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Foods to eat before, during and after a marathon
Dec 12, 2019
After a splendid festive season, December is officially the kick-off to the marathon season. Whether you are a novice or a veteran marathon runner, having an optimal nutrition meal before, during or after a race can have a huge effect on your performance and recovery.Hydration is also an important factor for a successful race. However, make sure that half an hour before the race it is advisable to stop drinking water or any other fluids. During the race as well, take a few sips, instead of glugging the entire bottle. You can even opt for a sports drink or plain water with electrolyte powder, as they contain salt and help against electrolyte depletion.
When it comes to having meals, avoid any spicy, fatty or junk food, as they may give you heartburn before the race days. For people who are lactose intolerant, dairy products are best avoided.
Whether you prefer a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet, we suggest you some of the preferred meals that you should take before the D-day!
The night before a marathon:
The night before the marathon is very crucial for every runner and one should take a complete healthy meal such as Quinoa Salad with Walnuts and Raisins with Grilled Chicken/Grilled Marinated Tofu. If you are a vegan/vegetarian, tofu makes an excellent substitute for chicken because it's a good source of high-quality, complete protein.
The nutty quinoa salad has a sufficient amount of carbohydrates to fulfill your body's energy stores so that you are completely charged to run miles in the morning. The healthy combination of quinoa, walnuts, and grilled chicken/tofu also provides fiber, fat, and protein to make you feel satisfied so that you can get a good night's sleep. Make sure you do not have rice in your meal before the race day as it will make you stuffed and sleepy.
To make grilled chicken, you have to whisk together balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano and rosemary, salt and pepper. In a Ziploc bag, mix the balsamic vinegar mixture and chicken and marinate for at least 1 hour. Preheat OTG to medium-high heat and add chicken to grill and cook, flipping once and moistening with reserved marinade until the chicken cooked properly. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, repeat the same steps using tofu.
Bajaj Electricals offers an array of options to choose from. With a stainless-steel body to ensure easy cleaning, you can opt for either Bajaj Majesty 2200 TMSS Oven Toaster Griller or Bajaj Majesty 3500 TMCSS Oven Toaster Griller for a good grilling experience.
Breakfast before running a marathon: Finally! It’s D-day. Running a marathon puts a huge amount of stress on your immune system. Mix up a healthy smoothie containing whey protein, strawberries, orange juice etc.
The glutamine combined with vitamin C from strawberries and orange juice will help keep your immune system strong. Alternatively, you can also have bagel and peanut butter, oatmeal with milk and dried fruit, or yogurt and toast. A scrumptious breakfast of simple toast is enough to revitalize your dull mornings and kick-start your day on a healthy note. Visit Bajaj Electricals to explore wide range of pop-up toasters at affordable rates.
Drinking fresh juices or smoothies is immensely beneficial to your health for it is a source of various minerals and vitamins. Bajaj Electricals offers the best range of Juicers and Blenders at the best possible price. You can opt for Bajaj Majesty Juice Extractor or Bajaj HB12 Hand Blender for a healthy living.
Immediately after completing a marathon: Yes! You made it to the finish line. But once the exhilaration and euphoria begin to wear off, you realize that you have to make it back home. Immediately after running the marathon, you should replace depleted muscle glycogen by consuming carbohydrate-packed foods such as bananas, raisins, granola bars, energy bars, and energy drinks. Many sports drinks supply carbohydrate, too.
2-3 hours after completing a marathon:
Running a marathon depletes your body's antioxidant resources, and that is why choosing the right post-marathon foods is very important for every runner. To energize your body, you can take Greek Yogurt with Granola, Blueberries, and Raspberries. Greek Yogurt comprises of high-quality protein that will provide your muscles with much-needed building for recovery.
As always remember "You don't have to be so tough that it doesn't hurt, you just have to be tough enough not to quit."
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