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Nutrition Advice: Intern Brandon's Blog Posted on January 20, 2014

Our bodies are like a well oiled machine, they can run for miles upon miles if taken care of and fueled correctly. If they aren’t fueled up properly then our bodies can break down and crash. As runners we all know that having a healthy diet is very important. Here are some tips to help you fuel your body correctly for the day.

• Know your schedule: If you are a morning runner get something light in before you run, this can be something as simple as a glass of juice or a granola bar, after your run make sure you get a good breakfast in. Don’t try to hold out until lunch. If you are a mid day runner get in a breakfast with lots of carbs, for example oatmeal, bagels, or a peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread. Have a lunch high in protein and feel free to snack in between meals on something light. If you are a night time runner be sure to get in a lunch full of carbs. Eat a light snack about 1-2 hours before you run. Dried fruits, nuts and vegetables are good examples.
• Your plate should consist of about 55-65% carbs examples include fruits, whole grain breads, pasta and vegetables. 20-35% unsaturated fats for example olive oil, walnuts, avocados and fish. 10-35% lean protein for example lean protein such as chicken, sirloin, eggs and beans.  
• Eat the colors of the rainbow. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. This can be covered among various fruits and vegetables. This will cover multiple different vitamins from all kinds of different foods.
• Swap in whole grains instead of whites, whole grains have more protein, B vitamins and fiber.
• Write down everything you eat for an entire week. Evaluate it at the end of the week to make sure you are getting in the necessary fruits, vegetables, protein and carbs. You can also use this to see if you snack too much or indulge in too many fatty snacks.
• With that being said don’t be afraid to have a nice slice of cake, or cookies or indulge in some way. You are out there working hard you deserve a good treat, but be careful with how often you indulge in the more fatty snacks. Don’t let it become a habit to snack on fatty foods every day.
• Recover properly after a long run or hard workout. Potassium will help prevent you from being sore the next day. Bananas and Greek yogurt are high in potassium. Try to get these in within the hour after you finish your run or workout.
• Hydrate throughout the day, smaller sips consistently throughout the day will keep you better hydrated rather than gulping larger amounts shortly before you run. Juicy fruits will also help hydrate you for the day.
• Maintain iron levels. Be sure not to skimp on getting you iron because it can lead to injuries.

By eating correctly it will greatly improve how you feel on runs as well as helping prevent injuries. If there is anything else I can do to help please feel free to let me know. Happy running!!

*Brandon is an intern for the More Miles More Smiles Team*