Nutrition for middle distance runners. Running for weight loss

There is an opinion that only those who go to the gym take sports nutrition. Today I would like to dispel the misconception about sports supplements and prove that runners also need them.

Let me say right away that not every type of supplement is suitable for running. Some of them may be simply useless, while others may even be harmful. Therefore, before deciding on the type of sports nutrition, study the information that will be offered.

What is sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition is a supplement that is used by people actively involved in sports to replenish expended energy and increase training productivity. Most often, such additives are produced in the form of powder mixtures. Natural products are used as raw materials for their production: milk, eggs, meat, soy or cereals. The raw materials undergo special processing, and at the end of production a concentration process occurs, which allows the concentration of nutrients to be increased per 100 grams of product.

Among bodybuilders, protein and carbohydrates are popular substances, but they try not to consume fats. It is impossible to avoid fat entering the body during a normal meal, but sports nutrition allows you to do this. For example, a popular supplement protein contains up to 95-99% pure protein. But one egg contains about 7 grams of protein and the same amount of fat, plus 1 gram of carbohydrates.

However, you cannot replace a regular meal solely with supplements, but you can use them as an additional source of energy without any fear.

We have created a project in which we talk in detail about sports nutrition, its types and rules of administration. If you are serious about taking supplements, then be sure to visitFarmaOk.ru is the territory of sports nutrition!

Do runners need sports nutrition?

If everything is clear with the rationale for the use of supplements by bodybuilders, since in this sport you need to eat a large amount of calories and in particular proteins, then with running everything is not so clear. Still, it is important for a runner to maintain body weight and avoid weight gain, and supplements most often have the opposite effect.

Still, it makes sense for runners to take specialized nutrition. For example, while preparing for a race or when losing weight when you need to consume a minimum amount of fat. Taking protein in its pure form will help you avoid eating a lot of fat through your regular meals.

It happens that after a workout “you can’t get a bite into your throat,” but you need to eat because your body is exhausted. Agree, it is much easier to persuade yourself to drink a protein shake than to eat a portion of buckwheat. Sports supplements are also available in the form of vitamins and minerals, which are important for a runner’s body.

As a result, sports supplements will be useful for runners who are preparing for serious competitions or for those who want to reduce body weight and improve their figure. Thereby myth It's just a myth that runners shouldn't take supplements.

How to choose and accept?

Below are 4 types of supplements that will be useful for runners, regardless of their level of training. A brief description of the supplement and rules for taking it will be offered.

Creatine

Creatine is a component of protein called an amino acid and is found in meat products. Creatine is a partially replaceable amino acid, which means that under certain conditions it can be synthesized independently. On average, the human body contains 140 grams of this substance. Exceeding the norm leads to an increase in physical qualities such as strength and general endurance.

These physical qualities are important for runners, especially endurance. Studies show that increasing the level of creatine in muscles allows you to perform physical work 9% longer than usual.

The experiment was conducted on a group of athletes who were involved in rowing. A condition was set according to which the participants in the experiment had to maintain the same pace for as long as possible. One swim was carried out before the start of treatment, and the second after 3 weeks. The result differed by 9% towards the second swim.

Creatine is found in small quantities in meat, and to increase physical performance you need to additionally consume 10-15 grams of pure substance per day. This equals 2 kilograms of beef. It is much easier to mix 3 tablespoons of powder with pure creatine in juice than to buy it and then eat that much meat.

How to use?

The supplement is taken every day, 2 times 5 grams. That is, the daily norm of creatine is 10 grams. If your weight is more than 90 kilograms, then you can increase the dosage to 15 grams. Should be taken with sweet liquid. Grape juice or water with honey or sugar will do. The time of administration does not matter much, but usually in the morning and evening or after training.

Protein will be useful for those who want to lose weight, as it can help you avoid consuming some amount of fat. In addition, protein is the “brick” from which muscles are built. Protein contains 20 amino acids that have different purposes. For example, threonine and ornithine take part in the synthesis and breakdown of fats. Valine, leucine and isoleucine take an active part in the formation of muscle tissue. You can read about all types of amino acids.

