Taking up running means choosing a healthy lifestyle. But before you start training, there are a few things to consider to make sure you reach the goals that got you running in the first place. For example, you need to decide which shoes feel most comfortable, what time of day you can train, your routes, whether you'll run on your own or with a group… and so on.
Taking up running means choosing a healthy lifestyle.
Another equally important thing to keep in mind, and one that usually gets overlooked, is the set of eating guidelines you should follow from now on. Starting to run means burning extra energy, so you'll need to check whether your current diet is enough or needs a few changes.
Giving specific guidelines is tricky, because every woman is different and each of us has needs that may not match those of other runners, so we're going to focus on 4 key points (broader ones) that set out the principles of healthy nutrition for running.
- The first thing to keep an eye on is staying well hydrated. Water is the most essential nutrient for life, so you need to make sure your daily intake makes up for what you lose through urine, breathing and sweat (which will increase with exercise). We should drink at least 1.5 liters of water a day: together with the water we get from food, that keeps our fluid balance where it should be. A good sign that you're well hydrated is pale, clear urine.
- Another important guideline is to keep regular mealtimes and not skip any meals. It's important to eat 5 meals a day to make sure we get a steady supply of energy. This gives us the reserves we need before training and helps us recover properly afterward. Remember to leave enough time between your last meal and your run so you can digest properly and avoid heartburn or an upset stomach.
- You need to be more careful than ever to get enough of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. You can do this simply by eating a wider variety from every food group: choose different vegetables and fruits, alternate between meat and fish, have eggs 2-3 days a week, and add dairy, nuts and whole grains. Mix up your cooking methods too. If your diet is varied, you'll get more vitamins and minerals and you won't need any supplements.
- When you plan your menu, make sure your training days line up with the days your meals give you the most energy. In other words, on the days you run, eat carbs (rice, pasta, legumes), and on rest days, eat lighter foods (vegetables or salads, plus meat or fish).
These guidelines are easy to follow, but I encourage you to go over each one every day to spot anything you could improve or fix!