What and when you eat before your run can push your performance to a whole new level or it could set you back.
There are different nutritional plans for morning runners and afternoon/evening runners. If you're a morning runner you should start hydrating the evening and night before your run. If you're like most runners and eat a carbohydrate rich diet to begin with than you're already mostly there on the nutritional aspect. Drink water or a sports drink with dinner. You can also have water throughout the evening before your run. Just take in your last amount 1-2 hours before bed so there is less chance you will have to wake up to go to the bathroom.
You can eat a variety of things before a morning run. I suggest eating about 45 minutes to 1 hour before starting your run to give your stomach time to digest. I like to have an energy bar with 16oz of water an hour before. I prefer Powerbar Performance and Cliff Bar. Other good options are bagels, English muffins, pancakes, and even pop tarts or toaster pastries.
If you're an afternoon/evening runner you can still eat an energy bar with water or a sports drink an hour before but also eat a good lunch with 200-500 calories depending on the intensity and duration of your planned run. Good lunch options are 3 slices of turkey on whole-wheat bread with fruit, a whole-wheat wrap with veggies, and a PB&J on whole-wheat bread. If you have the urge to snack try a piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt, whole wheat crackers, string cheese, and raisins.
You don't want to eat as many calories the closer you get to a run. Along with having one of the above an hr before I will also drink the G Series Pro 01 Prime pouch. It has 30g of slow and fast burning carbohydrates to provide fuel for your run along with B vitamins to help with energy metabolism. The closer you get to a challenging workout the more you need simple carbs that can quickly convert to energy. The G Series Pro line can be purchased at Road Runner Sports, GNC, and Dick's Sporting Goods.
If you have a sensitive stomach choose low-fiber and low-fat foods before exercise. Try to eat at least one hour before beginning your run. Skip the peanut butter and high-fiber dry cereals before your workout. Fat and fiber hold food in the stomach longer and with your sensitive stomach, you want the food that you eat before a workout to be digested and out of your gut when you start exercise. Some of the best low-fat, low-fiber foods are bananas, low-fat yogurt, and whole wheat English muffin.
There are different nutritional plans for morning runners and afternoon/evening runners. If you're a morning runner you should start hydrating the evening and night before your run. If you're like most runners and eat a carbohydrate rich diet to begin with than you're already mostly there on the nutritional aspect. Drink water or a sports drink with dinner. You can also have water throughout the evening before your run. Just take in your last amount 1-2 hours before bed so there is less chance you will have to wake up to go to the bathroom.
You can eat a variety of things before a morning run. I suggest eating about 45 minutes to 1 hour before starting your run to give your stomach time to digest. I like to have an energy bar with 16oz of water an hour before. I prefer Powerbar Performance and Cliff Bar. Other good options are bagels, English muffins, pancakes, and even pop tarts or toaster pastries.
If you're an afternoon/evening runner you can still eat an energy bar with water or a sports drink an hour before but also eat a good lunch with 200-500 calories depending on the intensity and duration of your planned run. Good lunch options are 3 slices of turkey on whole-wheat bread with fruit, a whole-wheat wrap with veggies, and a PB&J on whole-wheat bread. If you have the urge to snack try a piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt, whole wheat crackers, string cheese, and raisins.
You don't want to eat as many calories the closer you get to a run. Along with having one of the above an hr before I will also drink the G Series Pro 01 Prime pouch. It has 30g of slow and fast burning carbohydrates to provide fuel for your run along with B vitamins to help with energy metabolism. The closer you get to a challenging workout the more you need simple carbs that can quickly convert to energy. The G Series Pro line can be purchased at Road Runner Sports, GNC, and Dick's Sporting Goods.
If you have a sensitive stomach choose low-fiber and low-fat foods before exercise. Try to eat at least one hour before beginning your run. Skip the peanut butter and high-fiber dry cereals before your workout. Fat and fiber hold food in the stomach longer and with your sensitive stomach, you want the food that you eat before a workout to be digested and out of your gut when you start exercise. Some of the best low-fat, low-fiber foods are bananas, low-fat yogurt, and whole wheat English muffin.
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