Kathy finishes her long run, bolts through the door making a beeline for the blender, oblivious to the sweat trail forming through the kitchen.
She must chug her Green Smoothie in 30 minutes or the whole run will be a complete and utter waste.
Sometimes that’s how nutrition for runners feels…a little insane, too many must’s and should’s, not enough “how the heck do I actually make this work and WHY?!”
Luckily, you should know me by now, and you know I’m going to exhaust everything until I find the answers to these questions.
I like simplicity. I love habits and I go absolutely gaga over researching things.
So over the last couple of years, I’ve been diving into learning more about what actually matters and what nutrition tips are important. I’ve put together a list from that research – and here is a massive round up for you to pick and choose the things that will make the biggest impact for you!
Let’s start at the logical place, the beginning.
Find out what sports nutrition actually means and who should you work with? One of the key things you’ll learn here is what all those letters behind their names mean and that your personal trainer shouldn’t be your nutritionist!!
As a running coach, I can share little tips of what’s worked for me like using dried pineapple for a running fuel because it actually helps prevent digestive issues. BUT I can only share based on my experiences, not based in science or lots of schooling like a dietitian!
Once you’ve read that and have the basics, it’s time to move on to the areas that interest you the most! I’ve broken them down by topic to help answer the questions of what should runners eat.
Perfecting Food Timing
Do you actually need to force down food immediately post run??
It depends on your goals. You’ll hear me say that a lot, but I truly believe that no two people are alike and what works for you may not always work for someone else.
You can indeed achieve good recovery and muscle gains without immediate food, but many find that if they wait to get protein/carbs they become ravenous throughout that day or the next, turning to less optimal choices.
Read more on managing hunger for distance running >>
Other tips to help you find the right foods at the right time:
- Best Post Run Meals for Recovery
- Best Pre-Workout Snacks
- Should You Do Fasted Runs?
- How Does Intermittent Fasting Work for Runners?
- What to Eat Before a Race?
- Using Whole Foods on Long Runs
- 7 Carbo-Loading Mistakes to Avoid
- Learning to Hydrate Just Right
- Understanding Macros for Runners
Dietary Perfection
There’s only one thing that I dislike about Instagram and it’s the promotion of “perfect diets” that you see everywhere. Six pack ab wearing ladies are talking nutrition and how eating only beans is the world’s best choice, while another says she eats a whole buffalo each day.
Exaggeration, maybe. You’ve seen it too though, right?
What foods can make you run faster?
The truth is, there are some basic principles from every single diet plan out there that will help us feel better, recover faster, and train harder, like eat more vegetables and less processed food.
Beyond that, the “perfect diet” is one that works for your body and indeed it may not be what works for your significant other, your running buddy, or your annoying cubicle mate. For example, greek yogurt is a fantastic snack, unless like me you’ve figured our dairy is an issue!
Whether you’re looking for diet for marathon training for beginners or how to eat to crack your PR, you’ll find one filled with high density nutrition is key.
You have to figure out what diet and food is best for you and not worry about if it works for someone else!
Below are additional sports nutrition articles to help guide your choices:
- How Many Calories to Runners Really Need?
- Should We Stop Counting Calories?
- Is a High Fat Diet Better for Runners?
- How to Go Plant Based as a Runner
- Why Food Sensitives Might Cause Your Fatigue
- 3 Different Meal Planning Methods for Food Success
- Can Protein Timing Reduce Body Fat?
- Does IIFYM Work for Runners?
- Can Intermittent Fasting curb Carb Cravings?
- 3 Common Nutrition Mistakes of Runners
- How to Stock a Healthy Runner’s Pantry
Supplementing Whole Foods
Too often we skip the “eat well, live well” thing and jump right into taking supplements instead because of the quick gains that are promised.
Instant energy.
Better muscles.
Recovery faster than Usain Bolt.
^You’ve seen that before, right?
The keyword there is “quick” for a reason. As quickly as you can gain something, you can just as quickly lose it as well once you stop. Finding balance with food that is sustainable for a long time is more important than anything.
Of course there is a place for supplements, especially because distance runners deplete their bodies in a way that would require eating pounds and pounds of greens daily to fully recover. BUT if you don’t have the food right, you’re only getting a fraction of the benefits. Remember that food is THE most important thing, then the supplements can follow.
