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As the saying goes, 'Food is the paramount necessity of the people.' This is especially true for runners. For many runners, pre-run nutrition is crucial because it not only affects your training results or race performance but can also lead to issues like low blood sugar or stomach discomfort.
When running, you should neither be too hungry nor too full. If you don't eat before running,running on an empty stomach is not good for your digestive health and can make it difficult to sustain your energy levels.If you eat too soon before running, the undigested food can cause stomach discomfort due to the body's movement during the run.
Eating a moderate amount before running not only ensures your health but also boosts your confidence during the run. It makes you feel well-prepared, helping you achieve your desired training results or race performance. So, what constitutes a reasonable pre-run diet? Let's explore this today.
If you plan to run for an hour or longer, you need to eat something beforehand to replenish your energy. The food should primarily consist of carbohydrates and proteins.
You should consume easily digestible complex carbohydrates before running, paired with a small amount of healthy fats to provide a steady energy supply.Eating some bread with peanut butter is a good choice because it contains a high amount of protein and fat, providing sustained energy throughout your run.
Other good options include fruits, especially bananas, as well as nuts and cereals. Highly refined carbohydrates can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, followed by insulin secretion that may make you feel tired before the race, such as red bean bread, processed juices, and candies.
If you get up in the morning and plan to run a few hundred meters without feeling very hungry, you might just need to drink some water or a beverage that makes you feel comfortable. Some people like to drink a few cups of hot coffee before running, which is a good choice because many studies have shown that caffeine can improve physical performance during exercise. Additionally, Red Bull and cola are also good options.
Caffeine can boost alertness and metabolism, aiding in exercise performance. However, it can also cause side effects like palpitations or frequent urination, so consume it in moderation.
If your run exceeds 75 minutes, you need to consume some sugar during the run. Most people like to eat a few gummies or chocolate chips and drink some water while running. It's recommended to carry some sugary items with you during the run, such as candies, dried fruits, chewing gum, sweet calcium tablets, or jelly, which can conveniently provide some sugar.
Additionally, before starting your run, you can choose foods with a low glycemic index, such as fruits, skim milk, rice, and beans. These foods are slowly digested into sugars, providing a steady supply of sugar for your muscles during exercise.
It's important to note that you should avoid consuming too much meat, dairy, high-fat foods, and high-fiber foods before running, as these can affect your performance.High-fiber foods can cause stomach discomfort and take a long time to digest.
Moreover, some high-fiber foods are also rich in sugars, such as whole wheat bread, high-fiber biscuits, and certain high-fiber drinks. If these foods make you feel uncomfortable during exercise, you should avoid eating them before running.
If you are participating in a running race, try to avoid eating a lot of meat, coarse grains, apples, and otherhigh-fiber foods.Many people feel worse during a run after eating these foods becausethey stay in the stomach for a long time, and running while your stomach is still digesting food can cause stomach cramps.
Additionally, it's best not to try foods during a race that you haven't tested during training to avoid unnecessary negative effects.
The most important aspect of pre-run nutrition is that the food you eat should provide sufficient nutrients and energy during your run without causing digestive discomfort.
High-calorie or high-fat foods take longer to digest. Generally, a normal meal takes about 3-4 hours to digest, so you don't feel digestive discomfort during exercise. A smaller meal takes about 2-3 hours, while a small snack takes only about an hour to digest.
These times can vary depending on how sensitive your stomach is to food during exercise. If you are very sensitive to food in your stomach during exercise, even a small amount of food can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable, so you need to allow more time for digestion.
If you are prone to low blood sugar during exercise, the best approach is to eat these sweet foods 5-10 minutes before exercise. Because insulin secretion cannot react in such a short time, and once exercise begins, insulin secretion is inhibited, preventing a reaction to the elevated blood sugar and avoiding low blood sugar symptoms.
Pre-exercise nutrition has a significant impact on training or race performance. Proper nutritional supplementation before running can enhance training efficiency and race results, while improper nutrition can make you feel fatigued early or cause digestive discomfort, preventing you from performing at your best.
There is no one-size-fits-all food or eating schedule for everyone. Each person needs to understand their dietary habits and find the most suitable and effective foods and eating times based on their running habits.
What do you eat before running?
Share your answers in the comments section!
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