Various Diets and How They Affect Runners of
Different Types
A good race depends on more
than just your training. If you want to improve your speed and performance, you
also need to consider what you are putting into your body. The type of food an
athlete should eat depends on the kind of sport they do. When you consume the
right foods at the right time, your running performance is greatly enhanced. In
addition to that, you will reduce the risk of injury and illness.
In
this article, we discuss the top diets and their effects on runners.
1.
Ketogenic
diets
For so many years,
carbohydrates have been promoted as the main fuel source for runners; this is
because high carbohydrate diets increase the amount of glycogen stored in the
liver and muscle, and this improves endurance performance. But the body is full
of fat stores, and scientists and nutritionists have begun to wonder how we can
tap into those stores for fuel.
This diet is increasingly
becoming the favorite among runners who want to lose weight or teach their
bodies to use fat as fuel. But whether runners, specifically, should put their
bodies in a state of ketosis depends on your goals.
The
ketogenic diet which is also known as low-carb, high–fat (LCHF), is a high-fat,
moderate protein, low-carb nutrition plan and this is a drastic shift from what
the typical carb-heavy runners eat. Although the amount of fat one eats on a
ketogenic diet varies, ketogenic diets contain high percentage of fat with
carbohydrate taking only a little percentage. By cutting down carb intake -
less than 25 net grams per day - ketogenic diets force your body into ketosis
(a metabolic state in which the body heavily relies on fat for energy instead
of sugar/glycogen), and this is the purpose of the diet. When you eat fewer
carbs, your glucose levels go down, which lowers insulin levels and this
triggers the production of ketones that do not need the help of insulin to get
into and fuel the cells.
Long
distance runners (ultra-runners, for instance) may benefit from this diet
because over the later miles (beyond 30 miles), the body needs to start tapping
into fat stores. Moreover, when you are running at lower intensities, you need
to burn more fat as fuel. But for runners (such as sprint runners) running at
higher intensities than the ultra-runners, carbs may still be best because
carbs are the main source of fuel at higher intensities.
In
recent times, there are doubts as to whether or not keto diets actually help
athletic performance. There isn’t really a lot of good research that shows
those people can perform better, and that’s really what runners care about.
Diabetics have to routinely measure their ketones; if the ketone levels are too
high, it can indicate a major complication of diabetes.
If you
decide to try this new way of fueling, consult with your dietitian first. Also
remember that saturated fat has been linked to heart disease and high blood
pressure; so choose diets that are high in unsaturated fat, such as fish, nuts,
oils and avocados.
2.
Vegetarian diets
Vegetarian and vegan diets may have differing effects on
athletic performance depending upon the type of exercise performed. Vegan diets
tend to be lower in calories, protein, fat, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, calcium
and iodine than omnivorous diets, but they contain higher amounts of
carbohydrates, fiber, micronutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Hence
vegan athletes may need to consume higher amounts of these foods compared to
omnivores and other vegetarians. All vegans should take a B12 supplements. Calcium
supplements are controversial after a study showed a link between calcium
supplements and a greater risk for heart disease. Some forms of tofu are high
in calcium. Green, leafy vegetables are another good non-dairy source of
calcium. Vegetarian diets are higher in carbohydrates that boost muscle
glycogen for greater endurance. Still, vegetarian endurance athletes still need
to consume adequate amounts of plant-based protein and need more than people
who are sedentary. Creatine supplementation along with an increase in
plant-based protein may help vegetarian and vegan athletes compensate for the
lack of animal protein. If you’re trying to build lean body mass or strength
and you’re eating a vegetarian diet, make sure you’re getting enough
plant-based protein from a variety of sources including fermented soy, whole
grains, beans and lentils. If you’re not vegan, eggs are the highest quality
source of protein to help promote muscle growth.
