Nutritional Supplement Guide Before, During, and After Running
Written by Alexandra Cook
When you start preparing for a new running challenge, it's easy to settle down first with new shoes, then with a new training plan, and finally with a pre- and post-running nutrition plan.
But how about thinking about a nutritional plan before and after running from the beginning ? How about incorporating a nutrition plan from the first day of training? Even the slightest change in pre- and post-run nutrition can improve your feelings and performance.
So how do you think about nutrition?
Basic Matters
When you start preparing for a new running challenge, it's easy to settle down first with new shoes, then with a new training plan, and finally with a pre- and post-running nutrition plan.
But how about thinking about a nutritional plan before and after running from the beginning ? How about incorporating a nutrition plan from the first day of training? Even the slightest change in pre- and post-run nutrition can improve your feelings and performance.
So how do you think about nutrition?
Basic Matters
Sports nutrition is not esoteric. A healthy and balanced diet , everything is about to begin. Also, keeping a diary of your diet will help you identify areas of improvement. The first three basic questions you should ask yourself about your diet are "Are you eating three meals a day?", "Are you hydrated enough?", And "Are there enough intervals between meals and training?"
Once you've reviewed all of these dietary basics, it's time to tailor your nutrition plan to the workouts you're currently working on or are about to work on. First of all, in order to calculate the "intake" of carbohydrates and proteins (proteins) that should be included in each meal, it is necessary to know the amount of training and your physique and weight .
According to these guidelines , if your training run is less than an hour, you should consume 5-7g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight per day . If your main race is 5km or 10km, this amount is fine, but if you are training for a longer race (training run exceeds 1 hour), 6 ~ per kg of body weight per day. You need to consume 10g of carbohydrates.
Next is protein. Protein is known as a nutrient needed for muscle repair and recovery , and according to these guidelines , if you are an adult who exercises regularly, or an athlete who is always in competition or competition, you can recover your muscles. To promote it, you need to take 1.2-2.0g of protein per kg of body weight per day . Increase your protein intake as you train more.
Once you have a rough idea of your daily target intake, it's time to check the amount of carbohydrates and protein in a particular diet or food . You will be able to understand what you should eat and how much you should eat every day to reach your goal. It may seem a bit annoying at first, but once you have a rough idea of how much a particular diet or food contains, it will be easier to develop a nutrition plan.
The focus should be on the amount of energy (calorie / calorie) . You need to get the amount of energy you need to run (the amount of calories you should consume each day can be easily calculated using the formulas provided here). Increasing the amount of training without adjusting the amount of energy can not only reduce performance but also worsen overall health.
Before Running Exercising
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Granola with fruit and milk is perfect for a pre-exercise breakfast |
The right nutrition plan cannot be developed simply by preparing the right diet and food. You need to take it at the right time . To achieve this , it is important to have time to spare .
This study shows that consuming carbohydrates 3-4 hours before endurance exercise increases liver and muscle glycogen (glucose / glucose stored in the body), resulting in better performance. I will.
If your pre-workout meal is a light menu like breakfast, you don't have to wait this long. It's okay if there is enough space in your body to digest your diet and provide enough energy to move your body.
And that diet menu should contain enough carbohydrates , the right amount of protein and fat . Proteins and fats take longer to digest than carbohydrates, so if you take them in large amounts before exercising, you'll run while digesting, which can lead to gastrointestinal upset. The best meal menu before running includes frittata with fresh potatoes and salad, and homemade granola with milk, nuts and fruits.
Some people may want to add energy an hour before running and start with an “energy full” . In such cases, eat light meals and drinks that are high in carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar high. To give a simple example, a can of Red Bull Energy Drink (250ml) contains 28g of carbs, a medium-sized banana contains about 27g, and a cereal bar contains about 16g of carbs. .. All of these are great options just before running.
Taking caffeine 45-60 minutes before exercising can also help improve performance. Many people benefit from taking 5 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight, but 2-3 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight has also been shown to improve performance . To give a simple example, a single espresso, a Red Bull energy drink can (250 ml), and a typical caffeine-containing energy gel each contain about 80 mg of caffeine.
