Alks about for runners
hether you’re training for this year’s London Marathon, or just trying to get the new year off to a good start going for the odd jog, you’re probably ng yourself the same question: at can I eat before a run that isn’t a hetti Bolognese?” s well as Lycra, smugness and hitness jackets, bowls of pasta are n nymous with running culture – t there are alternative running-fuel edients, and sports nutritionist a Bean, is committed to proving . The health writer has put toer 100 recipes specifically geared ards the needs of runners – in her est collection, The Runner’s Cookk. ere, Anita busts some myths and out some golden rules... eing a runner doesn’t mean you eat whatever you like all the time Runners starting out often think ning is a license to continue eating tever they want. Runner’s weight is quite a real phenomenon, and a ’s because many runners overeste the amount of calories they n, or overcompensate by consumxtra food after their runs,” explains Anita. “Or they think, ‘Well, I’ve run 10k today, so I deserve this chocolate cake’. Basically, it’s getting the balance between calories in/calories out wrong. And it’s fair to say some runners will find their appetite increases, but once you continue running regularly, you find your appetite will reduce.”
In fact, you ought to be even more careful about what you’re eating
“Start to really cut down on highly processed foods: sugars, sugary snacks, crisps, high-fat, highsugar foods. Instead, ensure your diet contains lots of fresh fruit, fresh foods and more natural wholefoods. Whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish.” Don’t cut out carbohydrates “If you’ve got a long or hard run ahead, you want to eat more carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is what we call a fast fuel – it’s the muscles’ preferred fuel, it produces energy faster than fat or protein. If you try and cut down your carbs, you’ll feel really tired and fatigued to start with, but you’ll find that it may sustain you for long, slow runs, your low intensity easy runs, but a low-carb diet cannot fuel high-intensity runs.”