Runners often ask what they should and shouldn’t eat to support both their training and overall health, along with the equally important questions of how much and when to eat around their runs.
The truth is, nutrition is just as vital as the miles themselves. What and when you eat directly affects how well your body performs during a workout and how efficiently it recovers afterward. The right fueling strategy impacts everything from your energy levels and endurance to your strength, injury risk, and long-term health.
While many principles of good nutrition apply to everyone, runners have unique needs, from higher calorie demands to specific macronutrient ratios that change depending on mileage, intensity, and personal goals.
As a sports nutrition coach, I’ve put together this distance runner’s diet guide to cover everything you need to know: how to balance your macros, what foods to prioritize, and which ones to avoid so you can run strong and recover smarter.
What Is The Ideal Runner’s Diet?
A runner’s diet should consist of a balance of all three macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and water.
While this is no different from a healthy diet for non-runners, runners typically have higher carbohydrate and protein needs compared to the general population, particularly those training at a high intensity.
Running burns a lot of calories, and endurance exercise requires deliberate care in nutrition timing1Kerksick, C. M., Arent, S., Schoenfeld, B. J., Stout, J. R., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C. D., Taylor, L., Kalman, D., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Kreider, R. B., Willoughby, D., Arciero, P. J., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Ormsbee, M. J., Wildman, R., Greenwood, M., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Aragon, A. A., & Antonio, J. (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4 relative to workouts. Therefore, runners who want to maintain or gain weight should focus on energy-dense foods to meet caloric needs.
What Are the Best Foods for Runners?
Not all foods are created equally when it comes to making an ideal diet for runners. In other words, it’s not enough to focus on getting a good balance of carbs, protein, and fat, along with an adequate total caloric intake.
The quality of your diet is paramount to meeting your nutritional needs as a runner.
It should be balanced and varied, focusing on whole foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, legumes, eggs, seeds, nuts, low-fat dairy products, and healthy fats and oils.
It should also provide an adequate intake of all the essential vitamins and minerals. Below, we share examples of runner-friendly foods for each of the three macronutrients.
What Are The Macros For A Runner’s Diet?
#1: Carbohydrates
Although many popular diets seem to demonize carbohydrates, carbs are usually considered a key component in nutrition for runners as they are the body’s preferred fuel source during vigorous exercise.
Carbs often make up between 50% and 70% of a runner’s diet, depending on their volume and intensity.
Carbohydrates are generally categorized into two main types: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates consist of simple sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides) like glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, and galactose. They are digested and absorbed very quickly but do not provide sustained energy.
Simple carbohydrates can also cause blood sugar levels to spike and subsequently increase insulin levels. While this isn’t necessarily ideal for overall health, a runner should include simple carbohydrates.
For example, simple carbohydrates are beneficial before and during a training run to replenish glycogen stores when the digestive system lacks the time or sufficient blood flow to break down complex starches, fiber, protein, and fat.
What Should I Eat Before A Run – And When?
Pre-run snacks and running fuel, which consist primarily of simple carbohydrates, will provide a boost of energy for working muscles without causing digestive distress.
Foods high in simple carbohydrates include fresh and dried fruit, applesauce, refined grains like crackers and white bread, cereals, packaged oatmeal, candy, juice, energy gels, and sports beverages.
Some runners can manage an easy or recovery run on an empty stomach, but fueling is essential for workouts and challenging runs to perform well and feel strong.
Eating a pre-run snack about an hour before your workout should provide enough time to avoid the discomfort of running with a full stomach.
My favorite pre-run snack is 2/3 cup of almond granola with milk. Granola is packed with calories and rich in carbs, making it an excellent energy source.
Eating a complete yet light breakfast or small meal is ideal for long runs and races, as long as you can eat it within a sufficient timeframe to allow for digestion.
Eat at least 2-3 hours before your long run or race so your body has enough time to process the food, and so you don’t feel full and uncomfortable while running.
My go-to is a bagel with honey.
