Looking for more energy when running? See what to take into account at mealtimes and learn about the ideal type of food to benefit your running performance.
This is an important issue, since not eating properly can cause weakness, dizziness, headaches and other discomforts that can harm your health, performance and also discourage you from continuing to run.
Remember the importance of consulting a nutritionist and having a personal trainer or physical educator helping your training routine, so it will be easier to get good results without taking risks.
Finally, our body can use three types of food that act as fuel to carry out daily activities: fats, carbohydrates and proteins .
Of these three, carbohydrates are the ones that have many important functions for our organism and, mainly, related to energy.
Runners see carbohydrates as the main item in a diet for running training, in addition, cyclists, swimmers and triathletes follow the same reasoning.
Are all types of carbohydrates allowed?
No! We will explain, below, which carbohydrate is ideal to be part of your list of foods to eat before running.
Which carbohydrate is ideal to eat before running?
Foods known as complex carbohydrates are the best to be ingested before running, because they have a low or moderate glycemic index and a more complex chemical formation that makes the digestive process difficult, causing the blood glucose level to rise gradually.
This means that food energy is more evenly and steadily delivered to the body as you run.
However, it is necessary to pay attention to one detail: the complex carbohydrate takes some time to start providing energy to the body, for this reason,A minimum of two hours before the race, it should be consumed.
Below, we have prepared a list with some examples of what to eat to give you energy before running:
greens and vegetables
Lettuce, spinach, cabbage, zucchini, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes , yams, cauliflower, eggplant, onions and broccoli;
fruits
Apple, banana, pear, plum, strawberry, orange and kiwi;
flours and grains
Buckwheat, oatmeal, brown rice, soy, etc;
Others
It can also include crackers, oat bread, whole grain pasta, low-fat yogurt, skimmed milk, couscous and popcorn.
Eating these foods won’t be a problem if your run takes place in the afternoon or evening. But for those who run early or find it difficult to get up in time for a meal, what to do?
Keep with us we have an alternative!
What to eat before leaving early for a run?
Those who run in the morning need foods that immediately generate energy, so the ideal is to have a mixed meal, with complex and simple carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates will generate immediate energy, while complex carbohydrates will work to maintain training, gradually delivering the fuel your body needs to continue running long distances .
The simple ones are the most popular, such as these examples: white and French breads and bakery in general, cereals, non-wholemeal pasta, fruit juice, chocolate, non-wholemeal biscuits and yogurt.
When running early, another alternative may be to opt for the use of isotonics during physical activity . They are known as sports drinks, designed exactly to provide a great charge of energy, as they have a high glycemic and carbohydrate index in their composition.
But remember, each case and each body has a need. Even with all this information, consultation with a nutritionist is essential .
Only by analyzing your body individually will it be possible to know which foods you will need to have enough energy to run effectively.