Nutrition Tips for Runners
Energy requirement differs from person to person and those that are physically active demands higher energy than an average person. Runners, in particular require a balance nutrition to keep their energy up and to avoid any stress-related injuries. Conscientious runners strive for a well-balanced diet, but even for them, there is always a possibility of missing out on key nutrients. Here are several nutrition tips that can help in improving performance and recovery:
Mix things up during meal time
Eating same foods every day can be boring, thus try to mix up different food choices. Pasta has always been a staple in every runner’s diet, but there are other interesting choices for runners such as rice, beans, couscous and quinoa. Try to add different fruits and vegetables in your every meal because it provides a variety of nutrients essential for keeping the body at its optimum level.
Focus on unprocessed foods
Try to keep your pantry and fridge stocked with nutritious and healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. These will provide you the essential nutrients needed to sustain your workout regimen and for post-run recovery. Try to avoid processed foods as much as possible because they contain fewer nutrients than natural and whole foods. They usually come in boxes, bags and cans that have more than five ingredients on the label.
Select healthy snack choices
Regular running increases the metabolic rate, thus the runners requires a higher calorie intake than an average person. Select healthy snack choices that can keep the energy level up throughout the day such as fruits, sandwiches, yogurt, mixed seeds and fruit smoothies. By avoiding energy lows, the body remains primed...
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...ducing the risk of stress- fractures. Eating at least 3 servings of dairy a day is enough to provide the recommended calcium needs, but if you think you’re not getting enough from food, you can also take calcium supplements.
Fish oil - Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), helps in reducing muscle soreness and exercise-induced asthma. Choose fish oil supplements that contain at least 500 mg of DHA and EPA combined.
Iron - Iron is an essential mineral that aids in the distribution of oxygen from the lungs to the other parts of the body. Iron deficiency can result in low energy, fatigue and headaches.
Whey protein - Whey protein aids in improving athletic performance by building lean body mass, strength and muscle size. It is also easily absorbed by the body than other protein supplements.
AERENHOUTS, D., DERIEMAEKER, P., HEBBELINCK, M., & CLARYS, P. (2011). Energy and macronutrient intake in adolescent sprint athletes: A follow-up study. Journal Of Sports Sciences, 29(1), 73-82.
An athlete’s body is like a machine, it only runs as good as the fuel they put in it! Bacon is a food that is full of salt and not all athletes need that, it also has minimal protein and lots of saturated fat. Energy drinks and soda are sugar filled drinks that give a short term energy boost. Any foods with hydrogenated oils and Trans fats, such as potato chips have a lot to do with belly fat and obesity, this is one should be avoided no matter what! Alcohol is full of empty calories, which makes training and recovery difficult. Another food that i...
A NASCAR drivers’ training regimen throughout the season and during the off-season shows strong evidence that they are athletes. Nutrition is a key ingredient in the success of athletes in other sports, so NASCAR drivers and their crews practice healthy eating choices. On race day, nutrition is especially important for the crews. They eat no greasy foods for breakfast and load up on carbs for lunch so they can last the entire day at the track (Herlocker). Their diet proves that nutrition is key for the success of not only the drivers but for their crews as well.
It is important for beach volleyball players to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. The nature and intensity of the sport requires more calorie and nutrient intake than the average person due to the high activity level of a beach volleyball athlete. You can get your needed nutrients from food, but supplementation is typically needed for many people, especially athletes. Making sure you take the right vitamins and nutrients can help you become the best player you can be, by helping you give your body exactly what it needs to get the most out of every workout session or game.
Now, when considering whether one wants to prevent or treat Osteoporosis, it does not mean cutting yourself off from foods with small portions or extreme dieting. It is a common misconception that when a person wants to be healthy they must eat in smaller portions, and while this does have some truth, one must consider when it comes to eating healthy, it means to eat healthy by adding nutritious portions of fruits, vegetables, protein, carbs, and of course, calcium intake for the bones in one’s diet. Also, one must not deprive themselves of having a “cheat day” once a week with chips and candy. But it is a good start to begin adding calcium to fortified foods and supplements, such as milk. People should at least aim for 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams a day of calcium.
