Eating Tips For 10K Training

As you get deeper into your 10K training plan, fuel your body all the way with these nutrition rules for women.

Whether your 10K race goal is a new PB or simply getting round, you need to look after your body. Training is hard work and your body needs help from great nutrition. This nutrition know-how will help you stay strong and healthy.

7 Basic Rules

1. Eat the right types of foods (80% of the time!)
2. Eat at the right time for training and recovery.
3. Keep variety in your diet (don’t cut anything out unnecessary)
4. Focus on unprocessed, unrefined foods.
5. Get most of your carbohydrates from unprocessed, slow-releasing sources.
6. Most of your protein should be from lean sources.
7. Don’t forget healthy fats, especially omega 3 fatty acids

A healthy diet will do more than help you manage your weight and have energy for running. It will support your immune system, help your muscle tissue repair, and even help you sleep better.

Variety & Natural Health.

Female runners should not go low-carb, slash calories, or cut any foods out of their diet (unless there’s a medical reason). In fact, try to get as much variety in your diet as possible. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Try out new vegetables, rotate your protein sources, and try to eat fresh and seasonal foods. Nature grows certain plants throughout the year for good reason.

No Fads, Good Balance.

Forget the fats. Don’t go low-carb, low-fat, or super high protein. A balanced diet is best for 10K training. A good ratio to aim for is 40/40/20. That’s 40% of your calories from protein, 40% from carbs, and 20% from fats.

Meal Timing.

Eat 1-2 hours before your training runs so your body has enough time to digest the food. Carbohydrates and protein are important before running.

After running, protein, carbs, and rehydration are most important. But there’s no immediate rush. The concept of a ‘post workout window’ is over-exaggerated. Eat within 2 hours of training and you’ll be fine. If you find it tough to eat a meal after running, consider having a serving of protein (protein powder shakes are so convenient for this).

Make It Easy To Measure.

Use your plate to create healthy meals. Fill half the plate with vegetables, salad, or greens. The other 50% should be half protein and half slow-release carbohydrates. This might look like: half salad/vegetables, quarter potato, and quarter meat-based mince/casserole. You get the idea. This rough guideline helps you keep it balanced.

Read The Label.

Hidden sugars, salts, and unhealthy fats are in a surprising number of foods. So get used to checking the labels and understanding what you’re seeing. Pay particular attention to sauces, marinades, dressings, and all those “little extras” that you eat without thinking.

Have fun fuelling your body, and remember that 80/20 is a great rule of thumb. 80% healthy, nutritious food and 20% off-plan treats will keep your mind and body happy as you complete your 10K challenge.

Windsor Women’ 10k Saturday 25th September Click here to sign up today

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