What to eat before running for best results

What to eat before running is very important to take care of your body and give it the right amount of energy. Here’s what you need to know about it.

With the arrival of summer, resuming physical activity is more than normal. With it, however, frequent questions reopen such as what to eat before a run. While each person has specific needs that should be seen with the nutritionist, there are basic principles that give an idea of ​​what to eat before going for a run. A correct diet must in fact be balanced and rich in essential macro nutrients. Without the right supplies from which to draw, in fact, the body would begin to consume proteins and lose lean mass. Which is usually the opposite of what you want when you start exercising.

What to eat before the run

Generally, when you have in mind to go for a run it is important to make sure that the meal immediately before is balanced and therefore includes the three main macro nutrients .

A good example is given by a portion of brown rice followed by lean proteins (such as meat or fish) and good fats such as extra virgin olive oil. Instead, vegetables should be avoided because of the swelling they can generate and, of course, refined sugars that always lead to unhealthy glycemic peaks.

As for the pre-run snack, on the other hand, a yogurt, a banana or an energy bar are fine. What matters is to stay light and not burden the digestive processes.

What to eat for breakfast before running

For breakfast, a different reasoning must be made. Since this is the first meal of the day, although eating before running is essential, it is important not to weigh down the body. Food choices, therefore, in this case depend on the chosen time of day.

If you go for a run early in the morning, for example, it is also important to take care of the evening’s dinner, always making it rich in the three main macro nutrients. By doing so, on the morning of the run, if it lasts about half an hour, you can avoid eating, limiting yourself to a coffee or fruit juice to reserve a full meal immediately after exercise.

This, of course, will need to be rich and well balanced. An example is protein pancakes , or a bowl of sugar-free Greek yogurt to which you can add fresh and dried fruit. Wholemeal bread with two scrambled eggs are also a good solution, especially if combined with a fresh citrus juice and, of course, without added sugars.

The situation changes if you train about two hours after breakfast. In this case, you can opt for the advice given above, but try not to get too heavy and remember to have a snack shortly after or, if you arrive at lunchtime, a complete and balanced meal.

In this way, running will be even richer in benefits , it will be less tiring and will bring the desired results without affecting the lean mass.