Instead, a sound diet for runners needs to focus on the basics: vegetables, high-quality meat, fruit, nuts and seeds, and minimally processed sources of carbohydrates like quinoa, wild rice and sweet potatoes. This ensures your diet is packed with high-nutrient foods so you can feel your best during your workouts, and maximize recovery.
More: Clean Eating Race Fuel and Snack Recipes
Stop Carb-Loading for Every Run
Runners love the idea of carb-loading because it promises better performances. And that's true for long events like the marathon. But you simply don't need the number of carbohydrates you're likely consuming during normal training.
Even with a relatively low-carbohydrate diet, runners have plenty of fuel to complete an easy 30- to 60-minute run. There's no need to bring gels or energy bars with you, or eat an extremely high-carb breakfast. Before more strenuous workouts or long runs, however, you can eat more carbs to make sure your fuel levels are topped off.
More: The New Rules of Marathon Nutrition: How Many Carbs?
When eaten consistently throughout the week when they're not needed for demanding exercise, excess carbs contribute to weight gain, poor dental health, and can even increase your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Remove the unhealthy sources of carbs like white bread, muffins, bagels, added sugar and anything that contains white flour predominantly. These carbs are fuel, and if you don't burn them off, they'll get stored as fat.
Instead, healthy sources of carbs should be where most of your fuel comes from: fruit, yams, beans, wild rice and quinoa. The only exception is during marathon carbo-loading, when you need to pack in as many carbs into your muscles, liver and blood as possible to ensure you finish the race strong.
More: How to Lose Weight While Training for a Marathon
These two simple changes to your diet can have a profound impact on your weight, how you feel while running, and, ultimately, your finish times.
More: Running Makeover: "Help, I Need to Lose 10 Pounds!"
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