To achieve good results in running, you should focus on consistency of workouts, not on their intensity. Because of regular training, amateur runners may experience slow post-workout recovery. Almost everyone experienced a decline in performance during the day, knows about loss of motivation and sometimes noticed regress in training. There are two reasons for this: overloading the body physical activity, a combination of poor sleep and poor nutrition. In this article we will analyze the optimal daily nutrition plan for runners.
No procedures, special equipment or first-class coaches will help you, if you consume few calories. The quantity of calories is only one aspect, another one is their quality. Stick to healthy calories that provide enough amino acids, vitamins and trace elements and come from high-quality foods.
Preferable workout time may vary in athletes: some people choose evening workouts, while others exercise in the morning. Nutrition plan should also differ depending on the time of training.
The following daily nutrition plan for runners includes almost everything an athlete needs. The basic idea is that food intake differs depending on training intensity of training and workout schedule. On days of intense training your nutrition differs from those you plan for days of light recovery training. Below we are going to find out, how training schedule and intensity influence the nutrition plan.
With intense training, our body spends glycogen (carb storage in the body), while muscles and ligaments experience a lot of destructive effects from lactic acid and fatigue. After intense workouts, the restoration process has two phases: fast recovery phase (first post-workout hour) and slow recovery phase (2-3 days after the workout). During the fast recovery phase (known as the protein-carbohydrate window), our body really needs glucose (as energy for recovery), amino acids (as muscle-building material), vitamins and electrolytes. All these resources will be used for post-workout recovery.
Runner’s nutrition plan for training of various intensity
Immediately after the workout, you need:
- fast-release protein (whey protein or amino acids);
- net carbs (sugar);
- vitamins C and E (antioxidants to neutralize free radicals);
- magnesium, potassium, sodium (for salt balance restoration).
If you miss the moment, the body starts burning muscles to release amino acids. Besides, there is a risk of lowering immunity due to lack of vitamins C and E.
During the slow recovery phase, our body spends less efforts on recovery but, nevertheless, the process keeps going, especially at night. It is also important to provide the body with enough nutrients and avoid hunger to save energy from glycogen stores and avoid muscle destruction.
It is important for athletes to fully recover for the next workout session, while maintaining high performance throughout the day. Only in this case, workouts will help accumulate power, and not deplete it, leading to trauma, demotivation and diseases!
Intense morning workout (heart rate from 140 to 180)
Exercise with the heart rate above 140 is fueled mainly by burning carbs. And the higher the pulse, the more anaerobic glycolysis prevails over aerobic and provides lactic acid release.
2 hours before the workout
- A glass of water after waking up;
- Oatmeal (rice, buckwheat porridge);
- Multivitamin supplements.
Workout
During the first post-workout hour
- Isotonic right after the workout (to restore salt balance);
- Net carbs (banana, low-fat pastry, honey, fitness bars);
- BCAA for muscle protection and faster recovery;
- Vitamin C (250-500 mg) and vitamin E (100-200 mg): immunity support;
- In 30 minutes: whey protein for muscle recovery (glutamine and BCAA), ligament restoration (collagen), arginine and so on.
Breakfast
- Start with a green vegetable salad (provides fiber);
- Add 2 eggs, 150-200 g (5.3-7 oz.) brown rice (pasta or buckwheat);
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp. or Omega-3 in capsules.
2nd breakfast
- Fruit muesli on kefir or thermostatic yoghurt / porridge / soup / a lot of fruits (apples, oranges, berries).
Lunch
- Vegetable salad - 100-150 g (3.5-5 oz.);
- Meat 150-200 g (5-7 oz.);
- Oatmeal / brown rice / potatoes in their skins / buckwheat / pasta 150-300 g (5-10 oz.);
- 2 pieces of whole grain bread;
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
Snack
- Cottage cheese.
Dinner
- Poultry / fish 150-200 g (5-7 oz.);
- Boiled vegetables 100-150 g (3.5-5 oz.);
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
One hour before sleep
- Casein (overnight protein) 20 g (1 scoop).
