Running is the best form of exercise. It helps you to stay fit and healthy throughout your life.

However, if you are a beginner you many find yourself struggling with stamina.

Don’t worry…You will develop it in time.

However, doing only exercise will not take you there. Having the right kind of food is essential

Below list of foods and these healthy tips will take you there in no time.

Also, if you are trying to improve your stamina quickly the this article will help you to build stamina in under two weeks.

How To Increase Running Stamina By Food?

Before you even attempt to increase your running stamina by food, you need to do some adjustments in your daily lifestyle:

Stay hydrated

This is one of the things most of us ignore or overlook.

Our body is made up of 70% water. So, the more we sweat the more we lose it from the body.

You need to take sufficient water throughout the day.

Otherwise, it will lead to fatigue and your recovery post-run will be very slow.

This also, increases your chances of getting injured.

But the question is…

How much water should you drink in a day?

There are various opinions about this.

Here are two ways that an be effective. 

• Drink 8 cups of water in a day or roughly 2.5 to 3 liters.
• Drink 30 ml per kg of your body or 12 ml per pound of your weight.

For example:

Let’s say I weigh 80 kg.

Then the amount of water that I would require is 30*80 = 2400 ml or 2.5 liter approx.

 Also, during any workout session, your body looses a lot of fluid through sweat.

This can easily cause you dehydration and can cause injury.

So, remember to continue to sip water every 15-20 min of your workout.

This will keep you hydrated and you will avoid getting injured.

Tone down

Another reason for lack of stamina is that, you are overweight.

This can significantly slow you down or will cause your lack of stamina.

Since you have already started running you will eventually lose weight.

However, remember that losing weight is a process.

You will not succeed at it in one day.

Put consistent efforts and you will see results.

Also, here are some quick tips to shed some weight quickly:

• Reduce sugar intake
• Eat a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrate and fat
• Weight training 3 times a week
• Eat high protein breakfast
• Avoid colas, sodas and juices
• Drink a glass of water 30 min before every meal
• Eat whole or unprocessed food
• Chew your food properly
• Weigh yourself once everyday
• Sleep for 7-8 hours in a day. 

Don’t avoid carbs

It is a common myth among people that carbs are bad for your body.

However, this is just that…A myth.

Your body needs all kinds of food to function properly.

Carbohydrate is one of them.

There are basically two types of carbohydrate. 

• Simple as in sugar
• Complex as in brown rice.

Simple or High GI carbs are called bad carbs, which I don’t agree with.

If you need an instant boost in your stamina, these are the carbs you should go for.

These are effective as a pre-workout meal.

Also, after workout, when you body is in fight or flight mode, these kinds of carbohydrates are useful.

But always limit the intake to the situations mentioned above. Don’t go overboard or you will start increasing your weight.

Also, in all other situations have complex carbs with your food.

These also called low GI or Good cabs.

45% of any meal of yours should be these kind of carbs.

Try dietary supplements

Many times, despite our best efforts, we don’t get sufficient nutrition from our meals.

There can be many reasons like:

• Improper portion of food
• Avoiding food items that we don’t like
• Not having food required for a particular type of workout
• Farm to table time is more for some foods and so on…

No matter whatever is the reason, ultimately your body is the sufferer.

So, it is essential to supplement your body with the required nutrition.

For this, the most effective ones are: 

• BCAAs – Helps to deal with muscle loss while promoting muscle synthesis (muscle growth).
• Whey Protein – Whey protein like Naked Whey gets absorbed directly into the strained muscle tissue and works to repair and strengthen your muscles.
• Multivitamins – This helps to maintain your endurance levels. Consult your physician before starting off with a multivitamin course.
• Glutamine – Improves your immune system.
• L-Carnitine – It burns fat effectively to fuel your running and also protecting your muscles from breaking down.
• Fish Oil or Krill Oil – It fights inflammation and reduces lactic acid build up in the muscles.
• Calcium – Strengthens your bones and help to withstand the rigors of running.
• Zinc and Magnesium – Transports the energy to the muscles and helps in muscle contraction. Zinc also helps to metabolize energy.
• Iron Supplements – Due to rigorous workouts runners tend to have low level of Iron in their body. Adding an iron supplement will be beneficial.

7 foods that increase your running stamina

1. Unprocessed or Whole Carbs

Unprocessed carbs like brown rice gets digested slowly. This keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time.

This also keeps your body’s sugar level at an optimal level. 

You can also include the below carbs in your diet:

• Oats
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Millets
• Barley
• Bananas
• Sweet Potato
• Beetroot
• Oranges
• Berries
• Apples
• Kidney beans
• Chickpeas
• Wheat (if you are gluten tolerant)

2. Beans

They are rich in iron and minerals. They help you to generate RBC and lowers your body’s wear and tear

Include the following in your diet:

• Soybeans
• Lentils
• White beans
• Roman beans
• Chickpeas
• Kidney beans
• Pinto beans
• Black beans
• Navy beans
• Lima Beans

3. Coffee

Don’t you love me right now 😉

They are the black gold of this century.

They don’t only acts as an refreshment but also keeps you awake and alert for a longer period of time

It also helps to boost your stamina and keep you going with your exercise/running routine.

A better alternative can be red tea. It is rich in antioxidants.

It will help you to effectively boost stamina and lose weight fast.

4. Leafy greens

They are filled with micronurtients and helps you body to produce RBC.

This in-turn will help to build your stamina.

You can include the following in your diet:

• Arugula or Rocket
• Bok Choy
• Collards
• Dandelion Greens
• Kale
• Mustard Greens
• Spinach
• Rapini
• Swiss Chard
• Turnip Greens
• Lettuce

5. Fruits

Not only vegetables, fruits are also very much required in your diet.

Plan to have at least one fruit everyday.

They are packed with nutrition and will help you with your normal bodily functions.

Some essentials are:

• Banana
• Apples
• Oranges
• Sweet Lime
• Berries
• Melons and any seasonal fruits

6. Lean meat

These are rich in protein and doesn’t have a lot of fat.

They not only helps you boost your stamina but also helps you tone down.

You should try the following:

• Fish
• Chicken
• Eggs

To keep you meats lean, always steam, grill, poach, bake or broil.

Don’t saute or fry your meat as it dramatically increases the fat content of your lean meat.

7. Beet Root Juice

Why I included it separately?

Beetroot is high in sugar content.

If you consume one glass of beet juice, it will help you to run longer.

Also, beetroot is high in Vitamin A and C. These two vitamins also helps to improve your stamina.

Caution: Don’t have too much of beetroot. Though it is very good for your body, you may end up having loose motion.

Beetroot acts as a laxative.

Conclusion

Having stamina and endurance can really make a difference with your running.

Having the right kinds of foods during different phases of your training will make a lot of difference.

If you have started your running and finding yourself low on stamina, having the above foods will definitely help.

Keep training and never give up.

References

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/grocery-list-lean-meats-lowcarb-diet-2168.html

http://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Cooking/Food-Preparation/All-about-dark-leafy-greens.aspx

https://www.runningshoesguru.com/2016/10/5-diet-tips-to-boost-your-running-stamina/

https://www.active.com/nutrition/articles/5-foods-to-improve-your-running

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Best-foods-for-stamina/articleshow/15491506.cms

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/effective-ways-to-increase-your-stamina-for-running/

https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/7-foods-will-kill-your-endurance-and-stamina/

https://www.runtastic.com/blog/en/tips-on-how-to-increase-running-stamina/