The Runners Diet

Since the jogging revolution of the 1970s, many Americans have taken up running as a way to stay in shape or lose weight. Research has shown that one mile of running burns off roughly 100 calories. With even casual runners logging anywhere from 20 to 40 miles a week, it's hard to imagine that a weekend warrior would have any trouble losing weight. However, runners often have trouble experiencing weight loss in proportion with their increased mileage. Why?

The problem lies in dieting. In crafting a "runners diet," many casual athletes are too quick to emulate the practices of serious competitive athletes. They drink Gatorade instead of water, they eat energy bars instead of whole grains and vegetables, and they load up on pasta rather than eat responsible serving sizes. This is problematic because of the large disparity in performance between competitive casual runners and competitive professional runners. The professionals need manufactured nutrition to balance out their diets – the rest of us do not.

Instead of gaining added performance, casual runners who employ these tactics get nothing more than a load of extra calories. An additional 100 calories per day is enough to cause someone to gain 10 pounds in a year. That's the difference of a small bottle of Gatorade.

How to set up good runners diet?

Eating balanced meals is a great start to setting up a good runners diet. Everyone is different, and specific diets may vary from person to person. Some people may need a diet that's more focused on protein, while others may consume a diet that's more focused on carbohydrates. The key is to eat whole and real foods. Avoid processed and manufactured food products that lack the variety of nutrients available in whole foods. Supplement your diet with whole fruits and vegetables.

Do the math

In the end, weight loss comes down to a simple math problem: how many calories do you burn, and how many do you consume? If the number of calories you consume is greater than the number of calories you burn, then you will not lose weight. Multiply your body weight by 13 for a rough estimate of how many calories you need each day to maintain weight. Structure a diet that allows you to take in fewer calories and you'll begin to experience weight loss.