Fuel Your Miles Like A Pro

Healthy Grocery List to Fuel Your Miles

When you want to up your running game and beat the timer, what you put in your body becomes as crucial as your training.

Here are the best foods that should pave their way to your runner’s diet. 

Peanut butter

You would have already been acquainted with peanut butter if you are a regular runner. Peanut butter is like the holy grail when it comes to picking up energy food for running. It’s loaded with good proteins and helps build lean muscle mass.  There are numerous delicious peanut butter recipes as well. It fits perfectly in a smoothie or on whole-wheat toast. Watch out for any additives like salt, added sugar or oil. Other than those, a PB is loaded with good nutrients like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that help lower cholesterol levels, strengthens your immune system, improving fatigue recovery and preventing injuries. 

Quinoa

Good carbs are a runner’s best friend. They are one of the best sources of energy for runners. And what’s better than a bowl of Quinoa! It’s broken down faster and can fuel your workout quicker, even though it’s a complex carb. It also delivers plant-based proteins, with no gluten and little sugar. In case there’s excess energy after its consumption, it is stored as glycogen in muscles to be drawn later, best for long-distance running like a marathon. 

Coffee

Your cup of joe might be one of the best foods for building stamina. It’s the caffeine contained within that helps you clock in a better time. But wait before you make those trips to the cafe your regular pass time. You are only allowed to drink black coffee – without milk and sugar. 

For Crazy Cravings, Whole-grain Pasta

You’d be surprised to know that you don’t have to let go of your pasta love! A healthy-pasta-party-night is a  high-carb meal that fills up your glycogen reserves. When you race the next day, you can draw energy from these reserves, be it during a practice run or the final one. The same goes for bread, which is a high fiber, high energy food. Always choose the whole-grain variety which can help you be full longer and help improve your endurance and performance. Also, check the ingredients of the sauces that you cook the pasta in. 

Food for runners to avoid

Sweetened beverages like diet soda and energy drinks (obviously not all!) are laden with artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, cyclamate or acesulfame-k. These interfere with your performance by aggravating dehydration and weight gain. While it may be propagated that having a snack bar or dark chocolate bar might give instant energy, you should always check the ingredients of the pack to make sure you aren’t taking in the “baddies” like saturated and trans fat. Always go for a healthier snack which is nutrient-dense. Stay away from fried, full-fat food, sugary cereals, and white wheat. Keep a check on your alcohol intake and you would be good to go, like a pro.