Ask Dr Nerenberg | Health and Fitness

Female Marathon Nutrition?

I’m running a my first marathon in 16 weeks. I’m trying to find the best nutrition bar for either pre or post workout food. Any suggestions?

Eat pretty normal. I wouldn’t change a whole lot. As you train you will be upping your mileage and there you will be able to experiment with what works for you before, during and after those long runs. Don’t eat heavily, like huge plates of pasta the night before, this will only bog you down. As for during the run, you may need something during to keep going, I wasn’t big on power bars and such, I felt like they were just too much. I would take tiny bite size pieces of Luna bars and such and just have an occasional bite every few miles to keep me going. After you long marathon, however, eat plenty of protein and good carbs, eat fresh fruits and veggies. Instead of having a huge meal after you marathon (though you may feel like having one)…eat a descent size meal, then eat an hour or two later. Your body will be wanting to replenish itself. I love Luna bars for women and I love MoJo’s (made by CLIF). Experiment with all these things during those long runs, so you feel like your prepared and not going to be getting side aches and being water logged during your marathon. Good Luck!

How to Train for a Marathon : Nutrition Requirements for Marathon Training