How to use?

The protein is taken in the form of a milkshake or mixed in cold water (the protein coagulates in hot water) up to 5-6 times a day. The daily dosage of protein is calculated based on body weight, where there are 2 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of weight. If an athlete weighs 80 kilograms, then he needs 160 grams of protein per day.

In this case, from the daily norm you need to subtract the approximate amount of protein that is eaten through a regular meal, and consume the rest with the help of a supplement. You can drink a cocktail before and after, but not during training! If you drink a portion during exercise, some blood will leave the muscles to the digestive organs, which will negatively affect the productivity of the workout.

Fat burners

There are 3 types of fat burners: thermogenics, lipotropics and blockers. Thermogenics are best suited for weight loss through running, so we’ll tell you more about them. You can read about the rest on the pages of our other project.

Thermogenics are a mixture of guarana, synephrine and caffeine. Their effect is to increase body temperature, which significantly increases sweating during exercise. The result comes quite quickly, but is expressed in the loss of a large amount of water. In this case, additional fat burning occurs, but more slowly.

How to use?

Take thermogenics 2 times a day: in the morning and before training. It is not recommended to use the supplement before bed, as it has a tonic effect and can cause insomnia.

Thermogenics should be used with extreme caution. This is especially true for those people who suffer from diseases associated with the cardiovascular system. Consultation with a specialist is advisable.

Isotonics

This supplement is taken during long workouts that last more than 60 minutes. The main effect is associated with restoring salt balance and preventing seizures. Taking isotonics allows you to extend your jogging time and restore reserves of essential substances without stopping.

How to use?

Isotonic drinks are taken much like water. That is, you need to drink them as you feel thirsty, but not drink too much so that the liquid does not interfere with running.

What supplements are best not to use?

I would like to point out a supplement that will not benefit a runner. Its use will either stop progress or worsen the current result. We are talking about gainers, which are popular among bodybuilders, as they allow you to quickly gain total body weight to accelerate muscle growth. For a runner, this supplement will be an “extra burden” and its use is not justified.

The gainer contains a large amount of proteins and carbohydrates. This mixture of substances accelerates the growth of body weight, which for a runner equals a loss of results, and when losing weight it is completely a failure.

Including a gainer in your diet is advisable only with a balanced diet and high-intensity training, when a large amount of carbohydrates and proteins are consumed. In other cases, the benefit of a gainer for runners is questionable.

This is all about the use of sports nutrition by people who regularly run. Use the information received correctly, and then you will not have to fear any harmful effects.

Healthy running is the simplest and at the same time effective means for combating excess weight. It is when running that various muscles of the body are involved, the heart and blood vessels are trained, the lungs develop, the nervous system is normalized, and metabolism is accelerated.

But running alone will not solve your weight problem. You need to take serious care of your diet. Excluding harmful and useless foods from the diet, coupled with fairly serious training, will certainly lead to the desired result.

If, while running, you do not adjust your diet, then all the calories burned while running will return after eating a large meal after exercise.

A little arithmetic

To start losing weight, you need to run regularly., almost daily, for a total of at least three hundred minutes. These hours also include walking.

Normal heart rate for running training is calculated as follows: The athlete’s age is subtracted from 220 and the result is divided by two. Buy a heart rate monitor and monitor the indicators.

Classes lasting less than 20 minutes will benefit health, but will not promote weight loss. Therefore, aim for a running duration of 40 minutes to an hour. And here a lot depends on how many extra pounds you have gained. After all, it’s one thing to get rid of 3-4, and quite another to get rid of 20 kilograms or more.

Experts have calculated that to lose a kilogram of weight you need to run for 19 hours. If your goal is minus 5 kilograms, it will take 93 hours. To lose 10 kilograms, you will have to literally work “by the sweat of your brow” for 180 hours. And you will spend at least 350 hours running away from obesity if you need to say goodbye to 20 kilograms.

