We have covered a number of posts in our Spring running tips, from helping runners get back into running in our first post all the way to dealing with the changing weather 
conditions in our fourth post. In this post we have compiled some essential nutritional tips for runners.
“Eat to run, don’t run to eat.” Focus on nutrition that will fuel your running
Plan your meals
Analyse your diet and create a meal plan that you can stick to, which will suit your lifestyle. It is important to review what you are eating now and how that measures up to the exercise regime you have. Ask yourself questions like are you getting enough variety and nutrition in your food? When do you run and do you feel hungry by the time you run? The tips on the type of food you should be eating noted below will assist you.
Eat right, Eat often & don't skip the main meals
Research shows that eating little and often is best for runners… as long as you’re eating the right things!
Frequent snacking throughout the day is a sure way to avoid low blood sugar levels and tiredness by the time you get home for your run. Avoid high-fat snacks such as crisps and chocolate, opting instead for high-carbohydrate and low-fat snacks, which make the best fuel. Remember proper meals are very important to eat, so do not skip breakfast or other meals. Eating proper meals is where the carbohydrates really count. Some high-carbohydrate foods are also high in fat so review the Runner's World training guide below to assist you.
A balanced diet for healthy runners should include these essentials: carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. The top two food sources would be carbohydrates and protein.
