Now once you’ve started your running journey, the next most important thing is to fuel your body properly to help improve both performance and recovery.
Our fuel comes from 3 sources. Carbohydrates, fats and protein.
CARBOHYDRATES
When we hear the word carbs, a lot of people think to avoid to help retain their weight. However, carbs are incredibly important in your diet and here’s why…
Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in our muscles and liver which is converted into energy. Glycogen can be transferred into energy a lot quicker than fats or protein which means we use these stores when we’re doing high intensity exercise.
See it as the boost feature in video games, when your character is slowing down whilst running, you can press the boost button to give them the energy they need.
The only issue is that this energy source is limited and can only provide around 2 hours of energy. This is why athletes use gels and energy drinks to top up. We go into how to replenish these stores here – What to eat during & after a run.
Now, not all carbs are created equal. Generally speaking, carbs can be split into 2 categories being fast and slow. Slow releasing carbs give you energy over a longer period of time. You can typically obtain slow carbs through foods such as vegetables and wholegrains.
Fast releasing carbs are a less efficient fuel in that you can deplete the energy stores very quickly. Examples of fast carbs include white bread and cakes.
The extra benefit of slow carbs is that they can also contain fibre. Fibre helps maintain the level of cholesterol in your body and has been shown to lower blood pressure. Not only that but they help maintain a healthy body weight! Raspberries are a perfect example of a food that is high in fibre.
The timing of when you eat is almost as important as what you eat. We go into when to eat these vital fuels here – What to eat during & after a run.
PROTEIN
One of the main benefits of protein is that it is used to repair muscle and boost the immune system.
Some fun facts about protein:
- Protein is stored in your muscles
- Proteins can be used as energy but we ideally don’t want to be using these proteins as energy. See them more as your last minute reserves that only get used as energy if your other stores have been depleted.
- Protein typically takes longer to digest and therefore means you stay full for longer.
How you consume protein can vary. There are the obvious sources, such a protein shakes, but you can also obtain these proteins through whole foods or fibre. Whole foods are known for their abundance of vitamins and nutrients.
Best examples of protein rich food are:
- Chicken
- Peanut butter
- Salmon
- Eggs
FATS
Okay let’s talk about fats. Fats are usually painted in a bad light, but they’re not all bad. Let me run through why we love some fats.
Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) have anti-inflammatory properties and helps prevent muscle tear and bone breakdown following an intense workout. Not only that, but they also help in the absorption of vitamins D & K.
A major benefit we get from fats is as fuel for running; they give us energy to carry on our workout. Compared to carbs, which have a useful life of around 2 hours, fats can keep you going for around 2 weeks or longer… We talk more about the interaction between fats and carbs for different types of running here – What to eat during & after a run.
Therefore, without fats we wouldn’t have the energy to do all the exercise we do.
Perfect examples of where to get good fats are:
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Olive oil
- Vegetables
