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Training

Nutrition

Healthy eating basics for runners, by coach Vivienne Law. General advice — not a guide for a specific distance such as a marathon.

The basics

The five food groups

  1. 1

    Bread, potatoes and cereals

    Rice, pasta, noodles, oats

    Your main source of carbohydrate, plus fibre, B vitamins and iron. Include them at every meal; the more active you are, the more you need.

  2. 2

    Fruit and vegetables

    At least five portions a day

    Fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. A portion is about two tablespoons of cooked veg, a small side salad, a handful of fruit or a small glass of juice.

  3. 3

    Meat, fish and alternatives

    Beans, pulses, eggs, soya, nuts, seeds

    Protein, B vitamins and iron. Small portions twice a day: about three slices of meat, a small fish fillet, two eggs or five tablespoons of beans.

  4. 4

    Dairy

    Three portions a day

    Protein, vitamins and calcium. Choose lower-fat options: a third of a pint of milk, a small yoghurt or a matchbox-sized piece of cheese.

  5. 5

    Fat and sugar

    Small amounts

    Spreads give essential fatty acids, and sugary foods are useful quick energy on long runs, but too much doesn’t help.

No food is simply good or bad: it’s your overall diet that matters.

Hydration

Drink enough

1.5–2La day3–4 pints, more when training
½should be waterTea, coffee and juice count too
750mlafter trainingfor every 0.5kg of weight lost during the session

Calorie needs

Estimate yours

This gives an estimate only. First work out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) from your weight in kg, then multiply by your activity level: 1.3 if you exercise 1–2 times a week, 1.4 for 2–3 times, 1.5 for hard exercise more than 3 times a week.

AgeMenWomen
18–30(weight × 15.3) + 679(weight × 14.7) + 479
31–60(weight × 11.6) + 879(weight × 8.7) + 829
60+(weight × 13.5) + 487(weight × 10.5) + 598

Example: a 60kg woman aged 31–60 has a BMR of (60 × 8.7) + 829 = 1,351 kcal. If she’s active, 1,351 × 1.5 = about 2,027 kcal a day.

Work it out

BMR 1,351 kcal · Daily 2,027 kcal

To lose weight, multiply by 0.85. To gain weight, multiply by 1.2.

Sample day

About 2,000 kcal

  1. BreakfastBowl of cereal, 200ml semi-skimmed milk, 1 tsp sugar, glass of orange juice401 kcal
  2. Mid-morningCurrant bun with a scraping of low-fat spread237 kcal
  3. LunchTwo slices of bread with spread and two slices of lean meat, low-fat yoghurt, apple496 kcal
  4. Mid-afternoonBanana100 kcal
  5. EveningChicken breast, large baked potato, 4 tbsp vegetables, two kiwi fruit592 kcal
  6. SupperSlice of toast with spread142 kcal

The British Dietetic Association has more food fact sheets.