Marathon nutrition is a little unlike most other forms of healthy eating. While the focus on most ways of eating is to minimise calorie intake and possibly reduce the intake of carbohydrates, in order for you to run at your best you will need to eat more calories than you need, but at the same time the likely outcome is that you will end up losing weight.
You'll be burning large amounts of calories during your marathon training, so it is important to eat more to make sure you have an adequate amount in store. If you've also got some weight to lose then this could make your running more difficult, so getting a rid of a few pounds will definitely help you to run faster, longer and with less stress on the joints.
One of the most foremost factors of marathon nutrition is that your body requires a supply of superior quality fuel to get the most out of your training.
The amounts of nutrients also have to be altered for somebody who runs frequently. Where most weight loss diets would recommend that you select somewhere in the region of 50 - 60 % of your foods from carbohydrate sources, a distance runner will need nearer to 70% calories from complex carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are your body’s perfect choice for energy and this energy is saved in your muscles in the form of glycogen. You also require fats to create energy and if there aren’t enough being supplied in the diet, they’ll be taken and used from your own fat stores.
Another factor in creating a well balanced supply of marathon nutrition is that you’ll need a regular amount of low fat proteins. Proteins are required to help rebuild and repair damaged cells of the body which are a by product of your marathon training.
An ideal ratio of nutrient intake for marathon nutrition is: -
Carbohydrates = 65%
Protein = 15%
Fats = 20%
Always consider the quality of foods you select, try to choose foods as near to their natural state as possible with minimal processing. Opt for low fat and low sugar as much as workable and once or twice a week have a treat.
If you’d like to really run at your best then getting the right marathon nutrition is absolutely essential. The top runners in the world eat a diet specifically geared to improving their running ability. Whilst your aim might just be to actually finish a marathon it won’t be critical that your diet is perfect but getting it right will make a big improvement to the way you run. Click here to find out the ideal runners diet and discover how to successfully run a marathon in the shortest possible time
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