reserves that he spent while running. This phenomenon lasts relatively short time (about 40-60 minutes) and is called the “carbohydrate window”. To avoid metabolic problems, eat after running carbohydrates simply necessary. Any sweet foods in small quantities (a chocolate bar, a glass of juice, honey, dried fruit or fruit) will give you the energy boost you need. If you ignore this step, you risk significantly reducing the endurance threshold, because if there is a deficiency, you will replenish energy from the muscles.

What you can eat after running also, how long after the end of the workout? It’s not only possible, but also necessary to eat well after a workout. This will make the muscle recovery process faster. The optimal time for a meal is 40-50 minutes after running. Try to stick to the following ratio of protein and carbohydrates in your post-workout nutrition - 1 and 3 grams, respectively, for every kilogram of your weight. Here are some options for what you can eat after running to replenish your strength:

Porridge (buckwheat, pearl barley, millet);

Lean meat (chicken, lean beef);

Cottage cheese and other fermented milk products (kefir, fermented baked milk).

However, if you feel like you won’t be able to eat a satisfying meal after a run, don’t force yourself. An easier and no less healthy replacement would be a protein shake or a small portion of cottage cheese with dried fruits. When creating a post-workout nutrition plan, do not forget about water balance. After running, drink more fluids, preferably clean drinking water without gas at room temperature.