The Athlete's Kitchen - Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
For runners who want to optimize their nutrition with a sustainable plan, I offer these suggestions:
- Evenly distribute your calories throughout the day. Most female runners need about 2.400 to 2,800 calories a day; male runners may need 2,800 to 3,600 calories a day. This number varies according to how much you weigh, how fidgety you are, and how much you exercise. That's why meeting with a professional sports dietitian can help you determine a reliable estimate. To find a local sports dietitian, use the referral network at www.scandpg.org
- Most "bad" food decisions happen at night, after your body has been underfueled during the day. If you are "starving" before dinner, add a second lunch to curb your evening (over)eating. You will easily save your self from a lot of junk food at night. Trust me.
- If your body requires 2,400 to 2,800 calories per day, this divides into 4 food buckets with about 600 to 700 calories every four hours. For example: 7:00 a.m., breakfast; 11:00, early lunch; 3:00 p.m., later lunch; and 7:00, dinner. (Adjust the times to suit your schedule and divide the calories, if desired, into smaller snacks within that 4-hour window.
- Your breakfast food-bucket should be the same size as your dinner bucket; this likely means you'll be eating a smaller dinner and a bigger breakfast. If you train in the morning, you may want to eat part of your breakfast calories before you run and the rest afterwards.
- Include in each food bucket at least three, preferably four, of these types of foods:
- Grain-based foods (about 150-250 calories/bucket), to fuel your muscles. Easy whole grains: whole wheat bread, oatmeal, and baked corn chips.
- Protein-based foods (about 250 calories/bucket), to build and repair your muscles. Easy ready-made options include rotisserie chicken, deli turkey, hummus, tuna pouches, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, and nuts.
- Fruits and veggies (about 100-200 calories/bucket) for vitamins and minerals. Choose a variety of colorful fruits: strawberries, cherries, oranges, peaches, bananas, and blueberries. Also choose colorful veggies: dark green broccoli, peppers, spinach; orange carrots, sweet potato; red tomato, etc.
- Dairy/calcium-rich foods (about 100 calories/bucket) for bones and maintaining low blood pressure: Lowfat milk, (Greek) yogurt, cheese; soy alternatives—but please not rice or almond milk. They are equivalent to juice (not milk) with very little protein or nutritional merit.
By filling up on quality foods at breakfast, lunch #1, and Lunch #2, you will crave less "junk food" at night and may not even miss it. Your diet will easily rise to the next level, no sweat.
Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD has a private practice in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875), where she helps both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes create winning food plans. Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook, and Food Guide for Marathoners, as well as teaching materials, are available at NancyClarkRD.com. For online and live workshops, visit www.NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.
© 2016 Savvy Runner Inc.
Bennett Cohen and Gail Gould are the Founders and Presidents of the International Association of Women Runners. For access to resources to help you reach your goals for running and racing, visit www.IAWR-Connect.com..
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