Good nutrition is a very important basis for us to improve in training and especially in the competitions we are going to face.
It is essential for the body to be filled with as much energy as possible and to have resources to be able to pull them and to give us the strength we need.
But be careful... in the right measure.
Food provides us with this energy and nutrients as long as we are able to ingest the necessary ration.
Stomach problems
Many times there are stomach problems in competitions for not having tasted before both solid and liquid foods that we are going to eat that day.
A tip: I usually with some months in advance "investigate" what foods are those that make me feel good and do not make me feel bloated or cause me cramps, stitches in the stomach ....
I recommend eating a diet low in fat, moderate in protein and rich in carbohydrates as these will provide us with the energy needed for the competition.
The diet of every runner should be dominated by:
Foods rich in carbohydrates of slow absorption, these will help us to favor the recharge of muscular glycogen:
Pasta, rice, bread and cereals are foods that fall into this group of carbohydrates.
Eliminate fried foods and/or make them grilled or steamed.
Do not forget the proteins
Eating protein is important and athletes should take it into account in their diet. Its importance in exercise helps us to regenerate the muscle from the fatigue of previous training. Arriving home after a long workout and eating a good portion of protein will help us to regenerate more muscle fatigued by the miles. The foods that I usually eat and that provide me with that portion of protein are meat, fish, eggs, milk and its derivatives, legumes and nuts (unsalted and not roasted much better).
5 guidelines that I follow in my diet
- Learn to know your body and look for what foods you can eat and what not, to feel in optimal conditions in front of the races or trainings.
- Eat your last meal at least 3 or 4 hours before the start of the competition, you have to have a breakfast as always light, but at the same time well,
- Consume a good portion of carbohydrates at breakfast, will be a great source of energy that will help us for tests or high intensity exercise, in this group will enter the cereals such as wheat, oats, rice and derivatives such as bread, pasta, cookies, cereal bars.
- It moderates the ingestion of fats. They are also important in the runner's diet but in smaller quantities. If they are of vegetable origin much better, such as olive oil, walnuts, almonds.
- Hydrate BEFORE - DURING - AFTER the race. Do not wait until you are thirsty. I usually take the INFISPORT brand for gels and isotonic drinks, easily and well absorbed,
A little advice
BEFORE: it is convenient to start hydrating the day before, drinking a little every hour and stop drinking liquid 40 minutes before the race,
DURING: it is very important to drink during the race, especially in half and marathons, and especially from km 5 to avoid dehydration and cramps in the final part.
AFTER: Just as important as the previous ones is after finishing and without having spent more than 10 minutes to re-hydrate with post-exercise drinks, which will help us recover more easily and not have so destroyed the muscles the next day.
The post-competition meal should be...
The primary objective of the post-competition food will be to recover the glycogen deposits that have been spent with the competition and to re-hydrate us to return to the optimal state. To do this, it will be necessary to use isotonic drinks right after the end of the competition and afterwards. To continue with the contribution of necessary solids rich in carbohydrates and secondly meat or fish to complete it.
There are supplements that will help us to complete the necessary nutrients but these are the basic foods that every athlete knows and we resort to them. If we want a more varied diet, or to lose weight I advise you to go to a specialist in nutrition to not play with your health.
Good vaya!
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