Distribute this load evenly, exercise no more than three hours daily; giving up “weekends” for running will only be beneficial.

How to replace running if necessary

If for some good reason you had to miss another run outside, replace it with other activities, but do not cancel the workout under any circumstances. What can replace running?

• Jump rope


• Bike


• Aerobics


• Exercise bike.

Fighting laziness

It's hard to exercise early in the morning. But later you will find yourself in time trouble. So start your running marathon on the weekend. Get up, get dressed, eat properly and go out to the distance. At first, it is quite acceptable to walk it at a brisk pace, rather than run.

While you’re walking, convince yourself of the benefits of exercising in the morning: “no cars, no people,” as the song says, clean air, silence.

How to properly run to lose weight

You need to start your workout with a warm-up. When running, you don’t need tension, stay straight, breathe deeply, if you get tired, stop running and go to a fast walk. Increase loads gradually. Choose a route for classes in a park area or public gardens.

To make sure you're not afraid or bored while jogging, take a friend, a dog, or a player with your favorite tunes with you.

It is important to choose comfortable, light and practical clothes and shoes. Sneakers are better with shock absorbers, high quality; socks made from natural or mixed materials. T-shirt and tracksuit. That's all.

And now more about nutrition when running for weight loss

It is divided into nutrition before running And nutrition after running and is an integral part of any training program.

On the day you run, have a protein-rich breakfast. These can be light dishes based on chicken eggs (fried eggs, omelettes, boiled eggs), fermented milk products (low-fat yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese).

Instead of regular foods, you can use specially prepared sports nutrition. Here's how to calculate the nutritional intake for a pre-run breakfast: approximately 0.6 grams of protein per pound of runner's body weight. Vitamins and minerals are also needed, especially those with antioxidant effects.

Training should begin no earlier than an hour and a half before meals. At the same time, you need foods rich in carbohydrates, but not simple ones, but complex ones. Rice, pasta, even baked goods, honey and chocolate are not only not contraindicated during this period, but are also highly recommended, as they can give you the necessary amount of energy for the upcoming run. But vegetables and mushrooms should be excluded from the diet. As well as fatty and fried foods.

After a run, you will need to restore carbohydrate reserves in your body. But for the first half hour after training, don’t eat anything, even if you really want to. You can drink a glass of juice, it is not forbidden.

After thirty minutes you need to eat a hearty meal. Based on your weight, calculate how much carbohydrates and proteins you need to take. Carbohydrates need approximately one gram per kilogram of weight, proteins - 25-30 grams.

Porridges with milk (semolina, rice, oatmeal, wheat) are good, if you like - with honey or dried fruits. You can eat pasta or potatoes with meat - these foods will easily saturate the body.

It would seem: why take carbohydrates after training, because they will give you weight gain? It turns out that within about an hour and a half after intense physical exercise, the body actively replenishes glycogen reserves used up during running.

If he is not given carbohydrates at this time, a metabolic failure or glycogen replenishment at the expense of proteins is possible. And this will reduce the body’s endurance and negate the effect obtained from running training.

It is clear that during running, especially intense running, a lot of fluid is lost. However, the drinking regime involves limiting the amount of liquid you drink before training. This will help protect the heart, kidneys and blood vessels from increased stress. Half an hour before training, you can drink no more than 200 ml of liquid. It can be a light energy drink or sweet tea, but not sparkling water or coffee.

Eating according to science

So, we understand that when running, a lot of calories are spent, they need to be replenished so as not to get sick, weaken and not quit training ahead of time. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate how many calories are needed to keep the body in good shape for training, but without accumulating excess weight.

From the first month of training you should eat more. First, look at the fats. They are necessary for the elasticity of the ligaments, because the load on them has increased significantly. Fatty sea fish or fish oil, nuts should be firmly included in your diet.

If you do recreational jogging no more than twice a week, and your workouts are not intense, you can do without a special diet. And if your goal is to lose weight, you need a special nutrition program. There is a formula that calculates how many calories you should consume at different periods of your life.

