• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

The Runner’s Diet for Women

January 25, 2011 by ds_25061 Leave a Comment

Although running is an effective aerobic exercise for burning calories, some women runners still struggle with weight control. In addition to balancing calories, choosing healthy sources of food can help provide the nutrients and energy necessary for training routines and marathon competitions. The types of food you consume, as well as the times you eat, can play an important role in high-endurance activities like running.

Energy Requirements

A calorie is a unit of measurement that describes the amount of energy in food sources. Running is a strenuous exercise that requires adequate amounts of calories. A runner who weighs 160 lbs. will burn around 986 calories during an hour of running at a speed of 8 mph.

Weight Considerations

The number of calories you require to lose or gain weight depends on a variety of factors, such as your size, the intensity of your running sessions and the number of calories you currently consume. Keeping track of your average calorie consumption for several days will provide you with an idea of how many calories you require to maintain or lose weight. Following a diet plan that cuts 500 calories each day can result in a weight loss around 1 lb. each week.

Carbohydrate Loading

Carbohydrate loading is an eating method many endurance athletes use when preparing for an event. Carbohydrate loading is most beneficial for runners who participate in events that last longer than 90 minutes. Select carbohydrates that contain plenty of fiber, such as apples, bananas, raw greens and cantaloupe.

Method

Carbohydrate loading may increase your energy stores prior to an event. The first step of carbohydrate loading begins about a week before your scheduled event. During this phase, runners consume about 50 to 55 percent of calories from carbohydrate sources. The second phase begins three to four days before the event, a time when runners increase their carbohydrate intakes to 70 percent of daily calories. Women may require additional calories to get the same carbohydrate-loading benefits as men.

Considerations

Stay hydrated, especially when challenging your body during strenuous workouts. Limit your drinks to water, coffee and tea, whenever possible. If you prefer to drink sports beverages, consider the number of calories they add to your daily intake when dieting for weight loss. Energy supplements and energy bars also contain plenty of calories that may derail your diet.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Living Healthy

About ds_25061

Piper Li, a professional freelance writer, began writing in 1989. Her articles appear in Modern Mom, Biz Mojo, Walden University and GardenGuides. She is the co-editor for "Kansas Women: Focus on Health." With a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mesa State, Li enjoys writing about health, horticulture and business management.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

10 Things I Want My Daughter To Know

The other day one of my teenage daughters told me she was … [Read More...] about 10 Things I Want My Daughter To Know

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

How Long to Bake a Pre-Cooked Frozen Casserole?

Signs That Your Toddler Has Been Touched Inappropriately

Painful Intercourse During Pregnancy

Painful Intercourse During Pregnancy

10 foods to improve sperm count and quality

10 Foods to Improve Sperm Count and Quality

How Does IVF Work

How Does IVF Work?

Repair Scratches in Glass Tabletops

How to Repair Scratches in Glass Tabletops

Academic Parental Pressure on Kids

The Effects of Academic Parental Pressure on Kids

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.