Related: Carbs For Runners: The Best Carb Sources To Fuel Your Runs
Long-distance runners often employ the standard “carb-loading” strategy a few days before race day to ensure their glycogen stores are replenished for optimal performance.
My trick here is to simply replace some of your regular protein and veg with more carbs to start filling up those glycogen stores without overeating.
Related: Carb Loading for Runners: How to + 8 Common Mistakes
What About During A Run?
For runs lasting over an hour, aim to consume 30-60g of carbs per hour (some more advanced runners even consume up to 90–120g per hour if their digestive system can handle it) to maintain steady energy levels.
I suggest using energy gels, bars, and/or gummies specifically designed for training, as they will provide you with the energy you need to complete your run.
Related: How To Fuel For A Marathon: What To Eat Before, During, + After Your Race
Complex carbohydrates are formed from polysaccharides, which are longer chains of sugar molecules strung together. Often referred to as starches, complex carbohydrates break down more slowly, providing a more lasting and sustainable source of energy.
Complex carbohydrates also typically contain fiber, which adds bulk or volume to the diet, increasing feelings of fullness, aiding digestion, promoting bowel regularity, and nourishing beneficial gut bacteria.
The majority of the carbohydrates you eat on a day-to-day basis should be complex carbohydrates. Good sources of complex carbohydrates for runners include whole grains, tubers, and legumes.
Check out these detailed lists of carbohydrate-rich foods:
- Veggies: Spinach, green beans, kale, artichokes, beets, carrots, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, peppers, cabbage, parsnips, celery, asparagus, bok choy, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash
- Fruits: Apples, bananas, pears, peaches, passion fruit, oranges, grapefruit, berries, cherries, pineapple, kiwi, kumquats, plums, mangos, star fruit, grapes, nectarines, papaya, melon, guava, clementines, jackfruit, currants, pomegranates, apricots, figs, tomatoes, pumpkin,
- Whole Grains: Whole, unprocessed oats, whole wheat, quinoa, buckwheat, rye, barley, brown rice, teff, farro, pasta, whole grain bread, oatmeal, healthy cereals, etc.
- Legumes: Beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, soy, etc.
- Running-Specific Sports Performance Fuel: Energy and protein bars, energy gels, gummies, waffles, sports drinks with electrolytes, dried fruit
#2: Protein
As long as your body is well-fueled and your meal plan meets your nutrition needs, protein isn’t typically oxidized for energy while you run to the degree that carbohydrates and fats are.
However, protein is vital for runners because it helps refuel and repair muscles after training.
When considering optimal nutrition for runners, post-run meals and snacks that contain a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein have been shown to aid the body in recovering from the workout.
For example, if you have a 300-calorie snack after a run, aim for about 60 grams of carbohydrates and 15 grams of protein.
Protein sources in a healthy diet for runners include:
- Fish: Halibut, anchovies, flounder, salmon, sardines, haddock, catfish, mackerel, tuna, bass, trout, tilapia, mahi-mahi, cod
- Seafood: Scallops, crab, shrimp, prawns, lobster, crayfish, mussels, squid, oysters, clams
- Poultry: Turkey, chicken, squab, duck, quail
- Lean Meat: Lean beef, pork, venison, bison
- Legumes: Beans, peas, lentils
- Soy: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soybeans, soy milk
- Low-Fat Dairy: Low-fat milk, cheese, ricotta, yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir, buttermilk
- Eggs
Whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds also contain some protein, along with other macronutrients.
Related: Protein For Runners: How Much Protein Do Runners Need?
#3: Fats
Healthy fats are also an important component of a runner’s diet. Fat increases satiety and is the body’s preferred fuel source during low-intensity aerobic runs, such as recovery runs and easy cross-training workouts.
Therefore, if you are doing lots of base-building Zone 2 training, you’ll want to consume a higher percentage of your calories from fat and reduce your carbohydrate intake accordingly.
Fat also provides more calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein, so increasing your intake is a good way to feel fuller on a smaller volume of food. This can be helpful for runners who struggle to meet their caloric needs or want energy-dense fueling options before, during, or after a run.