We multiply the weight by 26.5. The amount will show what your calorie needs are without wasting extra energy. With a weight of 65 kilograms, basic energy consumption will be 1722.5 calories. This is how much you should consume if you walk calmly and work calmly.

And so you started running. You should add to your base caloric intake as many calories as you burn during training.

If you run at a speed of 8 kilometers per hour, multiply the weight by a factor of 1.2 and by the number of kilometers you run during exercise. The resulting amount is approximately 600 calories. This is how much you burn during a workout.

Now add this value to the base indicator. It will tell you how many calories you should consume on your workout days. In our example, this will be 2320 calories. On days when you don't run, subtract the “training” calories from your final result.

What should be the diet of a runner trying to lose weight?

2320 calories will be provided to you by:

• Three to four servings of porridge.


• 200 grams of beans.


• Three servings of vegetables of different colors, 3 apples.


• 200 g lean meat, fish.


• 2 glasses of kefir or milk or 60 g of cheese.


• 30 g nuts or 2 tbsp. spoons of flax seeds.

This is about 1400 calories, the rest can be obtained with other healthy foods.

It is important to eat small portions, but at least 5-6 times a day. Eat porridge for breakfast if you are used to working out before lunch. If you run early in the morning, drink a glass of sweet tea with a bun and a banana beforehand. Have dinner with fish, meat or cottage cheese. Prepare a glass of kefir at night.

Don't forget that you should have protein in every meal. Protein can be obtained not only from fish and meat, but also in its pure form - in powder. But natural protein is also necessary - at least once a week. Diversify your diet.

About drinking during exercise. Step on the scale before and after class. You will find out how many grams of weight you lost while running. To avoid dehydration, drink half a liter of water per half kilogram of weight lost.

Are there any foods that are off-limits for runners? Eat.

1. Alcohol


2. Deep fried foods


3. Fatty desserts


4. Sauces and gravies


5. Convenience foods and fast food


6. Soda


7. Salty “snacks” like chips.

Remember that scientifically organized nutrition will quickly lead to the desired result - losing weight while running.

10 motivations for starting running

You also need serious motivation. What could it be?

• Running improves your health. Running, coupled with proper nutrition, helps normalize blood pressure, remove cholesterol from the blood, improve immunity, and prevent osteoporosis and cancer.


• Running helps you lose weight. It burns calories most efficiently. You just need to develop an individual training plan and special nutrition. If a runner's weight is normal, training will help keep it that way for life.


• Running helps you find new acquaintances and friends, like-minded people on a healthy lifestyle.


• Running broadens your horizons, distracts from everyday life.


• Running helps overcome weaknesses, increase the level of your capabilities.


• Running is a source of energy and vigor for a long time, provided proper nutrition.


• Running is one of the ways to assert yourself.


• Running is a democratic sport. Equipment, as well as training space, are available to most.


• Running saves you from bad mood, stress, depression.


• Mass running usually draws attention to the need to solve important social problems

How to eat properly when running? What to eat before and after training? ? To my surprise, questions about diet turned out to be one of the most frequently asked questions in mail and comments.

To be honest, I think that studying someone else's diet in search of answers is a useless exercise. Just out of curiosity 😉 The basic rules are well known: maintain a balance of what you eat and what you spend, eat more vegetables and fruits, less processed foods,... blah blah and a dozen other standard points. The rest is subtleties that can vary as much as you like and depend on the individual characteristics of the body, habits, physical activity, lifestyle and other factors. Everyone finds their own formula; there is no universal formula that works equally for everyone.

But since they ask, I’ll share the principles of my intuitive, unprincipled nutrition and an example of a standard diet.

