So, what is a healthy diet? Choosing foods from the five food groups in the right proportions will give you all the nutrients you need: carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are needed for growth and repair, to keep the body healthy and to provide energy for exercise.
1. Fruit and vegetables – try to have at least five portions from this group each day
2. Bread, other cereals and potatoes – try to make these the main part of each of your meals
3. Meat, fish and vegan / vegetarian protein alternatives – try to include two portions from this group each day
4. Milk and dairy foods – try to include two portions from this group each day (soya or rice products with added calcium are a good alternative)
5. Foods containing fats and sugar – take care with the amounts of foods you eat from this group.
All the essential nutrients required by an amateur runner can be met with a well balanced diet. It is almost always a healthier route to get your essential elements from food rather than food supplementation.
Rule of thirds: A very simple and easy guide to eat for fitness is to divide your plate into three equal portions. Fill a third with grains, preferably whole grains, fill a third with fruits and vegetables, and a third with lean protein sources, like chicken or turkey breast, eggs or low-fat yoghurt.
Then, choose to drink water or a high nutrient drink like skimmed milk or 100% fruit juice, although juices can be high in sugar.
Carbohydrates fuel the body. They’re the main energy source for working muscles and also help the body use fat more efficiently. Some carbohydrates release energy quickly, while others give a slow, steady stream of energy.
Training for a marathon burns a lot of calories and carbohydrates account for around three-quarters of those calories. Carbohydrates are stored in the liver as glycogen, but the body can store only a small amount, so a diet high in carbohydrates is essential for marathon training.
Drawing up an eating plan
|Breakfast: If you run early in the morning, take some fluids and a piece of fruit such as a banana around 45 minutes before setting off because the energy afforded by the snack will make the session more satisfying and effective. When you return, remember to replenish your carbohydrate stock, perhaps with some bread or toast before beginning the daily routine.|
|Lunch: A light lunch, supplemented by some fruit and water, is an ideal way to ensure that your appetite is satisfied. Do not be tempted to skip any meal time because, one, it is healthy to eat and, two, hunger pangs almost inevitably end in snacking, usually on the wrong types of food.
Snacks: Snacks such as fruit and juice are to be encouraged, but they should be included as part of a regime that includes three meals a day.
|Evening Meal: The evening meal should be taken as early as possible, because the body requires time to digest, and heading off to bed less than an hour after eating will both impair digestion and the chances of getting a good night’s sleep. Both red and white meat have their part to play but ensure they are trimmed of fat and grilled rather than fried.|
If possible keep the same exercise and eating routine at the weekend as the rest of the week because it allows the body to settle into a rhythm that will benefit both general health and running development.
The importance of nutrition & hydration
Nutrition: Good nutrition can help you get the most from your training. Eating a healthy diet can help you compete for longer; it can also help you focus and concentrate. A good diet can give you more energy, help you compete at your best, and help you recover from training.
Hydration: In general, we need to drink about 2 litres of fluid a day to be properly hydrated. However, it’s likely that exercise will increase our fluid needs. The more you sweat, the more you need to drink to replace the lost fluid.
The fitter you are, the more effectively you keep your body cool – so the more you sweat. If you keep exercising without replacing the fluid, you will become increasingly dehydrated. You will no longer be able to keep your body cool, your temperature will rise, you will feel light-headed and nauseous and ultimately get fatigue or heatstroke. The only way to prevent this is to start off well hydrated and stay that way!
Before exercising– Always start every exercise session well hydrated. Drink 300-500ml of fluid in the 15 minutes prior to your workout.
During exercise – Aim to drink 150-250ml every 15 minutes to offset fluid losses – drinking smaller volumes more frequently minimises stomach discomfort. Remember, the more you sweat – the more you need to drink.
After exercise – How much fluid you need depends on how much you lost, but you’ll probably need at least 500ml.
This post is also available in: Welsh