Vegetarian strength and power athletes should try as much as
possible to eat a diet higher in plant-based protein from a variety of sources
and ensure they’re getting enough calcium, zinc, vitamin B12, iron and vitamin
D. Eating iron-rich foods such as red meat will also be more important for a
marathon runner than a sprinter as it is an essential component of hemoglobin,
the protein in blood that transports oxygen around the body.
However, according to a study comparing vegan and omnivore
athletes, vegetarian diets do not compromise athletic performance and may even
help aerobic capacity.
3.
Mediterranean
diets
The
Mediterranean diet, which consists of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish,
legumes, and olive oil, could reduce a harmful dependency on animal protein. The
fundamental Mediterranean diet component is an emphasis on eating mostly
plant-based foods and limiting red meat. But you need more protein for muscle
building. Therefore, focus on getting more protein from the foods the diet
promotes. Include foods such as poultry, fish, yogurt, cheese, and eggs in your
daily eating plan. You need about 25 to 30 grams daily intake of protein to
meet your everyday protein needs; this isn’t difficult to do.
The
Mediterranean diet is rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which can
provide plenty of carbs, but most of these foods are eaten in portions that may
be inadequate for endurance athletes—though recent research suggest athletes
can perform well on far fewer carbs than most experts recommend.
Mediterranean
diet won’t slow you down in any way. This diet, which is promoted mostly as a
heart-healthy, weight-loss diet, is also ideal for performance.
4.
Paleo
diets
The Paleo diet emphasizes
high-protein foods and other items that can be consumed without additional
processing such foods include eggs, organ meats, game and wild meats, fish and
shellfish, fruits and vegetables (although obese people should limit grapes,
bananas, cherries and mangoes), nuts and seeds (except peanuts), oils (olive,
walnut and flaxseed), moderate use of coffee, tea, wine and beer, and moderate
intake of dried nuts. It limits carbs and beans, which can be difficult if you
don't care for meat.
The Paleo diet excludes
foods such as dairy, cereal grains, legumes and starchy
vegetables, foods that contain salt, fatty, cured and processed meats, soft
drinks and fruit juices, candy, honey and syrup.
This diet lacks vital nutrients, such as
calcium, fiber, iron and carbohydrates hence it fails to meet the special needs
of strength and power athletes, who need additional carbohydrates. It is also
an expensive way to eat.
5. Carnivore diet
This diet is one in which you subsist on animal foods alone.
Imagine a diet where you eat steak, bacon, and pork. This is what the carnivore
diet is about –meat, meat, meat; no grains, no fruits, no veggies. This diet
says no carb, high fat, and high protein. This diet suggests you buy the best
quality meat products possible. Although with this diet, you will inevitably
enter ketosis (but not fulltime), unlike keto diets, carnivore diets emphasize
animal fat; they do not allow for plant fat and carbs.
Meats such as beef, lamb, poultry are the predominant source
of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc (iron and zinc are most deficient in
vegetarian diets). Over the years, countless athletes have embraced the
carnivore diet. They have ditched plant foods for animal flesh.
Copyright GoRunaMuck.com
I've
been running for about four years. After learning how to run properly it has
improved my run-times and has also minimized injuries. Running posture is
important, especially for distance runner who are likely to suffer from
repetitive impact injuries.
FROM HEAD TO TOE,
HERE IS RUNNING POSTURE:
HEAD-Run with your head up and
pointed forward. Don't look at your feet as this compromises the rest of of
your running posture.
The
best visualization technique I've learned is the "puppet posture."
Picture a string coming out of the top of your head, pulling you upright. You
are hanging there and your feet are barely touching the ground. Using this
technique, I actually get a sense of floating or flying. It makes running seem
even more natural than it already is and keeps me aligned in perfect form.
EYES-Are facing forward but are
darting around every few seconds to watch for cars, pedestrians and obstacles
that could injure you on the sidewalk.
EARS-Should always be listening. If
you run outside with headphones don't blast your music. Keep it at a volume low
enough to hear cars, sirens, horns and people.
