In the event that you want to lose weight and get fit, you may want to consider running. Contrary to popular belief, this is not an activity that burns a lot of calories, especially when compared with other activities you may undergo. If you are a new runner, you will need to put the emphasis on your nutrition plan. This is what will help you to lose weight. If you just want to run since you love the activity, nutrition is still important since you need help to give the body the energy it needs. Let’s discuss some diets that will help you to choose something that is appropriate.
Low Carbohydrate Diets
Examples of common low carb diets include South Beach, Carbohydrate Addict and Zone diet. The most famous one at the moment is the highly covered Atkins diet. Technically speaking, the low carb diet is one that is made out of under 20% carbs on a daily basis. Some are stricter than others.
These diets will definitely bring in fast weight loss results since carbs make the body retain water. You will basically retain less and when you go on the scale, you will notice that your weight is lower. However, most of the weight you drop is actually water.
As a runner, the low carb diets are recommended if they are followed for a short period of time. Long-term use is not at all a good idea since you will be faced with nutrient deficiencies. Carbs are really important in our body, especially when referring to offering energy. As a runner, you do need a lot of energy, don’t you?
High Protein Diets
The popularity of the high protein diet is going up constantly. The main focus is to replace some of the carbs with protein as the body will digest it in a slower time. Protein is important for repairing and building the working muscles.
The advantage of these diets is that you will end up feeling a lot better as a runner and you will surely lose some inches from your weight. The digestive health is improved since a high protein diet is automatically also rich in fibers. Unfortunately, the problem is that carb content is low. This stops the diet from being recommended for the runner unless it is kept for a short period of time. That is especially the case in the event you will run for longer distances.
Detox Diets
The detox diets are basically diets that will include fewer calories than what your body needs. Some of them will run for 21 days while others are followed for just 7 with a fasting period. The diets will promise a really fast weight loss and you will see many quick results. However, as a runner, you do need to eat. This is a lot more important than what many understand. You basically go on a detox diet in order to clean your body from toxins. You should never run and train while on a detox diet since your health can be negatively affected.
What Should A New Runner Eat?
The trick as a runner is to basically find the right mix for your body. This is not as complicated as you may believe. The best thing that you can do is establish a diet that is a combination of the low carb and high protein diet. At the same time, you need to be sure that the body receives all the nutrients that it needs. Alternate your meals based on when you work out and if you feel weak, do make sure that you identify what the body lacks.