Intense evening workout (heart rate from 140 to 180)
Breakfast
- A glass of water after waking up. In 30-40 minutes some fresh vegetable salad;
- 2 eggs and brown rice / pasta / buckwheat / oatmeal 150-200 g(5-7 oz.);
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
- Multivitamin supplements
2nd breakfast
- Fruit muesli on kefir or thermostatic yoghurt / porridge / soup / a lot of fruits (apples, oranges, berries).
Lunch
- Vegetable salad - 100-150 g (3.5-5 oz.);
- Meat 150-200 g (5-7 oz.);
- Oatmeal / brown rice / potatoes in their skins / buckwheat / pasta 150-300 g (5-10 oz.);
- 2 pieces of whole grain bread;
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
2 hours before the workout
- Oatmeal (rice, buckwheat porridge).
Workout
During the first post-workout hour
- Isotonic right after the workout (to restore salt balance);
- Net carbs (banana, low-fat pastry, honey, fitness bars);
- BCAA, vitamin C (250-1000 mg) and vitamin E (100-200 mg);
One hour before sleep
- Casein (overnight protein) 20 g (1 scoop).
No dinner! It will slow down the post-workout recovery.
Recovery morning workout (heart rate from 110 to 130)
Training in the heart rate below 130 BMP is provided mainly by fats oxidation. In this heart rate zone, the heart works with the maximum stroke volume. Athletes practically do not sweat, i.e. keep the salts of potassium, sodium and magnesium. The musculoskeletal system undergoes a light shock load, and the ligaments get strengthened.
It's unpleasant to run in this heart rate zone, because fats don’t give out much energy (as on heart rate over 140), moreover, there may be a strong feeling of laziness due to serotonin release in the brain, under the influence of tryptophan amino acid.
Tryptophan and fatty acids use the same transportation system, so tryptophan doesn’t enter the muscles, but gets into the brain. To eliminate this feeling, L-carnitine helps.
2 hours before the workout
- A glass of water after waking up;
- thermostatic yoghurt;
- L-carnitine supplement (1000-2000 mg).
Workout
Breakfast
- Immediately after the workout L-carnitine for fat burn (1000-2000 mg), yogurt / cottage cheese / kefir (low-carb dairy products);
- After a while start your breakfast with a veggie salad;
- 2 eggs, 150-200 g (5-7 oz.) brown rice (pasta, buckwheat);
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.;
- Multivitamin supplement.
2nd breakfast
- Fruit muesli on kefir or thermostatic yoghurt / porridge / soup / a lot of fruits (apples, oranges, berries).
Lunch
- Vegetable salad - 100-150 g (3.5-5 oz.);
- Meat 150-200 g (5-7 oz.);
- Oatmeal / brown rice / potatoes in their skins / buckwheat / pasta 150-300 g (5-10 oz.);
- 2 pieces of whole grain bread;
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
- Supplement with potassium and magnesium.
Snack
- 9% cottage cheese with thermostatic yoghurt;
Dinner
- Poultry / fish 150-200 g (5-7 oz.);
- Boiled vegetables 100-150 g (3.5-5 oz.);
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
- Supplement with potassium, magnesium and selenium
One hour before sleep
- Casein (overnight protein) 20 g (1 scoop);
- ZMA supplement.
Recovery evening workout (heart rate from 110 to 130)
Breakfast
- Vegetable salad;
- 2 eggs, 150-200 g (5-7 oz.) brown rice (pasta, buckwheat);
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.;
- Multivitamin supplement.
2nd breakfast
- Fruit muesli on kefir or thermostatic yoghurt / porridge / soup / a lot of fruits (apples, oranges, berries).
Lunch
- Vegetable salad - 100-150 g (3.5-5 oz.);
- Meat 150-200 g (5-7 oz.);
- Oatmeal / brown rice / potatoes in their skins / buckwheat / pasta 150-300 g (5-10 oz.);
- 2 pieces of whole grain bread;
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
2 hours before the workout
- 9% cottage cheese with thermostatic yoghurt;
- L-carnitine (1000-2000 mg).
Workout
Dinner 3 hours before bedtime
- Poultry / fish 150-200 g (5-7 oz.);
- Boiled vegetables 100-150 g (3.5-5 oz.);
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
1 hour before bedtime
- Casein (overnight protein) 20 g (1 scoop);
Train and eat right!
