To gain strength and boost your endurance, it takes effort and time to build your level of running performances. However, runners often neglect to eat right after long hours of training such as tempo run, interval training, long distance run or strength training.
It is important to remind ourselves to eat right and have a balanced diet to improve our endurance and stamina, so that we are able to complete a half marathon race, a full marathon or even an ultramarathon.
Why Strength and Endurance are Important?
Muscular strength and endurance are crucial to our body’s ability to lift things, repetitive motions and to perform well in sports such as running, cycling, walking, swimming and others. Your strength is the amount of force you can lift or carry. Muscular endurance is the number of times you can move things without getting fatigued.
The Importance of Endurance
Improving your endurance will enable you to perform better in your sports and everyday activities. Eating healthily can also increase your stamina. For example, it gives you more energy to go for a run. In the long run, you will not get fatigued easily. By incorporating nutritious food and correct training together, it will also reduce the risk of injuries.
Here are why eating correctly is important:
- Able to perform various physical activities
- Enhance self-confidence and well-being
- Strengthen your bones and muscles
- Lower risk of injury
- Maintain a healthy weight
10 Foods To Boost Endurance and Strength
If you are looking to boost your endurance after a tough training, these are the foods for you, as they contain good complex carbohydrates, fibre, lean protein, healthy fats and antioxidants. These are energy-giving foods that helps promote stamina for your daily activities:
Quinoa
This ancient grain is packed with a ton of protein, complex carbohydrates, fibre, healthy fats, and antioxidants into each tiny seed. Quinoa also contains protein which provides you all the essential amino acids that your body needs to build and repair muscle after a tough workout.
Brown Rice
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for our body. To boost your stamina, you can opt for brown rice to increase your intake of complex carbs. They are known to release energy slowly into the blood and to ensure optimal energy level through the day. Brown rice has less starch and is rich in fibre, and Vitamin B complex. So, it makes it easier for your body to digest.
Beetroot
Beetroot is packed with Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and beta-carotene, which is essential for your body. It is also excellent for runners because it offers nitrates, which improves cardiovascular health and manages the blood flow. It helps to produce more nitric oxide in your body, which can boost your sport performance.
Spinach
To run faster and a longer distance, one needs to consume nutrient-rich food, which is spinach. As it contains Vitamins A,C,E,K and iron. You can include a handful of spinach in your daily smoothie or have them in a stir-fry for your dinner.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a powerful food for runners, as it provides you with energy during the day and keeps you feeling full for a longer period of time. It also has a high content of complex carbs, which will break down slowly and keeps the blood sugar at optimum level.
Lean Meat and Fish
Poultry is high in protein and it is essential for muscle building and repair. It takes a longer time to digest and thus, it will keep you feeling full and active all day long.
Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates paired with protein after you have a tough sport training. It provides you with a steady flow of nutrients. Not just that, it contains beta-carotene and is rich in antioxidants.
Eggs
Eggs are packed with essential nutrients for repair of muscles, body tissues and proteins, which is vital for building stamina. Not only will they help burn calories, but also boost your energy during the day to keep the fatigue away.
Banana
This power food is for endurance as it contains potassium, fibre, and B6. It can restore lost electrolytes and balance hydration to help you recover faster from your sport training.
Chia Seeds
Sprinkle these tiny seeds on your toast or oatmeal is a good addition to your meals. Chia seed is a well-known superfood that has fibre, healthy fats, antioxidants, protein, calcium and iron.
If you haven’t had any of these power foods regularly in your daily meals, do give them a try. What do you eat to boost your stamina? Share them with us.