Running Exercising
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It is widely known that lack of energy is the cause of fatigue felt after 60 minutes of exercise . The human body uses carbohydrates and fats as energy sources, and uses a combination of both, but carbohydrates are usually used as the “primary energy source” .
The human body contains a small amount of glucose (glucose / sugar) in the blood, and as mentioned above, the same substance is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. However, it can only store enough to exercise for up to 90 minutes . So when the stored sugar begins to run out, your muscles and brain run out of fuel, leading to fatigue and gas deficiency. That's why you need to replenish your carbs and keep your blood sugar high with long hours of exercise.
[Timing of replenishment]
In long-distance running, the more glycogen you can keep in your body, the higher your energy consumption efficiency. And if you can keep your blood sugar high, you can delay the timing of using glycogen stored in your body as an energy source. Given this, we can understand that it is important to take action to raise blood sugar levels as soon as possible.
Even if you take energy gel or energy drink 60 minutes after the start of exercise, glycogen in your body has already decreased considerably, so taking it at an early timing (about 20 minutes after the start) is the key. At this point, the probability of feeling energy shortage or fatigue is low, but if you return your energy tank to full tank early, it may be difficult (failure) to replenish due to fatigue or gastrointestinal condition. It will help you in the second half of running to improve your sexuality.
[Amount of carbohydrates to be supplemented]
If you are running for more than an hour and high intensity (10km run, half marathon, etc.) or long, medium intensity (full marathon, etc.), carbohydrate supplementation during running is very effective. This study shows that supplementing with 30-60g of carbohydrates every hour can help keep your blood glucose high and improve your exercise performance.
However, there is an upper limit to the amount that can be ingested, and the maximum amount that the human body can ingest one type of carbohydrate source such as glucose in one hour is about 60 g . However, you can increase your maximum hourly intake to about 90g by using multiple sources of carbohydrates, such as mixing maltodextrin and fructose .
Even if you take energy gel or energy drink 60 minutes after the start of exercise, glycogen in your body has already decreased considerably, so taking it at an early timing (about 20 minutes after the start) is the key. At this point, the probability of feeling energy shortage or fatigue is low, but if you return your energy tank to full tank early, it may be difficult (failure) to replenish due to fatigue or gastrointestinal condition. It will help you in the second half of running to improve your sexuality.
[Amount of carbohydrates to be supplemented]
If you are running for more than an hour and high intensity (10km run, half marathon, etc.) or long, medium intensity (full marathon, etc.), carbohydrate supplementation during running is very effective. This study shows that supplementing with 30-60g of carbohydrates every hour can help keep your blood glucose high and improve your exercise performance.
However, there is an upper limit to the amount that can be ingested, and the maximum amount that the human body can ingest one type of carbohydrate source such as glucose in one hour is about 60 g . However, you can increase your maximum hourly intake to about 90g by using multiple sources of carbohydrates, such as mixing maltodextrin and fructose .
In reality, this is a significant intake and can lead to gastrointestinal upset unless your body is accustomed to this amount. However, if you're running for more than two and a half hours, like a full marathon, this combination of carb sources can be very effective.
It should also be mentioned that there is a non-zero chance that even over-the-counter sports nutritional products with lower carbohydrate content will cause gastrointestinal upset. But hope remains.
This study shows that even 16g of carbs per hour can perform 14% better than just replenishing water . In addition, although some people may not accept anything other than just water, research results have shown that simply rinsing the mouth with a carbohydrate-containing drink (spitting without swallowing) can stimulate the nervous system that controls motivation. It has come out. This will not hurt your body, so give it a try.
After Running Exercising
After a long training run or race, you'll want to rest your body without doing anything, but with proper nutrition, you'll be able to quickly get back on track and have such a high amount of exercise. You can also adapt your body, so you can strengthen yourself even more.
Post-running / exercise nutrition plays a very important role. “What” and “when” you take will affect the speed and effectiveness of your recovery. Quick recovery is key after exercising . The reason is that if you can recover quickly, you can increase the load and intensity of the next training.
Carbohydrates and proteins are also important nutrients in the post-running / exercise recovery process. Both are essential, but protein is more involved in recovery and adaptation. Eat light meals and drinks (eg, 500 ml of milk) that contain 15 to 20 g of protein immediately after running, and make it a routine to include the same amount of protein in subsequent meals and drinks.
