Lastweek I explained how important lunch is in the timing of every runner’s training. According to the time of day in which you run you will have to adjust, accordingly, what and how much to eat for lunch: you have already read how to eat lunch if you train in the morning… today I explain how to organize your lunch if your training is scheduled for the second half of the day.
RUNNING IN THE LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING
Should the running session take place in the late afternoon or evening, lunch is likely to affect glycemic fluctuations that lead the athlete to feel depleted of physical and mental energy. In fact, glucose is also an essential fuel for the cells of our nervous system.
“CLASSIC” LUNCH:
- Brown rice (80 g) with pumpkin (200 g)
- 40 g of whole wheat bread (2 slices of bread)
- 40 g anchovies in oil (or 60 g soybean patties)
- 15 g of extra virgin olive oil
- 120-150 g of fruit (e.g., one medium-sized apple or pear )
Total: 870 kcal (carbohydrates 150 g, protein 25 g)
Benefit: This high-carbohydrate lunch fits runners who already include a large protein portion in their breakfast or mid-afternoon snack. The choice of soy patties instead of anchovies also makes it suitable for vegetarian runners.
“ZONE” LUNCH
- 80 g of kamut pasta
- 10 g of extra virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon )
- 40 g of whole wheat bread
- 180 g of baked fish (e.g., salmon, tuna) with cherry tomatoes
- 200 g of vegetables
- 200 g of grapes
Total 850 kcal (carbohydrates 93 g, protein 60 g)
Advantages: kamut pasta has a lower glycemic index than semolina pasta and thus allows for reduced glycemic surges and feelings of hunger. Oily nuts provide not only essential fatty acids, but also “extra” calories useful for arriving full until training time. Tomatoes also contain lycopene, an antioxidant that is not thermolabile (that is, it is not destroyed by the heat of cooking).
“MIXED” LUNCH
- 80 g of beef carpaccio or bresaola
- 30 g of parmesan cheese
- raw carrots and celery in a dip
- 80 g of whole wheat bread
- 15 g of extra virgin olive oil
- fresh fruit salad (200 g) + 2 scoops of cream ice cream
Total 810 kcal (carbohydrates 90 g, protein 50 g)
Advantages: this alternative is quick to prepare and consume as well as easily digestible. It is designed for all those runners who enjoy hearty breakfasts and can have an afternoon snack, mostly glycid-based, before training.
NB: The meals listed refer to an average male runner who is 1.75 m tall with a weight of 68 kg (BMI 22.2) training 3 times a week and are given for illustrative purposes.
main image credit: HealthyLauraCom on DepositPhotos.com