3 Best Foods to Eat Before Morning Running

If your New Year’s resolution is to improve your physical form and build up stamina, running is a perfect way to achieve that.

Scientists proved a long time ago that daily running could help strengthen the muscles and improve your general physique. Some even suggest that running has other health benefits, such as reducing all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk, easing chronic pain, and alleviating symptoms connected to various mental health disorders.

But while there is no doubt that running can do wonders for your health and stamina, there are a lot of myths surrounding it. One of them says that it’s not advisable to eat before your morning run or any other physical activity.

However, professionals say that having a quick bite before your morning run can help you optimize training effects better. For instance, Mikkel, a marathon runner from Norway, suggests that eating before a run provides you with the energy necessary to complete your training:

Credit: Lone Endurance

Obviously, there are some rules regarding having a meal before a morning run, and not all foods can be advantageous.

So, today, we’ll take a look at a few meal ideas that you can have before going jogging, and that won’t make you feel stuffed and bloated.

1. A Toast with Peanut Butter

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich probably was a traditional breakfast in your childhood. And, you can keep eating it even now, but, of course, without jelly because sugars won’t do you any good.

Why is a toast with peanut butter a great idea for a pre-run morning snack?

Authoritative resources say that peanut butter has plenty of health benefits, including:

it contains proteins that help repair muscle and reduce muscle cramps
peanut butter has high levels of potassium that strengthens your heart
this butter is also loaded with soluble fiber, helping keep your gut healthy

Tip: when making your toast, choose bread that’s high in fiber. White bread or a morning muffin will only fuel your body with simple carbohydrates that have no health benefits whatsoever.

2. Oatmeal

It’s well-known to everyone that oatmeal is one of the most popular superfoods. It’s good for your immune system, it feeds the beneficial bacteria, and it’s digested quite easily.

For morning runners, oatmeal is also a great idea for a pre-jogging snack because it’s rich in complex carbohydrates and has a low glycemic index. It means that, from just one bowl of oatmeal, you can get the energy that will keep you running for a long time.

So, take your time and make yourself a bowl of oatmeal that you can enjoy while listening to your favorite English learning podcast or a quick episode of Friends.

Tip: don’t use instant oats as your pre-running snack. They have less protein and fiber and also often have a lot of added sugars, which you need to avoid at all costs. But you can still garnish your oatmeal with some fruits and a teaspoon of peanut butter to add extra soluble fiber and protein.

3. A Smoothie with Bananas

If you’re not a fan of cooking meals in the morning but still want to have a quick bite before your morning run, you can prepare yourself a tasty banana smoothie in the morning.

Why bananas?

This fruit is known for its health benefits, namely:

high potassium levels, helping pain management and muscle cramps
rich in manganese, beneficial for bone development
high in complex carbohydrates, giving you the much-needed energy boost in the morning

Making a banana smoothie is quite simple – take one banana, 1/3 cup of blueberries (or other berries of your choice), 1/2 cup of yogurt, and 1 cup of almond milk (especially if you are lactose-intolerant). This is enough to provide you with the proteins and soluble fiber to keep you energized during your morning run.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, you don’t have to cook yourself something complex before going jogging in the morning. Your pre-running snack can be as simple as a toast of peanut butter, a bowl of oatmeal, or a banana smoothie if you don’t feel like cooking.

These foods can provide you with the dose of energy you need to complete your morning run. However, if you want to experiment with them and add something to these meals, make sure your pre-running snacks don’t include:

easily digestible carbs
insoluble fiber
too much fat
too many spices

Remember – your goal is to fuel your body before the run, not overload it with heavy foods. So, keep your food simple yet nutritional.

Ryan is a passionate writer who likes sharing his thoughts and experience with the readers. Currently, he works as a digital marketing specialist; you can check his website here. He likes everything related to traveling and new countries.