The Runner's Resource » Nutrition

A Simple Formula To Calculate Calorie Intake

Casey — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 13:29:05 +0000

One of the great running books that I have read recently is the Hansons Marathon Method. I’m not necessarily going to run a marathon anytime soon, but I was interested in the training principles that are part of the Hansons running team.

An excellent section of the book was on nutrition for runners. I have always struggled with how many calories I should eat every day. The 2,000 calorie diet is common knowledge, but is this diet appropriate for runners? What about runners who run higher mileage and workout more than other runners?

The Hansons book provides an answer by way of a simple formula based on the amount of running that a person does per week:

1. Light to moderately active (45-60 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week): Body weight X 16-20 cal./lb. = daily calories
2. Very active (60-120 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week): Body weight X 21-25 cal./lb. = daily calories.

For example, I currently weigh 171 pounds. It might be stretching it to say that I do 45 minutes of running per day, but I’m probably pretty close on average. Therefore, my daily caloric intake should be (171) X 16-20 = 2736 – 3420 calories.

Because I’m on the low-end in terms of mileage, I should probably aim for just under 3000 calories per day.

Anyway, I thought that this formula was a cool way to calculate ideal caloric intake and wanted to share it with you. Happy running!

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Is it smart to eat within 30 minutes after running

Casey — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 16:14:00 +0000

Properly fueling your body is key to successful running. Not only should you focus on eating the right types of foods pre-run, but you also must plan to re-fuel your body after your run.

Some runners mistakenly believe that the body needs food within 30 minutes after a run, but as explained in an article by KMW Training Centers, the 30 minute rule may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

While everyone raves about needing to eat in the magical window 30 minutes post-exercise, be advised that your body is ill equipped to handle food during that time. Digestion requires proper circulation to organs like the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.

But during and for a short time after exercise, those organs are only receiving 2-3% of total blood flow. Eating under these conditions can cause digestive issues like gas, bloating, nausea, and constipation.

Instead of looking for food immediately after your workout, allow your heart rate to settle down a little and your digestion system to come back online. Instead of the 30 minute rule for eating, the one hour rule might be smarter and more beneficial.

[KMW Training Centers]

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Is a smoothie a good pre-workout meal?

Casey — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 02:46:57 +0000

A quality pre-workout meal is an essential factor in having a good run. The meal should provide you with plenty of energy, but also not make you feel bloated or cause you stomach distress.

Tara Coleman has a good post on three good pre-workout meal options. One option she mentions is a smoothie that sounds really tasty.

Green Tea Smoothie

½ cup Salada Green Tea
½ cup milk
½ cup frozen berries
1 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

I personally have thought of a smoothie as a good post-workout option – not a pre-workout meal. However, I see no reason why a smoothie wouldn’t be a great energy boost before a run.

The one slight concern I have is the milk, which is not the easiest thing to digest. If you have any digestion issues with milk, it may be best to cut that out of the recipe and substitute it for something else (water and crushed ice?).

[Tara Coleman]

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