MOUTH-Should be relaxed. A good test
that tells whether you are running in a relaxed position is jiggly cheeks.
SHOULDERS-Neutral and not tensed up. Don't
clench or pinch your shoulder blades together or pull them up toward your neck.
ARMS-Bent at the elbow making a 90
degree angle resting at your side. They should be loose and relaxed. Not stiff
and tucked in your body.
HANDS-Slightly cupped and again,
relaxed.
TORSO-Flexed, moves with the legs and
hips. Use your abs to help propel you, give you stabilization and maintain
balance.
HIPS-Facing forward and flicking left
to right with the legs.
BUTT-Put some glute in to your runs.
Flex your glutes and concentrate on each stride coming first from the butt,
then the legs. You can really get a great glute workout running uphill.
LEGS-Shorter running strides are
better than the long ones. They reduce injuries like muscle pulls and strains. They
also save energy during long runs. You don't want to burn out before crossing
the finish line because you are moving your legs inefficiently. However find
the balance between the long and short strides. You still want to be running,
not shuffling along.
KNEES-Slightly flexed to take impact.
Sprinters raise their knees more than endurance runners for power.
FEET-Your feet should land directly
underneath your body.
PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER
Always
start your run with a warm up. Your body needs time to get the idea that you
are indeed, running! I find that sometimes I even walk funny for the first few
minutes simply because my body hasn't coordinated itself yet.
Muscles
also need a warm up to reduce injuries.
As
you start running gradually increase your speed as to not shock yourself and
lead your bod to an early burn out.
Remember
to cool down at the end so your heart rate and circulation can go back to
normal before taking it easy.
Everybody
has a different running style but as long as you follow the basic principals of
running posture your runs will go smoothly an injury free.
Have
a great run!
Running
is the most common cardio exercise people do. Running helps you burn a lot of
calories and is great with improving the health of your heart and lungs. But
the problem with this exercise is that you are prone to injuries not on the
outside but also on the inside. Most injuries when running involve bad posture
when you are running. Why is a good running posture important?
When
you have a good running posture, you get a good cardio workout. The key benefit
of a cardio exercise is to help your heart and lungs. With a bad running
posture, you actually help both organs get hurt. Proper body alignment is very
important when you run. When your body is properly aligned, the body's energy
travels more freely and your muscles are in the right position to lengthen and
shorten. The body is also working efficiently because the muscles are not using
too much energy making you run faster, easier. Proper alignment also helps in
preventing any injuries to your knee and hip joints.
Make
sure that you have your shoulders back to allow your chest cavity to get as
much oxygen it needs when you're working out. When you are slumped forward, it
makes it harder to breathe. Do not lean back too far as it's harder to breathe
that way too. lean forward from the ankles. This helps in keeping your body
relaxed. This also increases your speed and run with less effort because your
body is relaxed. Avoid leaning too far forward though since this puts your mass
to center in the front of your hip area.
This
makes you put your foot too far in front of your body and puts more stress on
the front of your legs. Another thing that you have to check when you are
running is the position of your head. Try not to look down too much or leaning
your head forward. These abnormal head positions not only cause stress on the
back of your neck, it also affects the muscles on your upper back and
shoulders. The worst thing that this can cause is neck arthritis.
The
simplest way to get a good posture when you run is to check your posture when
you are standing. To start, try walking a couple of paces in place then stop
and keep your feet aligned with your shoulders. With the help of a mirror, the
middle of your ear, shoulder, hip and ankles need to form a line from bottom to
top. You can also check yourself by standing against a wall. This can help you
find that line as well as checking if your head is in the right posture. If
your head is hitting the wall or if you have to exert effort in pulling your
head back, that means your head is not in the proper alignment. You can fix
this by pretending that you have a string on your head pulling it up. That
keeps you in the proper position from head to toe.
