Best percentage of fat, protein and carbohydrate for half marathon runner diet

Christine Luff of About.com gives some basic diet information in the article, ‘Diet and Nutrition for Runners; Eat well for good health and running performance.’ Luff says that 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 20% fats is the best balance for a long distance runner’s diet.

In a previous post, I wrote about keeping a food journal and finding out that my diet for the day was 2110 calories, 88 grams of fat, 286 grams of carbohydrates, 34 grams of fiber and 120 grams of protein - 49 percent carbohydrates, 22 percent protein and 30 percent fat. My big “bad” fat intake was at lunch, with the cheese in the Palak Paneer and at dinner with the creamy Vodka sauce. I also had fat in my cheddar cheese on the egg pita.

Here is my new basic diet:

Breakfast –

1 glass water as I wake up, I am always so thirsty!

1 ounce of smoked salmon
3 chunks of cantelope

Post-exercise smoothie:
1 cup water
½ cup frozen blueberries
½ scoop soy spirulina powder
½ apple
½ banana

Oatmeal
½ cup slow cook oatmeal
½ cup blueberries
shake of ground flax seed meal
dash cinnamon

Mid Morning meal - microwave the egg whites to make scrambled eggs at work

Egg Whites
Fat Free Cheddar Cheese
Salsa
Guacamole (half of the 100 calorie pack)

2 Fish oil pills, one each at breakfast and lunch
3 cups green tea or Echinacea tea throughout the day
Old juice container filled with water and half a lemon for drinking at my desk

Lunch - Pasta
Whole Wheat Angel Hair Pasta
1/2 can diced tomatoes
Fresh Basil and Oregano from my herb garden

Afternoon Snack
1/2 cup bean salad

Second Snack
1 Oikos yogurt
1/2 cup blueberries
4 almonds

Dinner – Veggies and Rice
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup frozen vegetables
2 cups raw Kale, sauteed

Third Snack
1 cup vegetable juice
few carrot sticks

3 squares of dark chocolate

This altered food plan has given me a daily diet of 1660 calories, 31 grams of fat, 270 carbohydrate grams, 91 grams of protein and 37 grams of fiber. That is 18 percent fat, 23 percent protein and 59 percent carbohydrates!


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