[00:00:10] Running a marathon is a test of endurance, stamina and mental strength. For beginner marathon
[00:00:16] runners, preparing your body nutritionally is as important as logging the miles. Proper
[00:00:21] nutrition supports your energy levels, aids recovery and ensures peak performance on race
[00:00:27] day. So whether you are running a 5K, a 10K or your first full marathon, following a sound
[00:00:34] nutritional plan is essential. Hi, this is Avantii Deshpande, a clinical and sports nutritionist,
[00:00:40] author, speaker, entrepreneur and a fit mom. Welcome to my podcast Eat Smart With Avantii,
[00:00:48] reconnecting you back to the Indian roots. Today's episode is going to be a ready reckoner
[00:01:02] for your forthcoming events as it includes how to plan your macros based on your health goal,
[00:01:08] fueling, before, during and after the training and the most important is hydration. Let's
[00:01:15] consider, you wish to participate in a marathon 4 months from now. So let's just start working
[00:01:21] backwards. For a beginner marathon runner aiming to complete a 10K race in 4 months it's crucial
[00:01:28] to develop a structured training plan that balances endurance, speed, recovery and strength. Of
[00:01:36] course, I am a sports nutritionist and would love to speak best about fueling during the training. But
[00:01:42] if you wish to seriously look into training for a 10K marathon or even your first full marathon,
[00:01:49] I would suggest you enroll with an expert who will be guiding you throughout as to how to keep your pace,
[00:01:56] how do you plan your runs and how do you plan your recovery as well. But here is a ballpark idea
[00:02:02] of how you could have a suggested weekly training cycle. Usually, a trailing plan consists of an easy
[00:02:09] pace run of approximately 4-5 km 2 times a week, a tempo run of approximately 5 km once a week and
[00:02:19] once a week you may end up doing a long run which is approximately 6-8 km. This is often coupled with
[00:02:27] strength training workouts 2 times a week. The intensity of the runs would increase in month 2
[00:02:33] and 3 and just before the race we would consider tapering the intensity. Of course, this is just a
[00:02:39] ballpark idea and it's best to enroll with a trainer who will be monitoring your progress step by step.
[00:02:46] The nutrition plan depends upon your goal. The first goal could be you want to lose weight and running is a
[00:02:53] form of exercise that you want to adapt to. Goal number 2 could be you have a healthy weight but you
[00:02:59] are looking for participating in a marathon of 5 km for the first time. The third goal could be you have
[00:03:06] already done 5 km but want to move up and now start running 10 km. The fourth goal could be you're already
[00:03:16] running 10 km and now you want to improve on the timings and the pace. Based on the health goal,
[00:03:23] the nutrition plan will be tweaked as per the client. But the basics of the nutrition plan will always
[00:03:39] remain the same i.e. fueling for one energy levels during the run and after the run. Second is recovery,
[00:03:47] the third is ensuring peak performance and fourth for the ones who want to lose weight also create a
[00:03:53] calorie deficit without compromising on any of the three things that have been mentioned above.
[00:03:59] Now let's just understand what are calorie need. There are three macronutrients which are going to
[00:04:05] provide you the energy before the run, during the run, after the run and of course throughout the day.
[00:04:13] Your calorie needs can be calculated based on your height, weight and age. There are simple calculators
[00:04:20] which are available online and you can move to any trusted site to decide how much is your calorie
[00:04:27] requirement. A few examples are MyFitnessPal or HealthifyMe but there are many other trusted ones also
[00:04:33] and you can decide to log into any of these sites and understand what is your calorie requirement for
[00:04:40] the day. Once you get the knowledge of the calorie intake for the day, you will need to calculate
[00:04:45] the macros i.e. protein, carbs and fat for the day. In case you are trying to lose weight, you can look
[00:04:54] at cutting calories or just change the proportions of the carbs, fats and the protein. It's best to have
[00:05:02] a qualified sports nutritionist calculate this for you as we will understand your lifestyle, the level of
[00:05:08] fitness and the daily food intake and then accordingly we will counsel you. Now let's move on to the next step
[00:05:24] which is understanding the macro breakdown. First macronutrient is carbohydrates. This is the primary
[00:05:31] source of fuel during running. Aim for approximately 50 to 60% of your total calories coming from carbohydrates
[00:05:39] and this should be coming from complex sources like whole grains which is your chapati, millets, rice,
[00:05:47] oats, sweet potatoes, fruits like banana etc. And of course during training which is the actual running
[00:05:54] protein, we rely on simple carbs for instant energy release. The second macronutrient is proteins.