When it comes to supplements, I’m picky and you should be too. We should always be picky about everything we put into our bodies.
Read a little bit more below to learn why it’s important to do your supplement research before just picking out something random you’ve seen work for someone else.
- What Vitamins Runners Need?
- Can a Pre-workout Supplement Help?
- What’s the Best Protein Powder for Women?
- Best Plant Based Sources of Iron to Prevent Iron Deficiency
- Preventing Stress Fractures with Sports Nutrition
- Electrolytes – what are they and why you need them
- Magnesium for Body Composition, Performance, Cramps and Calm!
- Why Runners Benefit from some Supplements and What I take
I feel like a record on repeat with this phrase lately, but it remains true which is why I always go back to it…
- If it feels overwhelming, you’re trying to do too much.
- Pick one area to begin with and make the change! Take it slow, make it simple.
- Once it sticks, start focusing on the next area that matters.
Suddenly you’ll find without a whole lot of effort or angst, you’re eating more veggies or drinking more water, or whatever your goals were…don’t make it overly complicated. You want to do something that you know is going to stick around long term.
Now with that said the real question remains – what are you going to do?
What area of your nutrition do you need to improve?
How often do you use supplements in your training?
Other ways to connect with Amanda
Instagram Daily Fun: RunToTheFinish
Facebook Community Chatter: RunToTheFinish
Get more running tips: Pinterest
Some really great resources here, but my very favorite thing you said is at the very end: “Pick 1 area and make the change. Once it sticks, start focusing on the next area that matters.” YES, Yes, a million times yes!! I work with so many people who are in a rush to make sweeping changes, but it doesn’t work as well that way. Small changes that you practice 1 at a time make the BIGGEST impact!!
Such good tips! Finding that balance is the key to getting in some great runs. I’ve never tried dried pineapple for runs… but now i”m totally craving it.
Totally agree that your trainer should NOT be your dietitian! And that there’s absolutely no such thing as a ‘perfect’ diet!
So much great information here! Thanks for sharing!
So many great tips and good info! I know my head was spinning when I was researching nutrition for my husband with his first marathon and than almost threw in the towel when things weren’t working. Doing the research on the perfect fuel and it didn’t work for him . I got the pre and post down and at times felt like I was watching the clock and taking care of an infant with it all and while it wasn’t my body that was the hardest as knowing how it was working.
Love this post, Amanda!! The supplement discussion gets so interesting. I am definitely someone who will take a ton of different vitamins and minerals and herbs supplementa each and every day. It’s so easy to get carried away with all the different products that are on the market. I feel like I really have to remind myself less is more sometimes.
I definitely need to work on the timing of food that I eat before and after workouts, and cutting down further on sugar. I can really see and feel the effects!
This is such an informative article, thank you for such a great resource! I love what you have to say about food timing, so important!
This is definitely one area I wish were so much simpler. I really try to MAKE it simple, but it just isn’t. I’m working with a great RD right now and making some small changes. One day at a time, right? So many great resources here and (as usual) you are right on about so many key pieces to endurance training and nutrition. Now, can someone hire me a personal chef? 🙂
I’ve always said if I were rich the one thing I really want is a personal chef! Not a fancy car or a maid, just someone to make food!
I totally agree about the social media culture….ALL women are different and have different nutritional needs! When I was training for a marathon I HAD to eat breakfast and wait an hour or two then run…because I couldn’t eat anything while I was running or I would throw up!! I had to find the right way to stay fueled, but it was totally different than what most people would say!
I’d say my nutrition is pretty decent BUT the one area I need to improve on (well 2) is sticking to a serving size and avoiding sweet treats. I have a crazy sweet tooth, and I know if I continue eating like I have been after this marathon, I’m def gonna gain weight!
Yup the sweet treats are 100% my issue too!!
Yes, what a great resource! I appreciate your simple, non-fad-diet approach to sports nutrition. I agree so much that a personal trainer shouldn’t be one’s nutritionist. I’ve had runners come to me telling me that they don’t eat carbs because their personal trainer told them so. An area I need to work on is eating more fish!
Thanks for writing this! Sometimes I feel like I get so caught up in what I should be doing that I completely shut down and make bad nutrition choices because it’s easier.