The Fuel to Win

Fuel Up

Whether you run indoors or outdoors, fueling your body with food and water before a big run is crucial to staying healthy and getting the most out of your workout.

Head to any popular running path and you’ll likely see packs of serious-looking striders weighed down by belts stuffed with sports bars and carb gels. Resist the urge to to do the same and follow these guidelines.

If you know you’ll run for 60 minutes, fuel up with a 100-to 200-calorie high-carb snacks like a banana or a piece of toast.

Four hours before your workout, drink 12 ounces of fluid. If your urine is the shade of apple juice or darker two hours before you exercise, drink another eight to 12 ounces.

If you’ll be working out longer than 60 minutes, replenish with a 16-ounce sports drink every hour, or four ounces every 15 minutes—but increase that amount if you’re going at a high intensity.

If your energy tends to be low on long runs, a small taste of glucose can jolt your brain into performance mode. Eat or drink 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour. Be mindful of your portions.

Consider giving yourself two hours after a full meal before heading out for a long or hard run. It takes about that long for blood to reroute to your working muscles from your digestive system.

Your daily diet can have a big impact on your run. Focus on fruits and veggies, whole grains, healthy fats from nuts and avocado, and lean protein. Fruit and veggies are also high in antioxidants, which aid recovery.

 

Within an hour after your run, grab a snack with a four-to-one ratio of carbs to protein (try eight ounces of chocolate milk). This balance jump-starts the repair process.