The following foods are good sources of healthy fats:
- Nuts and Nut Butter: Almonds, macadamia nuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, kola nuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter
- Seeds: Squash seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds
- Healthy Oils: Olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil, avocado oil
- Coconut
- Avocados
- Dark chocolate
What Foods Should Runners Avoid?
Foods to limit include the following:
- Fast Food: Burgers, anything fried, French fries, breakfast sandwiches with sausage, donuts, chicken nuggets, fast food Chinese, milkshakes, fast food tacos, onion rings
- Unhealthy fats: Lard, shortening, bacon fat, cream, margarine, trans fats, hydrogenated fats and oils (palm kernel oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, etc.), half and half, butter in excess
- Processed meats: Deli meats, sausages, bologna, hot dogs, salami, pepperoni
- Fatty meats: Veal, bacon, sausage, lamb
- Sugary foods: Jams, jellies, canned fruit in syrup, processed condiments and sauces, jello, pudding, artificial popsicles, fruit snacks, frosting
- Sweetened beverages: Sugar-sweetened tea and juice, soda, packaged chocolate milk, blended coffee drinks, frappes
- Refined grains: Croissants, cereal bars, biscuits, white bread, white pasta, muffins, bagels, packaged pizza dough and pie crust, toaster pastries, sugary cereals
- Snack foods: Packaged chips, pre-made popcorn, breaded snacks, pork rinds, combos, Jiffy pop, tater tots, packaged cookies, toaster pastries, artificial cheese dip
- Candy
- Processed sweets: Danishes, cookies, ice cream, brownies, pies, doughnuts, snack cakes
- Highly-processed protein powders, unless organic and natural
- Frozen Dinners: Unless otherwise natural and healthy, frozen pizza, frozen entrees, frozen prepared lasagna, frozen Chinese food dishes, frozen pot pies, etc.
- Sauces and Condiments: Mayo, creamy salad dressings, any salad dressing with hydrogenated oils, gravy, sweetened jellies and jams, chocolate syrup, artificial pancake syrup
- Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols
- Alcohol in excess
What Are The Important Micronutrients For Runners?
Micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals, are also key factors to consider in your meal plan.
In general, if a runner’s diet is balanced, varied, and focuses on whole, minimally processed foods, it should provide an adequate intake of all the essential vitamins and minerals.
Variety is important, particularly when considering vegetables, fruits, and protein sources, as different foods provide different vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and phytonutrients.
Important micronutrients include the fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) and the water-soluble vitamins (B vitamin complex and vitamin C).
Essential minerals2Vitamins and Minerals. (2018, February). NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/vitamins-and-minerals#:~:text=A%20number%20of%20minerals%20are for runners include iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, zinc, iodine, sulfur, cobalt, copper, fluoride, manganese, and selenium.
Do Runners Need to Take Nutritional Supplements?
Most runners can meet their nutritional needs by consuming a balanced diet.
However, runners with food allergies and intolerances, dietary restrictions, and certain health conditions may need vitamin and mineral supplements, protein powders or bars, and/or omega-3 fatty acid supplements to help offset gaps in their diet that could lead to nutritional deficiencies.
For example, vegan runners often struggle to obtain an adequate dietary intake of vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. In this case, supplements can provide nutritional support and health benefits.
Pre-menopausal female runners sometimes need iron supplements, particularly if they follow a plant-based diet that excludes meat, seafood, and poultry.
Runners concerned about their iron levels should consult their doctor about undergoing lab tests to assess their hemoglobin and ferritin levels.
As a final example, vitamin D supplements may be necessary for runners, particularly those living in northern latitudes where sun exposure is minimal during the winter months.
Following these healthy eating habits will help promote health and increased running performance.
As everyone is different, with specific nutritional needs depending on their training, weight, goals, and other important factors, consulting a sports nutritionist is an excellent way to receive a personalized plan and track progress.
If you are looking for more information about how to maintain optimal hydration, check out the following guide:
