What should you know about your diet?

• Signs of correct hydration are clear urine and weight maintenance between the start and end of training.
• Fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants that help counteract oxidative stress that is increased during sports.
• To meet the specific needs of people who practice sports, health companies are launching insurance specifically aimed at them.

1. Hydration

It is common for many people not to drink throughout the day since they do not feel thirsty and this can affect the time of training, since only with losses of 2% the performance capacity already decreases. For this reason, it is important to start the exercise with water reserves. Drinking small amounts often throughout the day helps us achieve good hydration.

Do not forget to drink in daily workouts and not only in important tests. It is advisable to drink between 150-200 ml every 15-20 minutes, small sips of water, isotonic drinks, juices ... at a temperature of 15-21ºC.

Once the activity is finished, it is necessary to rehydrate: approximately 500 ml of isotonic drink is recommended, but the optimal thing is to replace the water losses until you regain the weight prior to training.

2. Breakfast

Numerous studies have shown that people who "skip" breakfast perform less throughout the day and have a more unbalanced diet than those who eat breakfast regularly. Breakfast is essential to start the day with energy and also helps to distribute the necessary calories in a balanced way.

A good breakfast should provide:

• Foods rich in carbohydrates: bread, cereals, simple cookies ...
• Protein foods: cooked ham, turkey breast, fresh cheese, milk or yogurt, nuts ...
• A piece of fruit: it can be whole or in the form of juice.

3. Carbohydrates in all meals

Carbohydrates constitute the fundamental base of the runner, since the energy demands are greater. By including foods rich in carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes ...) in all meals, it is possible to meet this demand. The amounts will vary depending on weight, individual height and usual energy expenditure, but they must be present in the midday meal as a first course, and as a garnish or accompaniment to dinner.

4. Sufficient protein intake

As with, runners have increased protein needs compared to the sedentary population, since they must deal with the muscle wasting that occurs in training.

Therefore, in the main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) a protein food should be included. You can choose white meats (chicken, skinless turkey, rabbit ...), lean meats (lean beef, beef tenderloin, pork loin ...), low-fat cold cuts (cooked ham, turkey cold cuts, serrano ham, removing the fat ...) , fish, eggs, skimmed dairy, legumes and nuts.

5. Fruits and vegetables: five a day

It is very important not to forget the consumption of fruits and vegetables. They are essential to provide fiber, vitamins and minerals. It is important to know that sport increases oxidative stress (altered cell state in which the production of free radicals exceeds the antioxidant defense mechanisms) and the antioxidants provided by fruits and vegetables are essential to counteract this process.

To ensure a correct intake, take five a day, which should include a serving of vegetables at lunch and dinner and three pieces of fruit spread throughout the day, as dessert, between meals or at breakfast. .

6. Food after training

In races or long runs at a constant pace, the main source of energy is fat, but when doing sets with increased pace, extra efforts such as spring ... the body uses the glycogen stored in the muscles.

This deposit can become empty and it is essential to replace it. It is important to use the "metabolic window", which occurs within two hours after exertion, with a greater assimilation in the first 30 minutes. It is advisable to take carbohydrates (1-1.5 grams / kg of weight) together with proteins (0.5 grams / kg of weight). In this way, the recovery of muscle glycogen and the repair of tissue damage produced in the muscle will be adequate and it will be in an optimal state for subsequent workouts.

Throughout the year it is likely that both we and a family member will need to consult a health question with a family doctor. Thanks to the 24-hour Medical Guidance service offered by MAPFRE Salud, with just one call we can speak with a specialized family doctor who will answer any questions we may have, at any time of the day and every day of the year. Find out about insurance and choose the one that best suits your needs.