My food

Key Facts

• I do not adhere to vegetarianism, veganism, paleo, raw food diet or any other food systems. I believe that there is no single “correct” system for which the human body is designed. It is designed to be omnivorous and adaptable, the rest depends on living conditions and lifestyle. Many generations of vegetarians around the world have enough protein, and northern peoples survive quite well on a diet based on meat and fat.
• I don’t fast and don’t go on diets.
• I use an approach in which the diet is based on relatively healthy food, but I do not forbid myself “harmful” foods in moderation. On weekdays it’s easier and more convenient for me to stick to the “correct” diet, on weekends I eat delicious junk food. But it happens in different ways - there is no rigid system and no prohibitions.
• I eat 5-6 times a day, in small portions.
• I eat intuitively, listen to what I want/don’t want. With regular physical activity, our understanding with the body has noticeably improved, and more often than not we crave simple, healthy food.
• I eat little meat, mostly poultry - turkey and chicken. After I started running, it began to be perceived as heavy food. There are times when I don’t eat at all. The more load, the less you want it.
• I use olive or coconut oil for cooking and dressing.
• I feel good about my balance - how much I have for the current physical activity. My weight is stable, when preparing for the marathon I lose a couple of kilos, then I gain weight. The system only fails when traveling, when you have to greatly reduce your usual running volumes, and your appetite is in no hurry to disappear. I don't count calories. I tried it a couple of times out of curiosity: the daily caloric intake is 2200-2400, which is not so low for my size.
• I eat everything if necessary. When I travel, I try a lot - from durian to fried cockroaches and crocodile meat.
• I drink plain water, tea, and compotes in the summer. I do not drink industrially produced sweet drinks.
• I drink strong coffee, usually once a day.
• I drink alcohol - on average, a glass of wine once or twice a week, sometimes beer. I don’t drink during active training - my heart rate still rises from alcohol the day before.

Standard daily diet

I usually run in the morning and before training I don’t eat anything, I just drink a little water. Sometimes I eat half a banana or a date. The exception is long workouts (more than 2 hours), before which I try to have a more substantial snack 30-40 minutes before. I choose something that is easy to digest and won't cause trouble on the run, like toast with banana and peanut butter.

Rule for training at other times of the day: eat before running no later than 2 hours before the start of the run. Of course, all this is individual and can only be verified in practice.

IN nutrition after running I don’t adhere to any special rules like “eat something protein immediately to restore muscles” or “close the carbohydrate window.” After light to moderate intensity workouts, I have a good appetite - I shower and eat a regular breakfast. After heavy periods, it happens that for a couple of hours you only want fruit - I eat only that. After the marathon, digestion turns off for about 5 hours, only oranges (and more!) are available - I stock up on them in advance and eat them.

Mandatory morning ritual - a cup coffee. I drink it after a run, sometimes before breakfast, sometimes after. I prefer strong espresso, accompanied by almonds in a milk truffle. This is usually my only cup of coffee a day, occasionally a second. I don’t drink coffee before competitions.

Breakfast is always substantial. I got used to it, and turned from an owl into a lark. Before this, I was firmly convinced that the body wakes up closer to noon and is not capable of absorbing anything other than coffee earlier. As with getting up in the morning, it turned out to be purely a matter of habit.

On weekdays, breakfast is almost always standard:

• porridge(oatmeal or multigrain) in water, to which are added fruits, berries, dried fruits (dried apricots, raisins, cranberries), nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews), flax seeds, a mixture of seeds. There are many variations. In winter I often use frozen berries.

• homemade yogurt With

I make yogurt from milk and starter in a yogurt maker, the whole process with my participation takes about 5 minutes. Sometimes I eat it in the Greek style - with honey.

More favorite breakfast recipes:

Cherries in one quick approach

Green smoothie: banana + apple + spinach + some water

Next meal - like dinner. I hardly eat soups, I don’t like them. Exceptions: all sorts of seafood and fish delights, which happen rarely, as well as classic borscht with a crust of black bread and garlic in the frosty winter about once a year. And, of course, gazpacho, which is actually not a soup, but a liquid salad - I’m ready to eat it every day.

