What do runners eat?

durhamity
durhamity Posts: 174 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I seriously want to know. I use to run in college... back when I had a great metabolism, was a lot younger, slimmer, and I could eat whatever I wanted and still run easily... yeah,well, those days are over!

I have decided that I want to become a runner again, however I can tell that all the junk I am eating is causing me to feel a little sluggish. (Sorry, NO you cannot look at my food diary, because 1. I am very inconsistant. some days I eat very well and others are terrible, and 2. I haven't really been keeping a very accurate account, some days not even logging in at all.)

I have signed up for a 5k run as my motivation, but I seriously need to eat better. I have been so confused by all the information out there and have tried just about every one of those diets with no long term success :grumble:

Any nutritional advice and/or running tips would be greatly appreciated! :heart:

Replies

  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
    I have three actual goals with my food diary:

    Keep my sodium under 2250 (often fail)

    Get at least 10% of my calories from protein (Greek Yogurt)

    Have at least one beer daily, on average, but not more than 3 except occasionally. Sometimes wine or Scotch will substitute.

    Beyond my food diary, I try to avoid foods with High Fructose Corn Syrup.

    Before and during a run, consuming glucose (corn syrup, dextrose) can improve your performance.

    Get sleep.
  • durhamity
    durhamity Posts: 174 Member
    Thanks, Sounds simple, not overly complicated... I like simple. :smile:
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    A higher carb intake
  • SwannySez
    SwannySez Posts: 5,860 Member
    Other runners.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    The current issue of Runner's World magazine is dedicated to this topic. It's well worth even the single copy price (though I think it's only $12 a year to subscribe).
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Whatever they want (I wish :wink: )

    I try to just eat a good balanced diet; lean proteins, whole grains, lots of fruits & veg. (I haven't read my current issue of Runners World - it arrived yesterday - but they also have lots of great nutritional information for free on their website www.runnersworld.com)

    The only time I do anything different is I'll go a little heavier on the carbs the day before my long run but even then I doubt it would be considered carb loading.
  • durhamity
    durhamity Posts: 174 Member
    Other runners.

    awesome!! lol
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    Other runners.

    Bwhahaha. Funny.

    But seriously. I eat carbs, lots of fruits and veggies, lean proteins like chicken, ground turkey, sometimes red meat. I eat all the stuff you eat, too, I'm sure :)
  • Quickster34
    Quickster34 Posts: 209 Member
    When I ran in College i ate everything and anything and life was great but i was also sprinting 5-6 days a week and lifting 3 x a week, I have been getting back to sprint shape slowly.. Im lifting 4x a week and running 5 , doing my old sprint workouts starting from the beginning of the season. now i eat 5-6 times a day, have a protein , carb and fat in each meal, mainly consisting of, chicken , steak, eggs, tuna, powder for proteins, sweet potatos and rice for carbs, lots of broccolli , cauliflower, carrots, and for fats nuts, peanut butter, flax oil etc. Im also working on cutting down/out alcohal like i did in college but its proving more difficult these days hah
    good luck!
  • Jenn728
    Jenn728 Posts: 683 Member
    Other runners.

    definitely helps me!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I remember in science class in high school, looking at some protozoa under the microscope that's entire life was just constantly shoveling food into it's mouth.

    That's about what I'm like.
  • RNmomto4
    RNmomto4 Posts: 143
    I try to avoid processed foods...I used to live on frozen "healthy" TV dinners at work...I try to do extra protein now.
    I do lots of veggies, fruits, and I have cut out meat.
    Meat made me feel icky for some reason...not that I am strictly against it, it just helped me lose faster.
    I have switched from skim milk to almond milk.
    I do a sweet potato with a salad or other veggie for a lot of meals.
    Rice with veggies
    Greek yogurt and almonds for a snack

    Not sure if these are "runners" foods LOL
    But I feel heatlhier and I am running my first 10k and making lots of great progress by eating a "cleaner" diet
  • 70davis
    70davis Posts: 348 Member
    bump
  • purplechic
    purplechic Posts: 15 Member
    "I overtrain so I can overeat" :bigsmile:

    Seriously though... lots of protein (lean protein), lots of carbs (rice and pasta), bananas.

    I wish I can say that I eat lots of veges but I don't as I hate it. Makes me feel like a sheep.. I probably eat enough just to get by.


    ...I guess I have a terrible diet for a runner.
  • mickyjd
    mickyjd Posts: 97
    Other runners.

    Post of the year - I doff my hat to you sir! Lol
  • WingMan380
    WingMan380 Posts: 2,139 Member
    They eat food!! What the hell you think they eat?
  • CallmeSbo
    CallmeSbo Posts: 611 Member
    Other runners.

    lol..funny

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