Right Food Choices After Running To Restore Energy

Illustration of healthy food after running. (Freepic)

JAKARTA - After completing the running session, the body needs the right nutritional intake to restore energy, repair muscles, and replace lost fluids.

The combination of carbohydrates to refill glycogen reserves and protein to speed up the recovery process is key. Some of the recommended options include fruit smoothie with additional yogurt, egg-filled wheat bread, or a bowl of foam with banana and honey slices.

However, intake before running is no less important so that performance remains optimal. Quoting the Hindustan Times, a sports nutritionist from Dubai, Carolina Villalta, explains that the type of food consumed before running should be adjusted to the available time lag.

If you have about two hours before you start running, Carolina recommends a balanced diet that contains protein, healthy fat, and a little carbohydrate, for example, rice with eggs, oats, fresh fruit, avocado bread, or ham. Menus like this are easy to digest and provide a supply of stable energy while running.

"Any heavy carbohydrate will make the stomach feel heavy and bloating when running, so you should choose lighter carbohydrates," he explained.

If the preparation time is only 45'60 minutes, avoid heavy foods that have the potential to make your stomach feel full. The choice of light carbohydrates such as grilled bread with honey or jam, bananas sowing cinnamon, or a bowl of fruit can be a safer option.

For a 30-minute lag before running, Carolina recommends keeping the portion small to prevent discomfort in the stomach. Some options to consider are 23 dates with 200 ml of water, watermelon slices, small smoothies from bananas and berries, or ready-to-eat carbohydrate gels.

Meanwhile, if the remaining time is less than 15 minutes, the body does not have enough opportunity to digest solid food. Under these conditions, an electrolyte drink or a sunspot can be a quick solution to boost energy without burdening the digestive system.