Day-to-day Nutrition for Runners
Nutrition can be really confusing sometimes - from TikTok trends to misinformation spread by well-meaning friends, it can be difficult to figure out what to eat to best support your running activities. Basic nutrition is composed of three main nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, each of which serve an important role in your day to day nutrition.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are your body and brain’s primary fuel source. There are two main types of carbohydrates, complex and simple, both of which play a role in sports nutrition. Think of simple carbohydrates as a single molecule - quick-acting and easy to digest. Examples of these simple carbs include candy, cookies, juice, white grain products, and honey. Conversely, complex carbohydrates are multiple molecules linked together, thus taking longer to digest and providing a longer, slower, sustained release of energy. Examples include whole grain products (bread, crackers, pasta), fruits (especially those with a peel or skin), beans and legumes, and Russet or sweet potatoes. Complex carbohydrates generally have more fiber than simple carbohydrates.
When thinking about daily nutrition needs, include sources of complex carbohydrates at meals. These carbs help to provide energy during the day and fiber will help to keep you full. Whole grains are excellent sources of B vitamins, which are involved in metabolism and energy production. Fruits provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and potassium.
While fiber does a great job of helping with fullness, we don’t want to eat too much fiber close to a run as this may cause gastrointestinal issues (e.g. nausea, problems with bowels). Simple carbohydrates play an excellent role in pre-run and during run nutrition as they are easy to digest and give your body the quick burst of energy that it needs. Carbohydrates are a runner’s best friend during exercise - they are the primary fuel during aerobic exercise. Carbohydrates after exercise also help to refuel glycogen stores, a storage form of carbohydrates in the body. See the “Pre-Run Nutrition” and “During Run” nutrition sections for more information!
Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient that aids in muscle protein synthesis, which is creating new muscle mass and maintaining the existing musculature. Protein also plays a role in the structure of enzymes (help to break down substances in the body) and hormones. Not all proteins are created equal - when choosing protein, seek high quality proteins that have all amino acids, are readily digested, and contain leucine (an amino acid that triggers muscle protein synthesis). Good sources of protein include poultry (chicken, turkey), fish, seafood, eggs, pork and beef, and dairy (milk). Soy is also a good source of protein, which includes tofu and edamame.
Endurance athletes generally need 1.2-2 grams per kilogram of body weight (or 0.55-0.9 grams per pound of body weight) of protein per day. It is best to spread protein intake out throughout the day, rather than trying to concentrate it in one or two meals. Aiming for at least 20 grams of protein during each meal will help to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Ever hear that you must consume protein within one hour after exercise or else your muscles can’t use it? There is little support in research studies for the “anabolic window,” as your muscles can respond to protein for up to 24 hours following a training session. It is more important to eat enough protein and spread it out throughout the day for the best effects on musculature. That being said, after an exercise session (whether a run or strength training session), try to eat some protein as soon as possible after exercise, and then space out protein consistently throughout the remainder of the day, perhaps every 3 to 4 hours.
Fats
Fat is the third micronutrient. While it can be used as a fuel source for prolonged, slower exercise, it plays other important roles in the body. Fats play a role in energy storage in the body, protecting organs, managing cholesterol levels, helping to absorb certain types of vitamins, and reducing inflammation (omega-3 fatty acids). Generally, it is better to include sources of unsaturated fats at meals rather than saturated fats. Unsaturated fats include olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, or flax seeds. Saturated fats are found in high concentrations in whole fat dairy products, desserts/cakes, and fatty cuts of meat (e.g. beef, sausage, bacon).
Athlete’s Plate/Portions
How much am I supposed to eat? Generally, you can follow the athlete’s plate. This visual helps to show how to eat on a daily basis. As frequency and/or quantity of activity intensifies, the more carbohydrates an endurance athlete needs. Generally, an “easy” training day would be a low intensity workout (e.g. stretching) or several days with minimal activity. This plate would be composed of 50% fruits and vegetables, 25% carbohydrates (at least 1 cup of carbohydrates), and 25% of lean protein.
Images from United States Olympic Committee Sport Dietitians and the University of Colorado (UCCS) Sport Nutrition Graduate Program (https://www.usopc.org/nutrition)
A “moderate” training day would be any type of run lasting about 60 minutes or a shorter speed work session. If you are an endurance runner, this plate can generally be used as your “day-to-day” plate and you can scale up or down depending on mileage and workouts. This plate has more carbohydrates and less fruits/vegetables than the easy plate.
Images from United States Olympic Committee Sport Dietitians and the University of Colorado (UCCS) Sport Nutrition Graduate Program (https://www.usopc.org/nutrition)
Finally, a “hard” training day would be a run lasting >90 minutes or a long speed work session. This plate is composed of 50% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 25% fruits and vegetables.
Images from United States Olympic Committee Sport Dietitians and the University of Colorado (UCCS) Sport Nutrition Graduate Program (https://www.usopc.org/nutrition)
Notice that carbohydrates are the main nutrient that we are manipulating. As the intensity of an exercise increases, the more carbohydrates you are using. As endurance runners, our primary fuel source is carbohydrates, so we want to adjust this accordingly to make sure that we are replenishing glycogen stores and maintaining blood glucose.
Fluids
Fluid intake is highly individualized. Generally, women need about 74 fluid ounces and men need 101 fluid ounces per day (Dietary Reference Intake based on drinking beverages alone) for baseline maintenance needs. Water is the best beverage, but any fluid counts (e.g. tea, juice, etc.). Sodium and electrolyte needs are also individualized. An athlete needs to replace fluid losses after exercising. If someone is a heavy, salty sweater, they may need much more fluid and sodium after a run than someone who does not sweat very much.
Snacks
Snacks are important to ensure adequate energy balance throughout the day. Generally, try to pair carbohydrates with protein in order to have well-balanced snacks. It can be helpful to eat every few hours in order to ensure you are fueling your body adequately. A few examples of snacks are: carrots with hummus, cottage cheese with fruit, whole wheat crackers with two cheese sticks, 2 hard boiled eggs and fruit, or berries with a Greek yogurt.
**Need more individualized care? Work with a Registered Sports Dietitian to develop a fueling plan that works for you**