The standard option for a “lunch type” is eggs in different types. Omelette or scrambled eggs with vegetables (in winter I use frozen sets), boiled eggs and all sorts of additions:

• I love hummus, the best souvenir for me from Israel :)
• I respect avocados, however, it’s almost impossible to buy ripe ones from us; you have to take green ones and wait until they reach the right condition. Compared to a properly ripe avocado, of course, it’s not the same, but I eat it.
• I appreciated the green mung bean: I don’t cook it, I just soak it for 12 hours - it tastes like green peas.

Eggs + toast with hummus + cheese + vegetables

Scrambled eggs, Adyghe cheese, vegetables

Here are my options and a story about how food is organized in the office.

The next meal is usually cottage cheese(5%). I love it and eat it often, also with different additions. It’s delicious not only in the sweet version - with fruits and berries, but also with green onions, garlic, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and radishes.

Cottage cheese with sour cream + green onions + cucumbers

Cottage cheese with sour cream + strawberries + kiwi

Dinner: salad/vegetables, side dish - potatoes in various forms (most often baked in the oven), pasta, rice. The salad can also be a self-sufficient dish - then, in addition to vegetables, cheese (feta, etc.) or fish (lightly salted or banal canned tuna in its own juice), and boiled eggs are added to it. In season, all kinds of vegetables go well, baked or grilled. I can eat the same zucchini in terrible quantities. Sometimes fish or turkey/chicken fillet in different forms is added to dinner.

Fish, boiled potatoes, vegetables

Narcotic zucchini baked with tomatoes, garlic and mozzarella

Before going to bed, I always catch up with fruit.

Are you sick of healthy eating yet? 😉 I dilute it.

Main hazards and food outrages It happens on weekends, but on other days I don’t deny myself if I want something, otherwise there’s no reason to run all these terrible hundreds of kilometers a month.

My weaknesses:

• pancakes, pancakes, cheesecakes - I know how to cook delicious food and my family loves it (and me, for that matter). Traditional weekend dishes.

• cheese! All without exception, including smelly and moldy. And toast with cheese. I eat, but I try to maintain moderation (I’m just finishing off the last piece of excellent Swiss cheese that’s lying around in the refrigerator). Cheese is a great souvenir from a trip to some countries 😉

• milk chocolate. I try not to buy it or keep it in the house, since the brakes do not work with this product. But if I come across it, I eat it and don’t suffer, quite the opposite.

Nutrition before, during and after running is different and has some nuances that anyone who wants to improve the quality of their workouts and make them more effective needs to know. Each individual case must have an individual approach, but there are several rules that everyone should follow in order to start running with health benefits

Since carbohydrates are absorbed by the body faster, it is preferable to include them in your diet before starting a workout. These foods include various cereals cooked in water, skim milk or yogurt, energy bars, breakfast cereals and fruits. Some people prefer to eat baked goods with jam, but those who are watching their figure should avoid such food.

Meals before running should not contain any fatty foods, since they are poorly absorbed by the body and take a long time to digest; running after this becomes difficult and uncomfortable. Dietary fiber contained in legumes can cause cramps and unpleasant flatulence, so it is better to avoid them too.

Opinions differ about protein products. Some people urge you to pay attention only to proteins before running, while others recommend limiting yourself from such foods, since they can contain a large amount of fat. These products include, for example, cheese, sausages or bacon. If you still want to enjoy protein before a run, then it is better to give preference to boiled chicken breast and a couple of hard-boiled eggs.

If the meal before running was dense and heavy, then training should be postponed for 2-3 hours.

It all depends on the calories consumed. The best option is 4 kcal per 1 kg of weight. After such breakfast or dinner, you can start training 1 hour later. If you don’t plan to run for a very long time, within 40-60 minutes, then you can only drink a small amount of water before the activity. When the workout is more than an hour, it is still better to eat before it.

As for fluids, athletes are not recommended to overuse them before starting sports. A large amount of water drunk as a result puts a huge strain on the vascular system, heart and kidneys. This is one of the reasons why a runner may feel a tingling sensation in their side while running a race.

