Everyone should have heard that professional marathon runners will consume carbohydrates before running, because proper selection of food before, during and after running can help You run with a steady pace and quickly replenish your energy afterward. In fact, it’s not just professional runners who need to adjust their diet. The Time website recommends that ordinary people should also pay attention to their eating habits when running!
What to eat before running
If you just run 5 or 6 kilometers casually, then you don’t need to eat before running. (The editor said: No~~~~!) Because the glycogen in your muscles cannot cope with the consumption. Simply drink a glass of water or a low-calorie sports drink before heading out. Especially if you get up early in the morning to run, you need to pay more attention to hydration. Because our bodies lose a lot of water when we sleep.
If you will run more than 6 kilometers, or you need to maintain a certain speed, eat 50-60 grams of complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal or bananas. This allows your glycogen stores to increase to cope with the upcoming consumption. It is recommended to eat two to one and a half hours before running to give your body time to digest and absorb these nutrients.
If it is a very strenuous exercise or requires sprinting, it is best to eat a meal rich in carbohydrates the night before to increase glycogen storage. Remember not to eat it every night, but only on the next day if you need to exercise strenuously! Don't take advantage of the situation! (horizontal? Is this idiom used like this? ) You can choose noodles, rice, or? Wheat and other food. Of course, remember to have a balanced intake of protein and vegetables.
What to eat and drink while running
If you run for less than an hour, the water in your body is actually enough, unless the weather is particularly hot that day. If you run for more than an hour, you should drink a few sips of a low-calorie electrolyte drink approximately every hour. These supplemented electrolytes (i.e. potassium and sodium) help your muscles get oxygen so they can work better.
If you run for more than an hour and a half, the glycogen stored in your muscles is only enough for an hour of running. Therefore, you must eat 20 grams every half hour. carbohydrate. It doesn't matter if it's sports drinks or food. When running, sports drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes can help you stabilize your pace and delay fatigue. For drinks, remember to choose sports drinks that contain only 3-4 grams of carbohydrates per 100 ml. (Too high content will cause the glycemic index to be too high.)
How to eat after running
Eating within an hour after running can help your muscles recover. In fact, your muscles are being worn out during the entire exercise process; what really makes them stronger is the recovery period after exercise. So allowing muscles to recover is a very important step! It is best to eat carbohydrates and proteins in a ratio of 3:1. Are carbs a good thing? ? Yes! They are actually very important. It can replenish the glycogen stores consumed in your muscles (Note 1).
▲ Note 1: The function of glycogen is: insufficient glycogen in the body, resulting in lower blood sugar, is one of the reasons for fatigue, reduced exercise performance, and the inability to continue exercising. Glycogen stores in the body will be significantly reduced after exercise. If sugar is not actively supplemented, the next exercise will be affected.
Post-workout eating options include chocolate milk, a banana or apple, a spoonful of whey protein powder, or a nutritional supplement bar containing nuts, oats, etc. These are all Good choice!
【Conclusion】
Some people’s motivation for running is to lose weight. Because I was afraid of losing weight and gaining weight, I simply stopped eating. But this is actually wrong! Nutritional intake actually has a huge impact on sports and fitness. It can be said to be a part of training, which can make your training more effective and help muscle recovery. So remember to replenish energy appropriately next time you run!