If you consider yourself an athlete, or just love to run, then you need to know how important it is to fuel your body with the nutrition it needs for optimal performance. Summertime is a great time to get out and stay active working on your stamina and speed. Getting enough energy from food is essential when preparing for your next big race or adventure. The right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from food will help you feel energized, and ready to perform at your best.
Carbohydrates are great pre-workout foods because they are easily digested and will be available to help prevent early fatigue. To beat fuel our athletes, we Sports Dietitians counsel our athletes to consume a minimum of 5-7 grams of carbohydrates per kg each day. For example, if you are training for a high-intensity or endurance race, weigh 140 lbs, and want to maintain your weight, then you should be eating at least 350-440 grams of carbs/day! Now that might seem like a lot to you, but if you are training every day and prepping for an event, then your body needs that fuel so you can train well and finish strong.
Although carbs are the main source of energy fuel for endurance exercise, protein is also another important energy source and must be consumed in adequate amounts during daily life! training! and before a big race. Getting enough protein is essential for muscle repair and muscle building. On average, about 10-15% of an athlete's total calories should come from protein. Eating high quality protein 3-4 times per day and also within about an hour after a big training session or race, will enhance muscle repair and growth. Some sources of high quality protein include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, and Greek yogurt. For many of our endurance athletes going long distances in training and races, it
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s recommended that your consume 1.2 to 1.4+ grams of protein / kilogram a day. So, if we take the same 140 lbs athlete, that person needs ~80-90+ grams of protein a day!
And we definitely don't want to forget about our healthy fats! "good fats" include fatty fish, nuts, nut oils, veggie oils, avocados, and olives. Healthy fats are a vital source of energy and will help you stay fuller longer. As a rule, fats should take up 20-35% of your total calories for the day. For those engaging in prolonged and/or high intensity physical activity, you will likely aim for the higher end of this range, both to help you get in adequate calories and to help reduce inflammation and improve recovery. Foods with healthy fats also help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins essential for health and optimal performance.
A quick analogy is to think of your body like a car, if you don
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t give it enough gas, then the car will stop running. Same goes for our bodies, if we don
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t give our bodies enough fuel from proper nutrition, we will break down too! Below is a recipe for a carbohydrate rich meal that gives you the proper energy you need for your run! Rich in good carbs, lean protein, and healthy fat....YUM!
INGREDIENTS:
Roasted Sweet Potato:
1 large sweet potato, peel and diced
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Quinoa:
3/4 cup red quinoa
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Juice of half a lime
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Cilantro Cream Drizzle:
1/4 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
Juice of half a lime
Pinch of salt, garlic powder, and chili powder
Other Ingredients:
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
Cilantro for garnishing
INSTRUCTIONS:
Roasted Sweet Potato:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Toss the diced sweet potato in the olive oil and spices and lay it out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast the sweet potato for 12-15 minutes or until it is fork tender.
Quinoa:
4. Rinse and drain the red quinoa then put it in a medium sized sauce pan with the water and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.
5. Bring the quinoa to a boil, then cover it with a lid and lower the heat to medium low.
6. Cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed.
7. Remove from the heat and season the quinoa with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, lime juice, and cilantro.
Cilantro Cream Drizzle:
8. In a blender add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Assembling the Bowls:
9. In 2 or 3 serving bowls divide the quinoa mixture.
10. Top the quinoa with the black beans
and roasted sweet potato.
11. Drizzle the cilantro cream on top with a spoon.
12. Top with more cilantro if desired.
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