If you drink before running, then no more than 200 ml in the next half hour. As a liquid for additional energy, you can use a slightly sweet tea drink, non-carbonated mineral water or a gainer, a special nutritional supplement, it is considered one of the most effective on the sports nutrition market.

Nutrition while running

It is worth noting that nutrition while running is mainly necessary only for those athletes who cover a fairly large distance of several tens of kilometers. If the jog is easy and does not take more than 1.5 hours, then you don’t need to feed the body with additional energy during training.

It is recommended to eat every hour throughout the lesson. For these purposes, about 60 grams of carbohydrates are suitable, which is approximately 250 kcal. Food can be in either liquid or solid form. Liquids include various sports drinks, gels and other nutritional mixtures. Some athletes practice drinking the following drink while running:

- take baby puree and mix it with a small amount of water - the result is an excellent energy mixture for replenishment.

For solid food while jogging, you can eat fruit, especially bananas, sports or chocolate bars, and light cookies such as oatmeal. Since all the products will have to be carried on themselves, runners most often give preference to something small and compact, for example, gels or bars. It is important that during training nothing gets in the way or causes discomfort, so you should take with you a moderate amount of food that can easily fit in your pockets or on your belt in a special bag.

For those who exercise a little at a time, nutrition while running may consist solely of a drink. Sweet tea, fresh tea, or any sports cocktail may be suitable for this. During training on hot days, you can drink mineral water without gases to prevent dehydration in the sun. Also, do not forget about water in the cold, when you don’t seem to want to drink, but, nevertheless, it is necessary to feed the body with additional energy.

Nutrition after running

To figure out how to properly balance your diet after running, you first need to understand an important concept - the “carbohydrate window”. This term refers to the period of time immediately after an intense workout when the body needs to replenish the supply of water and glycogen that was used up by muscle mass. Typically this window lasts about 40 minutes. During this time, you need to eat enough carbohydrates to eliminate the calorie deficit that appears after running. Otherwise, the body will begin to consume proteins, which will nullify the entire result of the work just done.

You can replenish energy with liquids containing sugar. About 300 ml will be enough. This can be any fruit or berry juice, sweet tea, cocoa, etc. You can combine the drink with small pastries covered with a layer of jam, cream or butter. It is worth noting that this meal option is not suitable for those who are trying to lose weight. In this case, it is better to snack on something like berries and fruits.

A full meal after running occurs an hour later. The most acceptable option is a combination of carbohydrate foods with proteins: oatmeal, semolina, millet and rice. It is better to use milk to prepare them. After the dish is ready, you can put a spoonful of honey or jam on the plate to sweeten the porridge a little. Such food can perfectly fill the calorie deficit after an intense workout.

If you want to give preference to sports nutrition, then immediately after exercise it is recommended to eat half the usual portion of a gainer with the addition of proteinogenic amino acids. This will help restore expended energy and nourish the muscles. Then, after about half an hour, you can eat antioxidants or ascorbic acid, and after another hour - carbohydrate or protein mixtures, energy bars and sports cocktails.

Conclusion

The results of training are influenced not only by how intense the session was, but also by how the athlete eats. To help the body cope better with physical activity, it is necessary to provide it with sufficient energy through food. Also, do not forget about proper recovery of strength with proper nutrition after training. If you control the process of eating in relation to exercise, you can see positive results pretty quickly.

We have already published materials more than once about how a runner should eat properly, which foods should be emphasized and which ones should be avoided. In this article we will try to figure out how to properly distribute food intake throughout the day.

Breakfast

Much depends on what time you plan to train.

If you have 1.5-2 hours before training or competitions, you can divide breakfast into two meals - the first light, consisting of carbohydrate-rich foods, and the second, denser.

In general, breakfast is the main meal of the day for a runner. It should make up 30-40% of the total daily caloric intake and contain a sufficient amount of protein. The recommended dose is 0.5-0.7 grams per kilogram of weight.

