Fueling your Run
Being a runner, a dietitian, and a doctor, I get asked questions about nutrition and running not infrequently.
What am I supposed to eat?
Honestly, the “diet” for runners is basically the same general healthy diet for the average person on the street. The sport of running is broad, so it’s hard to make a blanket statement for the sport as a whole.
To be well, you need to nourish your body with healthful foods that will allow your muscles to repair damaged cells, combat inflammation, and help the body to mobilize the energy it needs during a run or race. This can be accomplished by a general healthy diet, which is basically a Mediteranean diet.
The following items are essential for your health and for the body’s ability to recover post-run:
Healthy proteins: Protein is essential for repairing muscle. Every run you do results in some muscle breakdown, followed by repair. Lean protein includes foods such as fish, chicken, beans, and nuts. Fish and nuts have fat in them, but they are a healthy fat that is essential for brain health and cell repair. Remember, the 1990s are gone, and fat is no longer the ultimate enemy. To estimate your protein needs, take your weight and divide it by 2. That is how many grams you need a day as a runner.
Complex carbohydrates: The heartier and nuttier, the better. Whenever you choose a grain, ask yourself, “Does this resemble its original form in some way? Or is it ultra-processed to a perfectly white and uniform consistency?” You should reflect on how long it takes you to chew it. Fiber is essential for gut health (which influences your immune system), and fibrous foods require more chewing. There are also more nutrients in the grain pre-processing, so the less processed, the healthier.
Vegetables: Load up on all the vegetables. Anything you like. Half of your plate should be vegetables for optimal health. Vegetables are loaded with fiber, water, and tons of vitamins and minerals. They also include things called “phytochemicals” that have been found to have anti-inflammatory and health properties. Aim to eat vegetables at every meal - even breakfast. I promise, you can do it.
Fruit: Fruit gets a lot of flack, but I promise it’s healthy. Yes, it’s a carb. Yes, it’s basically sugar. But, hear me out. We need sugar for health. Over half of our intake should be from carbs, and all carbs are broken into sugar. But macros aren’t just macros. You need to look at the WHOLE picture here. Whole fruit has extra vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber. When we eat fruit, we get tons of other health benefits that we wouldn’t get from fruit juice, candy, or soda. Berries are one of the best fruits, as their total sugar content is a little lower, and they are jam-packed with nutrients. Try to have 2-3 servings of fruit a day. Consider using fruit as a dessert or treat.
Water: Need I say more? Drink mainly water - all the time and lots of it! Avoid sugary drinks. And remember, juice = soda, so please reserve it only for post-race fluids.
Pre/During/Post Run Nutrition
This topic varies widely depending on the person and the distance. My general rule of thumb is as follows:
Pre-Run
You don’t need to eat before a short run. Some people run better when they are fasting. Each person’s ability to perform while fasting is different, and you need to see what works for you. I personally can fast for up to a 5 mile run. If you aren’t a faster, my rule of thumb is 15 gram of carbohydrate 30 minutes before a run, for every 30-45 minutes of running.
During Run
You don’t need nutrition during a training run, until you get to about the 90 minute mark. I usually don’t fuel during a run, unless it will be over 2 hours long. But, if it will be over 2 hours, I start fueling at 90 minutes. It takes about 15-30 minutes for the body to get the benefit of what is consumed. Simple sugars are essential, as you don’t want to have to shunt blood flow to your stomach to digest food if you don’t need to. This is where gu, juice, and gatorade come into play. 15 gram of carbohydrate for every 30-45 minutes usually works great.
For a race, you may want to fuel more frequently, since you’re running harder than a training run. I typically fuel mid-race (mile 7 of a half marathon, for example) to ensure I have the energy I need to finish the race. It will kick in around mile 9-10, to give me that boost to finish strong.
Post-Run
This is probably the most controversial category of fueling with running. Everyone has their own 2 cents, so do what works well for you. For short runs, don’t worry about it much. For medium runs, try to consume 15 gram of carbohydrate within 30-60 minutes of the run, and 30 gram of carbohydrate with some protein within 2 hours of the run. If you do a long run or a hard run (like a race), you want to consume 15-30 gram of carbohydrate within the first 30-60 minute after the run. Then, you want to fuel with 30-60 gram of carbohydrate and at least 10 gram of protein within 2 hours of your run.
But I’m hungry ALL the time!
Running is not for weight loss. Sure, you’ll probably lose weight or be better able to maintain your weight if you run, but that’s not the GOAL of being a runner. The goal is to participate in a sport you love, and enjoy it while you’re doing it. If you fuel yourself to perform well, you will enjoy the sport SO much more than if you’re withholding the nutrition your body needs.
A goal of weight loss will be short-lived. You’ll get tired, hungry, irritable, and give up. It’s just a fact. The studies show long-term weight loss is unlikely to be sustained for the majority of the population. Running is a life-long activity that can help you achieve optimal health. It also helps with sleep, mood, and energy level. The health benefits are vast, and I urge you to consider WHY you’re running to help guide your choices and help find sustainable motivation along the way.
If you’re hungry all the time, you need to eat more. If you fuel your body with the nutritious items above, you’ll be fine. I promise. Your health is not determined by an arbitrary weight. You’ll feel great, perform optimally, and settle in at YOUR body’s ideal weight. I am an advocate for intuitive and mindful eating. You can read more about that here on my blog.
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Lynn Stiff is a dietitian turned family medicine physician on a mission to empower individuals to implement realistic and sustainable diet and lifestyle choices to prevent, treat and reverse disease. She is passionate about demystifying nutrition, addressing weight bias, and moving past diet culture to achieve complete wellness. She believes health can be attained by all regardless of size and past choices. She works full-time as a physician and started her online education platform, Nutrition Health Life LLC, in September 2019. When she’s not working on her passions, you can find her enjoying the beautiful state of Colorado with her husband and 3 spunky and sweet children, ages 1-5. She is an avid runner, hiker, home DIYer and brewery explorer. She can be reached at this link: https://nutritionhealthlife.com/lets-get-in-touch/
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