Below, you’ll see that we prompt our athletes to limit high blood glucose carbohydrates before some of their long, easy runs. Supporting this, a study highlighted here underscores the importance of carbohydrates in unimeal reviews complaints fueling and recovering from high-intensity workouts. You can see a sample workout below from our half marathon training plans, where we prompt our athletes to take carbohydrates before intense running workouts. While the Runner’s diet prioritizes lean protein and healthy sources of carbohydrates, it is important not to cut out all fats.

The Truth Behind ‘Runners High’ and Other Mental Benefits of Running

This meal plan for runners is organized by breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The day-by-day breakdown includes balanced meals of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, fat and color. A runner’s diet is all about eating the right foods, at the right times so you have plenty of energy to fuel your runs and nutrients to improve recovery. Pushing on hard days and not being so worn out you can’t do the next run. Good post-run meal options include a protein shake with fruit‚ Greek yogurt with granola and berries‚ or a chicken breast with sweet potato. Prioritize easily digestible foods to facilitate faster recovery.

Who Should Not Follow The Runner’s Diet Plan

• This guide is your no-BS breakdown of how macros work for runners.
• Otherwise, you shouldn’t do a runner’s diet if you live a lethargic lifestyle, are a bodybuilder/weightlifter, or don’t run enough to burn thousands of calories daily.
• We’re never leaving you hanging with doubts, queries, as well as confusing questions.
• The type of food you eat can have a direct impact on your race performance.
• It means making the right dietary choices—before, during, and after runs and workouts.
• The rise in popularity of plant-based milks, which don’t contain any iodine, can be a factor here.

The fact that incomplete proteins are incomplete does not imply that they are inferior. Nor does it imply that a plant-based diet cannot provide adequate complete proteins. These are the compounds that our bodies require but do not produce themselves. You can definitely be a vegan runner, but you need to do the proper planning to not only hit your calorie goals, but the amount of protein needed to ensure you maintain muscle.

Rest Day Meals

Let’s discuss some tips on adjusting portion sizes and macronutrient ratios based on the runner’s goals, training intensity, or dietary preferences. Dietary fat is just as important as carbohydrates and protein because it is used for sustained energy on long runs in addition to nutrient absorption and hormone production. That is why you see runners carrying around gels, gu’s waffles, and sports beverages with sugar on long runs in addition to carbohydrate loading days before. Most runners will produce between 400ml and 2,400ml of sweat per hour of exercise. The average is around 1,200ml per hour, although this varies depending on factors like your age, sex and weight, as well as the intensity of your training and the temperature. While you lose mostly water through sweat, you also lose electrolytes – mainly sodium.

Foods to eat

There are a lot of fad diets out there that limit, if not eliminate, carbs entirely from your diet. Still, speedwork and overall performance will not be optimal as energy from sugars is needed by most to perform well. That’s where electrolyte tablets and hydration products come in. They’re designed to restore balance throughout the day and prevent the common side effects of depletion, such as dizziness, fatigue, or muscle cramps.

Sample Day:

They’re fat-soluble, which means if there’s no fat in your meal, you’re not absorbing them properly. But even if you miss that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieting magic window, don’t panic—your total daily intake matters most. Perfect for smoothies, oatmeal, or just shaking it up with water on the go. Don’t rely on powders alone—whole food still wins—but they’re clutch when time’s tight. Your muscles can only take in so much protein at once (roughly 20–30g per meal).

What to Eat Before You Run a Race, According to Experts

Running is an excellent form of exercise for weight loss or overall fitness—especially when paired with a well-rounded routine that includes strength training and proper recovery. Remember to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity, frequency and duration of your runs as your fitness improves. Pair these running plans with a healthy, well-balanced diet, and you’ll be well on your way to seeing lasting results. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for runners‚ crucial for powering workouts and races. Aim for 55-65% of your daily calories from carbs‚ especially if running 25+ miles weekly.

Day 3: Evening Interval Workout

They have a unique mixture of carbohydrates, nutrients, and antioxidants that may provide good nutritional support during prolonged and intensive exercise (38). Apart from that, you may also try some tips, such as trying tempo runs, to increase stamina for running. Adequate intake of healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, and olive oil can help reduce inflammation in the body (9). Inflammation can lead to injury and delay recovery, so reducing it can help runners recover faster and perform better (17), (18).

6 The Long-Term Vision: Sustainability and Lifelong Fitness

A well-balanced 7-day runner’s meal plan supports energy, recovery, and endurance, with pre- and post-run nutrition tailored to training intensity. This is why proper nutrition is so important when starting a running program. It’s also important to include plenty of healthy fats and colorful fruits and vegetables, which are chock-full of antioxidants and other nutrients that help to support recovery.

Late Night Snacks

Add one extra protein-rich snack a day for a week—see how you feel. Every time your feet hit the ground, you’re doing micro-damage to your muscles. But you need protein—amino acids—to stitch those fibers back together, stronger than before. Whether you’re running 10 miles a week or gearing up for a marathon, the amount of carbs you need depends on how much you’re training, how hard you’re pushing, and what your goals are.

Hydrate With Water and Electrolytes

Examples include half a banana, a few dates or dried apricots, or a few bites of oatmeal or toast. For example, let’s say your daily caloric needs based on your basal metabolic rate and general activity level are 1800 kcals. Find what works best for you, but don’t be afraid to play around with different options and meal-timing configurations. There would now be huge costs in procuring energy quickly – here and now. On the one hand, the energy you get available during cleavage is many times less than during combustion, and on the other hand, lactate is formed.

Find out which meals you can indulge in and should stay away from in the following section. Vitamins and minerals like iron and calcium are essential for runners as they deliver oxygen to cells and boost bone health, respectively (10), (11). Eating a complete yet light breakfast or small meal is ideal for long runs and races, as long as you can eat it within a sufficient timeframe to allow for digestion.