It should also be mentioned that there is a non-zero chance that even over-the-counter sports nutritional products with lower carbohydrate content will cause gastrointestinal upset. But hope remains.
This study shows that even 16g of carbs per hour can perform 14% better than just replenishing water . In addition, although some people may not accept anything other than just water, research results have shown that simply rinsing the mouth with a carbohydrate-containing drink (spitting without swallowing) can stimulate the nervous system that controls motivation. It has come out. This will not hurt your body, so give it a try.
After Running Exercising
After a long training run or race, you'll want to rest your body without doing anything, but with proper nutrition, you'll be able to quickly get back on track and have such a high amount of exercise. You can also adapt your body, so you can strengthen yourself even more.
Post-running / exercise nutrition plays a very important role. “What” and “when” you take will affect the speed and effectiveness of your recovery. Quick recovery is key after exercising . The reason is that if you can recover quickly, you can increase the load and intensity of the next training.
Carbohydrates and proteins are also important nutrients in the post-running / exercise recovery process. Both are essential, but protein is more involved in recovery and adaptation. Eat light meals and drinks (eg, 500 ml of milk) that contain 15 to 20 g of protein immediately after running, and make it a routine to include the same amount of protein in subsequent meals and drinks.
If you have more than 24 hours between your next run or exercise , eat a carbohydrate-rich light meal or drink within an hour of the end , and add the same amount of protein to your subsequent meals and drinks. If you include it, you can cover your recommended carb intake (if you train multiple times a day, you will need to have a more elaborate plan as you will spend less time on recovery).
Suitable light meals after exercise include banana and oat smoothies ( containing about 50g of carbohydrates and about 20g of protein ).
Hydration is also very important. It 's likely that your urine will darken after running or exercising, but be sure to rehydrate and get your urine clear after a few hours. When the color of urine becomes lighter, it means that the water has been replenished and the amount of water in the body has been restored.
Finally, don't forget to eat fruits and vegetables after running . Since physical activity causes inflammation and stress in the body, try to increase the efficiency of the recovery process by eating foods that have antioxidant (active oxygen / free radical suppression) and anti-inflammatory effects .
Dark-colored vegetables and fruits have high antioxidant properties, so eat these types of vegetables and fruits at least five times a day (the more times, the better). The high-quality fat contained in fish oil also has the effect of reducing inflammation and stress caused by hard running and exercise.
Running Nutrition Mini Tips
Suitable light meals after exercise include banana and oat smoothies ( containing about 50g of carbohydrates and about 20g of protein ).
Hydration is also very important. It 's likely that your urine will darken after running or exercising, but be sure to rehydrate and get your urine clear after a few hours. When the color of urine becomes lighter, it means that the water has been replenished and the amount of water in the body has been restored.
Finally, don't forget to eat fruits and vegetables after running . Since physical activity causes inflammation and stress in the body, try to increase the efficiency of the recovery process by eating foods that have antioxidant (active oxygen / free radical suppression) and anti-inflammatory effects .
Dark-colored vegetables and fruits have high antioxidant properties, so eat these types of vegetables and fruits at least five times a day (the more times, the better). The high-quality fat contained in fish oil also has the effect of reducing inflammation and stress caused by hard running and exercise.
Running Nutrition Mini Tips
- There are many scientifically based nutritional guidelines, but arrange them for yourself. No matter what the guidelines indicate, prioritize your physical condition and gastrointestinal tract.
- Experiment with different nutritional items on long-distance training runs to find out which one suits you best.
- Start with 20-30g of carbs in an hour and gradually increase until you can get 50-60g in an hour. You may not get used to it at first, but the gastrointestinal tract gradually adapts, so take time to increase it.
- Set a 20-30 minute repeat timer on your smartwatch or smartphone and remember the timing of replenishment.
- Let's replenish at an early timing when fatigue is not accumulated, and let's take in carbohydrates smoothly. After a few hours from the start, it becomes difficult to replenish due to fatigue.
- Don't use new things or methods on the day of the race.
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