As a runner, you know that nutrition is crucial to your performance. Balanced and healthy nutrition enhances your endurance, maintains energy levels, and speeds up recovery. Healthy food is essential, but taking the right amount of required nutrients is equally vital.
The balanced combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats keeps the runner strong during run time. If you are also a runner and want to improve your running performance, continue to read and find how the right amount of macronutrients can help you.
Macronutrients For Runners
The macronutrients fuel your body and also maximize your running performance or yield. The three primary nutrients are macronutrients, including the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats required in large amounts. These macronutrients do not provide specific energy but are also needed for several body functions. Let's understand how macronutrients can boost your running performance:
Carbohydrates
Runners need adequate carbohydrates to maintain their energy level and performance. Carbs (simple sugars and complex carbohydrates) are the runners' primary energy source. They produce the glycogen stored in the liver and muscles to provide energy during running or physical activity. The amount of carbs that can be stored in the muscles ranges from 375 grams to 500 grams, depending on the intensity of your workout and dietary intake.
The stores are limited. Therefore, one must consume carbohydrates daily, especially before, after, and during the training sessions. Plus, human bodies burn carbs' energy more efficiently than fats or proteins. Therefore, carbohydrates should comprise at least 60 to 65% of your total calorie intake, especially during training and one week before the race. Athletes with lower BMI (body mass index) should consume carbohydrates at the lower end of the range, while others with higher BMIs or those who want to gain weight must choose them at the higher end of the range.
Whole grains, brown rice, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits are good sources of carbohydrates. Oatmeal with nuts and berries, sweet potato toast, eggs, avocado, or a quinoa bowl with chicken and veggies is the best high-carb runner meal. Remember that you must add less processed carbs to your diet, which come from whole grains and can provide you with more fiber and let you feel fuller for longer. Also, don't add too much fiber to your diet simultaneously, as it can cause several uncomfortable conditions.
Proteins
Protein is one of the crucial macronutrients for runners, like carbohydrates, but proteins offer various other body benefits. You can get four calories from one gram of proteins and perform several functions. Most importantly, proteins repair and build up the tissues and cells. Plus, the proteins are essential for the body's defense system and transportation of molecules. Many fitness enthusiasts believe protein helps build muscles and improve performance. Therefore, men and women involved in intense training must consume higher amounts of proteins.
The protein requirements depend on the volume of the activity, and if you want to maintain muscle mass, you must consume at least 1 gram of proteins per kg of your body weight each day. But, to gain the muscles, the protein requirements will increase to 1.2 to 1.8 grams per kg of body weight. Proteins comprise amino acids, and our bodies cannot produce these compounds. Therefore, when consuming the food, ensure you will get all nine essential amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine, and valine, also known as BCAAs or branched-chain amino acids.
The high-quality protein sources that can provide the most essential amino acids are milk, eggs, low-fat dairy products, fish, and lean meat. Besides that, nuts, soybeans, and legumes are also good sources of proteins. However, animal proteins contain comparatively higher cholesterol and saturated fatty acids. Therefore, you must consume animal and vegetable protein sources in a balanced amount. Remember to consume protein daily; each meal must have 30 grams of protein.
Fats
Though carbohydrates are the primary sources of energy for runners, fats are the secondary source of energy as they are oxidized with carbs during the exercise to fulfill their energy needs. Besides that, fats also regulate the hormones, help the body absorb vitamins (A, K, D, and E), support cell growth, and assist in blood clotting. Plus, fats can also reduce inflammation in the human body, which is necessary for long-distance runners to boost immunity and alleviate muscle soreness. The fat should make up 20 to 25% of the total calorie intake of a runner.
In endurance events, especially those lasting more than 90 minutes, the carb stores are depleted quickly, and the body relies on the fats for energy. From one gram of fat, you can get nine calories. Therefore, fats are good in energy provision and caloric density. But consuming a diet higher in fats can let you gain weight. Consequently, you need to keep the intake of saturated fats limited and increase the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. The good sources of healthy fats are olive oil, seeds, nuts, and fatty fish. A runner can include high-fat meals, such as quinoa and veggie bowl with tahini dressing, salmon avocado toast, or Greek yogurt with fruits and nuts.
Conclusion:
Though most runners spend much of their training time focusing on the workouts rec, covering these hard efforts is equally important. The macronutrients (proteins, carbs, and fats) can boost the recovery. Not only that, the macronutrients can boost their running performance. As the long distance and marathon runners need long-lasting energy, carbohydrates are a good choice. The protein helps in recovery and builds up the new tissues. Fats are the secondary energy source, cushion the body's organs against injury. So, a runner who wants to boost its performance and improve performance consumes all the macronutrients in a balanced or moderate amount.