“Nutrition is the science/study of ways in which the body uses food. It is also the study of how and why we make food choices” (Lesson 18). Nutrients are substances in food that provide energy for body tissues and are necessary for life and growth. There are six classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are a class of energy-giving nutrients that include sugars, starches, and fiber. Carbohydrates can be simple (donuts, chocolate, french fries, and gummy bears) or complex (bread, pasta, broccoli, oatmeal, and bananas). Fats are a class of energy-giving nutrients and are the main form in which energy is stored in the body. Fats can be good or bad for you and are either saturated (meats, butter, dairy) or unsaturated (vegetable oils). Proteins are nutrients made up of amino acids, which are needed to build/ repair body structures and to regulate processes in the body. There are incomplete proteins (fruits, vegetables, oats, bread, and rice) and complete (meat and dairy) versions of proteins. Water is an essential class of nutrients that keeps you alive and is necessary for almost every bodily function. Our bodies are made of approximately 60% percent water and because exercise makes you lose water through sweating it is important to drink at least 8 glasses a day. Minerals are a class of nutrients needed for certain body processes such as enzyme activity and bone
Ultimately, sports nutrition can be very interesting and should be taught to all. There are 7 types of nutrients the should ideally be consumed in our everyday meals. This will help with physical and mental health.
Low carbohydrate (carb) diets have been used as a weight loss treatment for many years. Recently low carbohydrate diets are being used with athletes as a performance enhancement method by changing training adaptations. This essay will examine the health risks and benefits of a low carb diet, as well as the effects of low carb diets on the endurance athlete in regards to their training and performance. There are many short term benefits of low carb diets. However there are also many long term risks that outweigh the benefits for the general population. Evidence shows that exercising on a low carb diet has positive adaptation to training for aerobic athletes. However there is not enough evidence on what the long term effect of this could be, and so the net health benefits for a low carb diet cannot be determined for athletes.
...f dairy products. Dairy products are a rich source of calcium and Vitamin D. Maintaining adequate calcium stores may prevent me from contracting osteoporosis as I age.
Another intelligent food to eat is that some processed or refined foods are always a healthy alternative to any diet, which means to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein foods. Protein foods are specially mentioned as they prevent the body from burning muscles. Proteins also help you to feel full for a long time.
Iron is a mineral that is found the in hemoglobin of the Red Blood Cells. It facilitates in the transport of oxygen all over the body. Without this mineral, oxygen cannot be carried to its full capacity. 1 out of 10 women and small children have iron deficiencies. Lacking iron causes lethargy and a weakened immune system. Children who do not have an adequate intake of iron put themselves at risk for intellectual developmental problems. However, an iron deficient person is not necessarily anemic. 7.8 million women are iron deficient, while only 3.3 million women are anemic (http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/9704/iron_def.htm). When the deficiency becomes so severe that the circulating Red Blood Count and the minerals Ht, Hg, and Hem drop below normal, anemia occurs (See Figure 1). The hormone androgen causes men and women to have different normal values of the hemogram (http://www.medstudents.com.br/hemat/hemat4.htm). Low ferritin (iron storage molecule) and high TIBC (tota...
Dietary supplements can be a good thing to use but they aren't always what they say they are. They are used by over half of all Americans and those people normally take a multivitamin or protein supplements after their workouts. In fact, whey protein is the most supplied dietary supplements among all Americans. People would also say that supplements are helpful when they become older in age, but then those people who believe supplements do not work at all. What they don't know is that if individuals take too much or too many supplements, it could hurt them and not benefit these people.
As most people know, running is a great way to burn calories and lose weight. No matter what the pace someone runs, fast or slow, people tend to burn about the same amount of calories per mile, it just depends on their body weight. Also, the body continues to burn calories even after the run is over as the body proceeds to repair the muscles used (Roth). The speed of digestion increases as well after running, which also helps the body burn more calories and helps runners stay in shape as long as they are consuming a healthy diet (Roth). As a runner, I know how great running can be for a person’s body as long as they are giving it the proper type and amount of fuel. Some people feel like they can eat whatever they want just because they run and end up gaining more weight in fat than muscle. However, others like me have an issue with keeping the calories they consume as high as the calories burned and lose weight as a result. That is why it’s important for everyone who runs to see a nutritionist and find out just how much and what
It is very easy to see how and why nutrition and fitness play such important roles in the well-being of the human body. Though many different diseases and health issues can come from a lack of proper diet and lack of exercise, it is amazing how many health matters can be solved and even prevented just through properly balanced nutritional and fitness habits.
Certain foods can make a difference in sports competition. Conditioning, strength, and speed have been the focal points of athletic training for years; however, the research on nutritional elements indicates their importance to an athlete's optimal performance. Knowing the proper food to eat before, during, and after a physical activity can help an athlete in achieving their desired performance.