Eating a balanced diet is essential for good health and nutrition, especially when it comes to a diet plan for runners, since its composition must have the necessary amounts of nutrients to satisfy the training load. If you are a runner and you don’t know how to adjust your diet to perform at your best, here are some tips.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in order to maintain a varied, balanced and healthy diet, the characteristics of each person must be considered, to adapt the diet to their lifestyle, age, sex and degree of physical activity that they perform.

Eating habits are built, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), for this reason; find these three tips that can help you build proper eating habits for runners:

Food Variety

Runners need a variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs and perform well. Foods from different groups should be included, such as fruits and vegetables, lean protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Foods high in complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice, oatmeal, and potatoes, are especially important for runners because they provide long-lasting energy for exercise.

Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as white bread, rice cakes, oatmeal, toast, brown rice, and potatoes, are especially important for runners because they provide long-lasting energy for exercise, which can aid running performance to athletes.

Moderation in portions

Runners should watch portion sizes to avoid nutritional deficiencies or excesses. It is important not to skip meals and to eat regularly to maintain proper energy balance when exercising.

Equilibrio de macronutrientes

Runners need a proper balance of macronutrients for proper performance and recovery. Most runners need a balanced diet with approximately 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 20% healthy fats.

More carbohydrates are needed to store and provide the energy needed to complete marathons, while protein helps repair and build muscle.

In short, a runner's diet must be more specialized, since it is the fuel to be able to train and perform great races, which is why, together with the previous points, it is important to drink enough water to ensure that you are well hydrated and nourished for the training and race.