Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source before physical activity. It is important to eat carbs before running to give you the quick acting energy needed. You also want carbohydrates that you can digest quickly so the energy is used for the run and that you’re not feeling full and bloated while running. You will get a feel for what works best for you when timing your meals around your runs or races. For me, I would be so nauseous leading up to a race so I couldn't eat anything less than 3 hours before. I would eat a bagel with cream cheese, a granola bar and a banana 3-4 hours before a race and then nothing till hours after, because I was still nauseous. But when it comes to a regular run or workout, I can eat an hour and a half before and I feel that is enough time for me to digest and not feel like my lunch or breakfast is bouncing around in my stomach. 

Some snacks you could eat 1 hour or less before exercise could be applesauce, oranges, bananas, granola, graham crackers or pretzels. Many sports drinks have lots of carbohydrates in them too that help with that quick conversion of carbs to energy. Heart healthy cereals low in sugar and fortified with Vitamin D and calcium or iron and vitamin C are also great snacks to eat before running. 

After exercising you would want to make sure you eat proteins. This macronutrient is critical for recovery. You want to eat at least enough protein to build back the muscles that were broken down and torn microscopically due to stressors on the body. Eating more will help you repair the muscles that were damaged and also build up the muscle to be stronger, larger and more resilient. 

Some examples of healthy foods for runners that are high in protein are chocolate milk, cheese sticks, hummus and veggies, jerkies or greek yogurt and strawberries. Chocolate milk, yogurt and cheese are great sources of calcium which is very important for runners. Eggs and almonds are also good sources of Vitamin D that would be light and high in energy. Calcium is a vitamin responsible for helping with bone mineral density and vitamin D helps you better absorb calcium into your diet.  Running requires a lot of pounding of the legs on the ground leading to stress on the bone. Rest and nutrition is important to keep your bones healthy and strong to continue doing the sport you love. Jerky, leafy greens and dried fruit are also great sources of iron and Vitamin C that are very beneficial to runners.  Iron is an important nutrient that helps transport oxygen through your blood to your muscles and organs. With low iron level, you may feel weak, slow and sluggish. You will be more fatigued throughout the day and on runs and will notice a decrease in athletic performance.

Try a 3-day calorie and macronutrient log. Look at a normal day for you based on the nutrition facts of each meal or snack you consume. Count the calories, grams of fat, carbs, proteins, and what percent of your daily vitamin intake you consume. There is no need to do this everyday, but 3 days is a good time frame to get a good idea if your normal diet is sufficient enough for the amount of energy you consume. 

I really like these vitamins to make sure I am getting enough calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin C and iron in my diet as well.  I take the iron and Vitamin C capsule in the morning with breakfast and the Vitamin D and calcium in the afternoon or evening with dinner. I like the Naturelo because I can keep the vitamins separate and I know it works. Some vitamins just throw a bunch of different nutrients and vitamins into one capsule or gummy to be appealing to the customers but they can't be absorbed together causing them to not get absorbed and just pass in your urine. 

If you think you have love iron or calcium, consult your doctor at a checkup and schedule an appointment with them to get blood work done. 

Try out some of these snacks before, during or after your runs and see what feels  best for you. It is so important to fuel our bodies the right way for the load and volume of training we do.