[00:06:01] It is essential for muscle repair and recovery. Approximately 15 to 20% of your calories should come
[00:06:09] in from protein sources. And of course consider complete protein sources which have all the 9 essential amino
[00:06:16] acids. Now you have to also consider the amount of carbs or even the fat that is present with the protein
[00:06:23] sources. And especially if you are trying to lose weight, consider proteins that are lean. That is complete
[00:06:31] proteins coming in from the non-vegetarian sources or even vegetarian food sources like paneer, tofu, soy etc.
[00:06:40] The third important macronutrient is fats. Healthy fats provide sustained energy and help with vitamin
[00:06:49] absorption, especially the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Approximately 20 to 30% of your daily intake
[00:06:58] should come from the healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil. There are two forms of fat that
[00:07:07] are present in the diet. The first one is visible fats which you see it with your naked eye. For example,
[00:07:14] ghee, oil, butter which is used for cooking. And the second form of fat is invisible fat. These sources
[00:07:21] you cannot see with your naked eye but they are present in the food and they will contribute to the
[00:07:26] calories. And often what happens when you are trying to lose weight is you do not calculate the hidden
[00:07:32] fats or the invisible fats and end up having high calories in the diet. So these invisible fat sources
[00:07:40] come from the nuts, the seeds. If you are consuming non-vegetarian foods then chicken, eggs, red meat or even
[00:07:50] milk can contain invisible fat. So when you are planning your diet, what is most important is the proportion of the
[00:07:58] macros that is the carbohydrates, protein and the fat. And we will change this proportion depending upon your
[00:08:05] health goal and the kind of fueling that is required during, before and even after the runs are complete.
[00:08:13] So it is always best to first understand your calorie requirement and get once your macros planned with
[00:08:20] an expert. So that you do not go wrong especially when you have to consume the calories. Sometimes you
[00:08:28] might go overboard in the calories or sometimes you might be considering the calories on the lower side
[00:08:34] but you might not understand that. So have an expert plan it for you. Now let's look at the second concept
[00:08:50] which is most important is the timings of the meal. So we look at food for fueling before, during, after the
[00:08:58] runs and of course fueling you for recovery throughout the day. Fueling before the run depends on the time
[00:09:06] of the workout. Most of the people work out in the morning. So let's just first talk about that.
[00:09:12] Fueling before the run depends on a lot on the workout of the day. For example, if you plan to do an easy
[00:09:20] pace then simply having dry fruits with nuts looks good. But if you go for a long run or then a tempo run
[00:09:28] then make sure you are having a complex carb with or without a source of protein. Like for example
[00:09:35] you can have a toast with cheese spread or you know even a slice of cheese added to it or simply adding
[00:09:42] some nut butter to it. Second example would be having an oatmeal, a banana or then simply having milk and banana.
[00:09:50] Ensure that you are fueling well before the workout so that your performance will be the best.
[00:09:57] Having said that, there are a lot of people who exercise on an empty stomach and are comfortable
[00:10:04] with that. So I think to each his own. But as a nutritionist I would suggest that you could ensure
[00:10:11] that you are having a little bit of fueling before your runs so that you do not hit the wall.
[00:10:17] But if you are used to running on an empty stomach or simply having black coffee and then completing your runs,
[00:10:22] it is all up to you. There is no hard and fast rule about that. If you are planning to have a long run,
[00:10:29] sometimes even hydrating well with water or then with an electrolyte drink which is isotonic in nature
[00:10:36] will ensure that you are going to complete your run much better. Now let us just look at the fueling
[00:10:43] during the run. Fueling during the run. The fueling during the run depends upon the duration of the run.
[00:10:50] If you are running for less than 60 minutes or say about 30 minutes or so probably hydrating well with
[00:10:57] plain water or then having an isotonic electrolyte drink would be enough. You could add lemon juice into
[00:11:04] it so that you get enough of vitamin C as well. But if you are running more than 60 minutes, refueling is
[00:11:12] very essential. Approximately 30 to 60 grams of simple carbs per hour. Sources like energy gels, sports drink
[00:11:23] and easily digestible snacks like dry fruits and energy chews. One thing you need to remember is you need to
[00:11:30] train the gut to fuel during the runs. Often we end up not consuming anything during the long runs
[00:11:38] and we end up hitting the wall. So during the training itself ensure that you are used to getting refueling
[00:11:45] done so that during the event it becomes very easy to adapt to fueling so that you do not hit the wall
[00:11:53] and you can complete the race well in time. Now let us look at fueling post run recovery.
[00:11:59] The recovery window is crucial for replenishing glycogen stores and repairing muscle. So these are
[00:12:06] the two functions which are important. Aim to consume a mix of carbohydrates and proteins within 30 to 60
[00:12:13] minutes post run. Great options include like a smoothie with a protein powder added to it,
[00:12:19] a greek yogurt with a fruit or then you could even end up having a sandwich. This would be probably a
[00:12:26] cheese sandwich, a nut butter sandwich so that you are fueling well with carbohydrates, protein and fat
[00:12:34] all put together. Rehydrate by drinking water or an electrolyte drink to replace the lost fluids.