After running

After completing a run, especially if it was intense, nutrition should be aimed at replenishing glycogen stores expended during activity. This period is called the “carbohydrate window” and lasts about 80 minutes. If you do not replenish lost reserves with carbohydrates, the body will begin to “close” this “window” on its own at the expense of proteins, which negatively affects the muscles and the recovery process. We should not forget that immediately after training, the capabilities of the digestive system are reduced, so you should not overload yourself with food either. You can drink fresh juice, eat a banana, tea with a bun and butter or jam/honey. The recommended amount of carbohydrates needed to “load” the “carbohydrate window” is about 0.7-1.5 grams per kilogram of weight.

After half an hour - an hour you can eat “normally”. The food should consist mostly of carbohydrates, some protein, and a small amount of fat.

Dinner

Lunch should also provide the body with enough calories. It accounts for 30-40% of the total calorie intake. This is especially true for those who trained in the morning. It is worth including the optimal amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates for you.

Dinner

As for dinner, you should be in moderation. In the evening, the body does not digest food as easily as in the morning, so by overloading it, you force it to work at night, thereby impairing the quality of the most important component of recovery - sleep. Preference should be given to light foods containing proteins and carbohydrates. The amount of fat is moderate.

By the way, an hour before bedtime, a snack is not considered harmful. You can drink kefir, milk or eat other light protein foods.

Try to avoid feeling hungry. Have a snack before your main meals if you feel it is necessary. Replenish energy reserves not in spurts, but evenly. If you do not have the opportunity to spend time on frequent meals, use protein-carbohydrate, protein shakes.

Since we are talking about sports nutrition, you can take amino acids before and immediately after training. Another useful recommendation would be to add vitamin C to your diet, which reduces the traumatic effects of lactic acid.

As an example of a diet, we will give programs from the book by M.V. Aranson “Nutrition for athletes”. Diets are intended for sports with significant aerobic exercise (stayers' running).

Option 1.

• Early morning. Half a grapefruit
• Breakfast. 1 chicken breast, boiled; 1 boiled potato (without butter or sour cream); 1 plate of green beans; 2 medium boiled carrots; 1 plate of fruit salad (no sugar, just different fruits). Only 866 calories.
• Dinner. A bowl of broken grain oatmeal; 1 tablespoon of nuts; 1 tablespoon raisins; one and a half cups of whole milk; 1 apple. Only 613 calories.
• Afternoon snack. 30 grams of cheddar cheese; 60 grams of unsalted peanuts or other nuts. Only 316 calories.
• Dinner. Whole wheat sandwich with two eggs (no butter); 1 plate of mixed salad with lemon juice; 1 orange; 1 cup yogurt. Only 589 calories.
• Evening snack. 1 bun with poppy seeds; one and a half cups of whole milk. Only 310 calories.
• The total calorie content of the daily diet is 2378 calories.

Option 2.

• Breakfast: a bowl of oatmeal with fruit; 150 g of meat with vegetables; milk with berries; bran bread with processed cheese; fruits; vegetable salad with sunflower oil
• Second breakfast: a glass of milk with bread or whole grain cookies or a protein-carbohydrate cocktail with milk; soft-boiled egg or 100 grams of cottage cheese; banana
• Lunch: a bowl of noodle soup with meat or chicken; soft-boiled egg or 100 g of cottage cheese; a plate of boiled potatoes or vegetables; a plate of vegetable or fruit salad with sunflower oil; baked goods with honey; a glass of fruit juice or mineral water
• Afternoon snack: a plate of meat or fish soup; 100 g of cold meat, fish or poultry; 50 g cheese with bread; juice or mineral water
• Dinner: 200 g of meat or fish; 100 g cottage cheese with fruit; a plate of salad; a glass of juice; mineral water

And most importantly, remember that proper nutrition, like healthy sleep, is the basis for developing your athletic potential. After all, a balanced and timely intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates will help you recover faster and perform well in training.

Materials used: M.V. Aranson “Nutrition for athletes”