(GUEST POST) Running Fuel

Hi everyone, Amy here from Mutha Fitness. I’ve recently lost over two stone thanks to healthy eating, walking the dog and I’ve just started weight training and running. My Husband (Father Fitness) attempted a charity run a few years ago and he hit the wall. He ended up in hospital actually! He’s fine now but ever since ‘that’ run, we’ve both researched this topic over and over again. I’m sure you can appreciate why!

Something many of us will have witnessed, is the amount of supplements available on the market today. Bars, shakes, powders and drinks! I’m not going to knock supplements, I appreciate the convenience of them, I’d just like this particular post to all be about ‘real’ running fuel.

The general rule is, if you walk or run for at least 30 minutes then you only require water. If you run for longer than an hour, then you must intake some source of carbohydrate. According to Kristine Clark – the director of sports nutrition at Penn University. It is because the glucose and carbohydrate level (which is the main running fuel for muscles) starts to exhaust after 60 minutes of running.

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The body needs fast and easy absorbing carbohydrate foods to increase the insulin level in your blood. This will act as a fuel to the muscles! Avoiding fatty and fibrous food is a good option. You need to have 30-50 grams of carbohydrate before a long run. With various nutritional foods available in the market, it is very difficult to choose what to consume.

Here’s a guideline to select the appropriate fuel source for you.

Foods to help fuel you up

Bananas

These are the most important running fuel for your body. 1 Banana = 30gms of Carbohydrate. That = instant energy! It is a good source of Potassium which is responsible for healthy heart functioning and normalising the blood pressure. 1 Banana also = 400mgs of Potassium. The ripe banana has a very simple form of sugar in it which gets easily absorbed in your blood. You can have a banana with a pinch of cinnamon powder in it too. I wonder how many banana’s Paul would’ve needed to consume to run 37 miles in one day? Haha!

Energy Bars

You can make your own energy bars at home with simple ingredients. Honey, Dates, Figs, Marshmallows make a superb combination. The bars should be low in fat, rich in carbohydrate for instant energy and enriched with protein for muscle growth and repair.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is rich in Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium and Phosphorous. It has a unique combination of vitamins, electrolytes, enzymes, amino acids and phyto-hormones and sugar. According to WHO the combination of sugar and amino acids helps you to prevent from dehydration while running. So sipping Coconut water is good for your health and it is easily digested than other sports drinks.

Dates

It is a very delicious fruit straight from the tropical oasis, enriched with minerals to keep you fit and healthy. Fresh dates are easily digested and contain simple sugars – fructose and dextrose. 100 grams of dates = 277 calories. Dates charge up your body with energy instantly. It is an excellent source of Calcium, Potassium, Manganese and Copper. Calcium is essential for bone health and is required for contraction of muscle. Potassium helps to regulate the heart rate and blood pressure. The fruit has a medium level of Vitamin K which helps in bone metabolism. Sound amazing don’t they, it’s just a shame I’m not a massive fan of them!

Frozen Grapes

Frozen grapes are a healthy snack option as it contains Protein, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Riboflavin and loads of Vitamin C. It is low in fibre, high in natural sugar and helps to keep you fresh all the day long. The Vitamin C helps to burn fat while running. Frozen grapes are a win, win, win!

Selecting the correct fuel before a run is a complex process but once you make the right choice, it will just be a part of your daily habit. If you plan to run for a longer period then you must have an extra few hundred calories – mainly rich in carbohydrate to avoid feeling fatigue and nauseous during running. Carbohydrates act as the chief running fuel before a workout, however you need to select the right choice of energy giving food which is easily digestible. Don’t take anything in excess; it may end up giving you stomach cramps.

If you’d like to follow me on Pinterest or follow me on Google+, I’d really appreciate it! Thanks to Adam for asking me to write this post. Thanks for reading it and I hope to connect with some of you in the near future.

Amy