Carbo-loading for the Boston Marathon?

The Boston Marathon is coming to town. I get lots of questions from anxious runners, who want to know what to eat. Here’s a sample carbo-loading menu with a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Every day, whether or not you are carbo-loading, each meal in your sports diet should include:

--a foundation of carbohydrates (to fuel the muscles)

--an accompaniment of lean protein-rich foods (to repair and build muscles)

--a little healthful fat for flavor, satiety, and anti-inflammatory properties to help heal tiny injuries.

By fueling your muscles optimally during training, you can train at your best, then compete at your best -- and also learn which foods settle well so you have no surprises on Marathon Day.

Here’s what a sample diet might look like:

Sample Carbo-loading Food Plan (3,200 Calories)

Appropriate for a 150-pound runner

Breakfast                                   

Wheaties, 2 cups                                

Milk, 1% lowfat, 8 ounces                      

Bagel, 1 (3.5 ounce)                                    x

Cream cheese,  lowfat, 2 Tbsp           

Orange juice, 12 ounces                            

Lunch 

Whole grain bread, 2 slices                     

Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons                  

Jelly, 2 tablespoons                                

Fruit yogurt, 8 ounces                               

Baked chips, 2 ounces                                                                                                                              

Snack  

Apple, 1 large                                               

Graham crackers, 4 squares  

Dinner                                                                                                

Chicken breast, 5 ounces                      

Rice, 1.5 cups cooked                                

Broccoli, 1 cup                                 

Dinner rolls, 2 whole wheat                   

Dessert

Banana, 1 medium (4 ounces)                

Sherbet, 1 cup                                                       

Eat wisely and run well,

Nancy

For more information: Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook