{"id":63096,"date":"2017-11-04T09:15:15","date_gmt":"2017-11-04T13:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=63096"},"modified":"2024-05-28T21:50:05","modified_gmt":"2024-05-29T01:50:05","slug":"carb-loading-meals-runners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/recipes\/carb-loading-meals-runners\/","title":{"rendered":"Not a Fan of Pasta? 10 Healthy Carb-Loading Meals for Runners"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Not<\/div>\n

For most runners, the days leading up to a big race involve picking up your bibs, choosing what clothes to wear, and indulging in giant bowls of pasta<\/a>. But if you\u2019re following a gluten-free diet<\/a> or aren’t a fan of noodles, there are plenty of quality carbs<\/a> that\u2019ll fuel your muscles past the finish line.\u00a0 And, having a carb cycling meal plan<\/a> could help you prepare.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrown rice, other grains and even whole-wheat pasta are great alternatives. But there\u2019s nothing wrong with regular white pasta as long as you make it a well-rounded meal with a protein source, like chicken, ground beef or turkey<\/a>,\u201d says Nancy Clark<\/a>, MS RD CSSD, a sports nutrition counselor, and author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook<\/a><\/em>.\u201c Whatever you choose, look for a balance of carbs to fuel your muscles, and protein to build and repair the muscles,\u201d Clark says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Carb Loading for Runners: How to Prep for Race Day<\/a><\/p>\n

A Quick Runner\u2019s Guide to Carb Loading<\/h3>\n

Fruits and veggies are excellent sources of carbohydrates, but to avoid gastric distress on race day, space them out in your diet.\u00a0Leslie Bonci, MPH, RDN, CSSD, owner of Active Eating Advice<\/a>\u00a0and co-author of Run Your Butt Off<\/a><\/em>, says, \u201cI recommend increasing carbs slightly at every meal three days prior to an event or long training run.\u201d Bonci says to add one serving of carbs to each meal, like a half cup of rice, fruit or a slice of bread. She also recommends eating salty foods, like soy sauce or pickles, to help replenish your sodium levels. With that said, here are 10 carb-loading meals to enjoy a week before your race.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>50 Running Resources for Speed, Strength and Nutrition<\/a><\/p>\n

10 Healthy Pasta Alternatives to Carb Load Pre-Race<\/h3>\n

\"Carb<\/p>\n

1. Quinoa Pilaf<\/a><\/h3>\n

In addition to being gluten-free, quinoa is high in\u00a0magnesium<\/a>, B vitamins, iron, potassium and protein<\/a>. To ensure that it\u2019s packed with flavor, cook it with chicken or vegetable broth instead of water, as this recipe suggests. Peppering some carrots, red peppers and other veggies in the ancient grains gives it more antioxidant power, while keeping you fuller longer. Photo and recipe: Kathi and Rachel Kirk \/ Laughing Spatula<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Carb<\/p>\n

2. Oven-Baked Chicken and Rice<\/a><\/h3>\n

As basic as it sounds, you can’t go wrong with chicken and rice, two classic staples for a wholesome meal. But this perfect combination of carbs and protein is made tastier with garlic, chicken broth<\/a> and flavorful spices, like paprika, thyme, garlic powder and onion powder. Photo and recipe: Nagi \/ RecipeTin Eats<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Carb<\/p>\n

3. Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Spinach<\/a><\/h3>\n

Barley is a lesser-known whole grain that’s packed with B vitamins<\/a> and magnesium and has a similar hearty texture as pasta. Made with dry white wine, a little butter and chicken stock, this delicious barley risotto is a healthier alternative to fettuccine Alfredo, while still tasting indulgent. Spinach and cremini mushrooms provide Popeye-superpower strength to carry you through each leg of the race.\u00a0Photo and recipe: Erin Clarke \/ Well Plated<\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>9 Nourishing Buddha Bowl Recipes<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Carb<\/p>\n

4. Salmon and Potato Foil Packets<\/a><\/h3>\n

What’s the next best comfort food to pasta? Potatoes, which are another favorite of runners. In this dish, they’re paired with omega-3-loaded <\/span>salmon\u00a0<\/a>for a\u00a0balanced meal that’ll fuel and repair your muscles. Bonus: These <\/span>foil packets<\/a> cook in just 30 minutes, and you can prep them ahead to make post-run meals a breeze. The last thing you want to do after a run is chop, cook and clean.\u00a0<\/span>Photo and recipe: Averie Sunshine \/ Averie Cooks<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Carb-Loading<\/p>\n

