Marathon You Can Do It

I just found this marathon nutrition tips by Marathoner Deena Kastor.

It’s a good idea to know which foods provide the biggest carbohydrate bang per serving, but you don’t necessarily have to approach each meal with a fork and a calculator. Marathoner Deena Kastor, who won bronze at the 2004 Olympics, believes that once you understand how your body processes different carbohydrates — that is, which foods provide lasting energy for you — you can approach your meals with an intuitive sense of what you need.

“I focus on adding another heaping spoonful of pasta or a few more potatoes,” she says. “Before the Athens marathon, I also ate a lot of dense fruits with high sugar content: pears, bananas, grapes. They replaced a lot of electrolytes and minerals I knew I was sweating out.”

Read original article calculating carbs for endurance athletes

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After a run it is recommended to drink a recovery drink to replenish lost energy, fluid and electrolytes.

Water as running Recovery drink

The cheapest and most popular recovery drink is good old water. Water helps in restoring lost water through sweating and cooling down the body. Drinking water also helps in preparing the stomach for proper food digestion. Experts tend to agree that rehydrating with water until urine is pale yellow is the way to go.

Sports Energy Drinks

Drinkigng a sports energy drink with a mix of carbs, protein and sodium within an hour of finishing the race is crucial.

Carbohydrate Milk Drink

The chocolate milk has the magic 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio, is cheap and tastes good.

Whatever you choose, drink what you enjoy

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Carbohydrate, Chocolate Milk, Drinking Water, Energy Drink, Energy Drinks, Food Digestion, Magic 4, Marathon Running, Milk Chocolate, Milk Drink, Old Water, Pale Yellow, Proper Food, Protein, Sodium, Sports Drink, Sports Drinks, Sports Energy, Stomach, Water Water

Because carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for active muscles, athletes need to consume them on a daily basis.

Carbohydrate-rich foods include: –

1. Fruits
2. vegetables (potatoes and beans),
3. Grains,
4. Breads,
5. cereals and some dairy products (milk and yogurt).

In general, the best diet for an athlete is one that contains a variety of foods from each of the major food groups—this will help ensure that your diet is made up of nutrient-rich foods.

Approximately 55-60% of total calories should come from carbohydrates. Athletes need to consume carbohydrates before, during and after exercise to provide fuel for the body and support overall health.

written by Constantine Njeru \\ tags: Athlete, Calories, Carbohydrate, Carbohydrates, Cereals, Daily Basis, Dairy Products Milk, diet, Exercise, Food Groups, Fruits Vegetables, Fuel Source, Grains, Health, muscles, Nutrient Rich Foods, Potatoes, Runners, Yogurt