John's Fuel Plan

Since I'm getting older and training a lot, I need to be very considerate of the food I eat while I train. I can't subsist on a diet solely of Taco Bell like I use to in my early 20's. I now need to consider what I eat before and after each training session. A pre-workout meal needs to be able to fuel my training without slowing me down. Also, after a hard workout, I need to have a meal that will allow me to properly recover. Additional, if I'm on a long run (longer then 60 minutes), I'll need to refuel every 45 minutes.

My pre-workout meals are usually around 200 to 400 calories of fruit, fruit juice, or salad. For example, I might have one of the following: a banana, an apple, a small salad, or a fruit drink (Naked Strawberry Banana is my favorite) These meals are easily digestible and add easily accessible energy into my blood stream for my muscles . I usually eat these small meals 30 to 60 minutes before a workout.

My after workout meals need to provide the protein, sugars, vitamins, and electrolytes my muscles need to recover. Also, these meals should be within 60 minutes of a hard workout while my muscles are craving protein. These meals can consist of some chicken, a protein drink, or even chocolate milk. These meals are about 500 to 800 calories.

If I'm on a long run (90 to 120 minutes for example), I will need to eat while running to keep my energy levels up. I usually eat a packet of GU or a Power Bar fruit packet. This stuff has the consistency of yucky baby food, but it allows me to keep running and running. They range from about 100 to 200 calories each.

Also, throughout the day I usually eat a lot of small healthy meals. I have a fast metabolism and train a lot, so I need about 2500 to 3500 calories a day. Yeah, I know. It all goes into my long legs..

Occasionally, I still make mistakes before a workout, and it can be bad times. Like a pre-run burrito. Ugh...

Anyways, here are my numbers for Week 2.