5. Roasted Vegetable Whole-Wheat Pizza<\/a><\/h3>\n

If you go the homemade route and use a light hand on the cheese, pizza<\/a> is just what the marathon gods ordered. In this vegetarian-friendly recipe, top a whole-wheat crust with roasted artichoke hearts, mushrooms, caramelized onions, red peppers and eggplant. If you don’t have time to prepare the dough, opt for whole-wheat pita bread or tortillas.\u00a0Photo and recipe: Sally \/ Sally\u2019s Baking Addiction<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Carb<\/p>\n

6. Steak and Sweet Potato Bowls<\/a><\/h3>\n

These super filling bowls are a real treat after a hard training run. Sweet potatoes<\/a> are give runners the extra push they need by fueling their bodies with muscle-loving carbs, vitamin A and fiber. And if you want a larger boost of protein,\u00a0steak<\/a> is the way to go. (You’ve earned those calories!) In this recipe, a soy sauce-ginger marinade infuses the steak with mouthwatering flavor, while the avocado-cilantro dressing rounds out the tastes and the meal with healthy fats. Photo and recipe: Kristin Porter \/ Iowa Girl Eats <\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>9 Healthy Steak Recipes to Beef Up Your Dinners<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Carb-Loading<\/p>\n

7. Mediterranean Farro Salad<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you love a good Greek salad, this Mediterranean-inspired farro bowl is for you. Brimming with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, olives and artichoke hearts, you\u2019ll get an array of essential vitamins and nutrients. The lemon vinaigrette ties all the ingredients together with tangy red wine vinegar and oregano. Photo and recipe: Elena Tomasi \/ As Easy As Apple Pie<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Carb<\/p>\n

8. Vegetable Fried Brown Rice<\/a><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t let the word \u201cfried\u201d fool you! You use only a little\u00a0coconut oil<\/a> and some eggs to fry the brown rice. To save time in the kitchen, we suggest defrosting a bag of mixed vegetables during the day and then steaming them. This fried rice<\/a> dish is perfect with everything, but we like eating it with salmon, chicken or steak. Photo and recipe: Aggie Goodman \/ Aggie\u2019s Kitchen<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Carb<\/p>\n

9. Broccoli and Bell Pepper Chicken Stir-Fry<\/a><\/h3>\n

Stir-fries<\/a> are another versatile dinner option that can be packed with carbs and key nutrients. And the great thing is you can prepare them just about any way you like them. Here, we cook broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini and chicken thighs in a large wok, and then dressed them in a honey and ginger sauce. Enjoy this dish with a side of rice, and you\u2019ve got all your pre-race nutrition bases covered. Photo and recipe: Natalie Gruendl \/ Tastes Lovely<\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>8 Quick Stir-Fry Recipes for Healthy Weeknight Dinners<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Carb-Loading<\/p>\n

10. Almond Parsley Pesto Asparagus Freekeh<\/a> <\/strong><\/h3>\n

This dish is freakin\u2019 good thanks to freekeh, a nutty-tasting grain, that pairs well with the almond pesto and garlicky asparagus. We guarantee this recipe will satisfy\u00a0your runger<\/a>\u00a0needs, but it will be tough to keep leftovers! Be sure to make extra to enjoy throughout the week and share with your running buddy.\u00a0Photo and recipe: Gaby Dalkin \/ What\u2019s Gaby Cooking<\/em><\/p>\n

Read More
\n<\/strong>How to Tame Your Runger (aka Running Hunger)
\n<\/a>Inside Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky\u2019s Run Fast. Eat Slow
\n<\/a>Carb Cycling: Should I Match My Diet to My Workouts?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you\u2019re gluten-free or not a fan of pasta, these carb-loading meals offer delicious alternatives that\u2019ll power your body on race day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":108,"featured_media":63133,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[425,26,27,424,9],"tags":[201,71,80,439,108,341,357],"class_list":["post-63096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dinner","category-gluten-free","category-healthy","category-lunch","category-recipes","tag-carbohydrates","tag-nutrition","tag-protein","tag-races","tag-running","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2running"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63096"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63096\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63133"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}