You
have to take note that our muscles and ligaments have memory and will keep any
posture we are used to unless you remind yourself to take a proper stance. When
you have better posture when running, you get better results.
Written
by Teresa
Copyright
GoRunaMuck.com
HOW TO RUN SAFELY WITH PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Plantar Fascia is a ligament that is located at the heel of
the foot to the balls of the feet. It acts as the shock absorber for the foot
and it also supports the arch. Athletes mainly runners, have a very high tendency
of developing Plantar Fasciitis because of long periods of exercise and
running. These activities are hectic and the tension that results from these
activities can cause the fascia to be inflamed and strained which leads to the
muscle and tendon in the foot and the lower leg to become aggravated.
With such kind of aggravated injury, runners tend to
continue training and these can be very dangerous as the pain can lead to other
injuries. When this happens it affects the diagnosis of other injuries in the
lower extremities.
Plantar Fasciitis can occur in different degrees. In some
cases some runners can endure mild plantar fasciitis and continuing their exercise
while treating the root cause of the problem. While in others the case can
worsen due to continued exercises and this can lead to excruciating pain which
may make walking extremely difficult and running almost impossible. In the
event that you have a severe case, it is advisable to stop vigorous activities
and rest for some days while in a mild case it is still possible to continue
running if managed well.
For experienced runners suffering from plantar fasciitis, it
is advisable to take a few days off before you resume training. Stretch your
feet a few times a day with foam covering your calves and legs. Do not wear
worn or non athletic shoes as they may be a contributing factor to your plantar
fasciitis. As you begin to heal, gradually incorporate running into your daily
routine at a reduced rate then gradually work your way up to your regular workout
schedule.
For amateur runners with mild or moderate plantar fasciitis,
it is possible to infuse running into your daily fitness routine. You can start
by walking then gradually infuse jogging and running into your routine. Take a
few days off between your runs, this ensures that your feet has enough time to
recover, then gradually increase the duration of your running exercise until
you are jugging more than walking.
In the event you have severe plantar fasciitis or you
experience excruciating pain, it is advisable to refrain from all exercise
until you seek medical advice.
TIPS FOR RUNNING WITH PLANTAR
FASCIITIS
Have a thorough warm up before you start running: Having a
good warm up is very important before you start with any exercise. The aim of the
warm up is to increase your heart rate, improve your range of motions around
your joints, increase your capillary activation and elasticity of your tendons
and ligaments. A normal warm up exercise should include the stretching of your
hip flexor and legs with exercise such as squats and leg swings. Because you
are suffering from plantar fasciitis, special attention needs to paid to your
ankles, calves and your plantar fascia ligament during the warm up. These exercise
can be infused with your warm up:
·
Calf rises
·
Pointing
·
Flexing your toes
·
Ankle circles
Apply ice after every workout: When you feel heel pain after
an exercise, try raising and icing your feet when you are rested. Leave your
feet in ice for 10-15 minutes after your exercise then repeat in the evening if
you are still experiencing some heel pain. There are a couple of ways to ice
your feet, you can fill a bucket of water and submerge your feet or hold a bag
of frozen peas to the bottom of your feet.
Treatment
Plantar fasciitis can be treated at home without visiting
the hospital. The common methods include:
Massage: Different types of massages can be used to relive
the pain of an affected area. For best results contact a sports therapists
Stretching: The fascia can be stretched by pulling out the
toes back towards your body. Gently stretch then gradually build to pulling the
foot back further.
Wearing correct footwear: Putting on the right running shoe
is very imperative before you commence your exercise. There are different types
of running shoes, so it is important that you find the one that fits correctly,
has the correct level of balance and support and cushioning to help ease in the
event of a fall.
Insoles: This absorbs shock on the foot and also helps to
align the foot correctly when suffering from plantar fasciitis.
Night splint: This is worn at night to ensure a deep long
stretch in severe cases.
Written by Sonia Forde
Copyright GoRunaMuck.com