[00:12:42] It's a great idea to even consume your breakfast after the run so that you get enough of carbs,
[00:12:48] protein and fats during this breakfast time. A few examples could be having an oatmeal with banana,
[00:12:56] milk and nuts put into it so you get everything that is the carbs, protein and the fat. If you like
[00:13:03] eating eggs then having eggs with probably a millet roti or chapati or even toast would be a great idea.
[00:13:10] This could be coupled with a protein powder if you want to consume it or then you could even add some
[00:13:16] nuts for the good fats. Now let us look at hydration which is the key factor for your performance.
[00:13:32] And here are the hydration guidelines. Hydration significantly impacts performance. Even mild
[00:13:39] dehydration say as little as 2% loss of the body weight can reduce running capacity. Drink at least
[00:13:48] 2-3 litres of water daily without fail increasing on days when you are having the long runs and especially
[00:13:55] when it is hot outside. Don't rely on thirst alone. Plan to sip consistently throughout the day.
[00:14:03] Now let us just look at electrolytes. During long distance runs or intense training you lose more than
[00:14:09] just water through your sweat. The key electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium are lost as well.
[00:14:16] Use sports drink, coconut water or electrolyte tablets to restore your minerals especially after your long
[00:14:25] runs. You can have it during the runs that is the isotronic drinks or you could ensure that you are
[00:14:32] having a glass of electrolyte water any time of the day especially when you are doing the long runs.
[00:14:48] Now let us just talk about something which is very important to ensure that your performance is the
[00:14:53] best and that is the importance of rest and recovery. Many runners overlook the importance of recovery
[00:15:00] focusing solely on increasing the mileage. However, rest is where the body heals, adapts and grows stronger.
[00:15:10] What are the benefits of a good rest and recovery? It will ensure that there is physical rejuvenation.
[00:15:15] Training causes micro tears in the muscles and recovery allows the body to repair and strengthen them.
[00:15:23] Prevention of over training syndrome. Continuous train without rest can lead to burnout, fatigue and injury.
[00:15:31] And of course it is required for mental recharge. Rest days allows athletes to mentally recharge,
[00:15:37] improve focus and motivation. Here are some of the common signs of overtraining.
[00:15:43] Training. The first one is persistent fatigue. Feeling constantly tired even after you are sleeping
[00:15:49] is a sign that there is insufficient recovery. The second is decreased performance. If you are running
[00:15:56] slower or struggling with distances you previously managed easily, you might be overtraining. And the
[00:16:03] third thing is increased injury risk. Recurrent aches and pains or injury that linger can indicate that
[00:16:12] the body isn't recovering fully. Now let us look at the three types of recoveries that are there.
[00:16:17] The first one is active recovery. This is a low intensity activity like walking, yoga or swimming
[00:16:25] and it can promote blood circulation without overloading the body. The second is passive recovery which means
[00:16:33] complete rest is crucial. Especially after intense training sessions or long runs. Allowing the muscles
[00:16:40] and the central nervous system to recover. And third one is sleep. Very important. It ensures that you
[00:16:49] recover best. If you sleep well, these are the advantages which you can look at. First is the growth hormone
[00:17:06] release. Sleep is when most of the growth hormone is released. This aids in muscle repair and
[00:17:13] growth. The second is cognitive benefits. A well rested brain can focus better, make better decisions and
[00:17:22] improve motivation during the long training runs. And the third most important thing is injury prevention.
[00:17:30] Sleep deprived runners are at the highest risk of injury due to the impaired coordination and the reaction
[00:17:43] of the risk of injury. So, the first one is a good nutrition plan.
[00:17:50] So, usually I will keep the diet for the rest days the same as you will follow for the low pace running days.
[00:17:58] Ensure that the protein is not too low on the recovery days as we are aiming at healing the body.
[00:18:04] Fruits and vegetables should be the next focus as they provide the phytonutrients, fiber and vitamins which
[00:18:13] will aid in recovery. Focus on complex carbs and avoid simple carbs. Ensure that you are hydrating well
[00:18:21] throughout the day. With this we will conclude today's podcast. In case you have any questions or want to get
[00:18:28] personalized diet chart to enhance your performance during the runs, you can connect with us on the
[00:18:34] email id that has been provided in the show notes or even the contact numbers that have been given.
[00:18:40] In the next podcast we will discuss in depth about supplementation that will enhance your performance
[00:18:47] performance during the marathon training. So, stay tuned.