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Power Foods for Runners

in the category: Fitness

You probably intuitively know that cheeseburgers and buffalo wings are not best fuel for running. But what is? Paul "Crazy Legs" Stofko shares food and nutrition insight to help you stock a world-class pantry.

This post has been provided by Paul "Crazy Legs" Stofko, a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Running Coach and marathon/ultrarunner with degrees in Exercise Science and Nutrition. Check out our interview with Paul for background and contact information.

The Importance of Nutrition

Fatigue, fainting, and declining performance can often be traced to an insufficient or faulty diet. So can increased susceptibility to illness and certain chronic injuries such as stress fractures. I will be honest: you’re not going to eat your way to success. Success results mainly from consistent, hard, smart training. On the other hand, all that training can be undermined—easily—if you don’t give your body the fuel it needs.

Power Foods

• Complex carbohydrates: Whole-grain cereals, potatoes, rice beans, breads, fruit, vegetables, pasta. The less processed the better, so more nutrients will come along for the ride.
• Lean red meat: Excellent source of protein as well as iron, which runners need to avoid anemia. All runners lose iron during hard training.
• Fish, poultry: Good source of protein, which runners need to build muscle during hard training.
• Dairy products: Great source of calcium, needed to build strong bones. Focus on low-fat dairy products as much as possible.
• Nuts, avocados: The fat in these foods can provide needed calories without the long-term health problems associated with animal fats.
• Bananas, orange juice: Good for carbohydrates and rich in potassium, which helps runners avoid muscle cramps.
• Sport drinks: These are handy sources of carbohydrates, electrolytes, and fluids. Runners should begin replacing glycogen (muscle fuel) as soon as possible after a workout, and sport drinks can begin this process. In addition, in hot weather runners can lose 4 pounds of fluids an hour, and speedy replacement is absolutely crucial.

Runners need to pay attention to getting enough calories, spreading food intake evenly throughout the day, and eating the right kinds of foods. The right foods mean a varied diet, decreasing the amount of fat found in the typical American diet and replacing those calories with carbohydrates. Avoid saturated fats, such as those found in fried foods, and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Low-fat dairy products are important as a source of calcium, a lean red meat provided much-needed iron.

Consult with a physician and/or fitness expert before beginning or altering your training program. Please review the Terms of Service for more information.

Photo courtesy of PPDigital and avlxyz at Flickr

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