"Good" food includes:
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are an important energy source for your body and your brain. Some are better than others.
Good carbs:Vegetables
Mixed Beans
Oatmeal
Bran
Whole Grain Breads
Whole Grains
Barley
Brown Rice
Most fruits (berries are particularly low in sugar)
Low fat milk
Low fat yogurt
Brown rice
Bad carbs:Any bread or any bread that is not whole wheat or whole grain
Potatoes (sweet potatoes OK in moderation)
Fruit juice - eat raw fruits instead
Sugar and processed food with sugar or its many forms (high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, molasses, etc)
Most pasta
Most breakfast cereals
Proteins: Eat lean proteins, low in saturated fats.
Good Protein Sources:Lean Beef (>90% lean ground beef, lean steak)
Chicken (white meat)
Turkey (white meat)
Lean pork (tenderloin, lean ham)
Low fat dairy products
Cottage cheese (highly recommended form of casein protein)
Whey protein
Fish, particularly tuna, salmon, and cod
Eggs, particularly egg whites (yolks in moderation)
Soy and soy products
Bad Proteins:Fatty meats (non-extra lean ground beef, fatty pork (bacon, ribs, etc)
Fatty dairy (whole milk, most cheese, ice cream)
Fats: Fats, which have been vilified, are an essential ingredient in our diet.
Poly and monounsaturated fats must be included in your daily plan. A small amount of saturated fats are also needed (<20g).
Minimize saturated fats, maximize monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Try to get good Essential Fatty Acids - Omega 3 and Omega 6's.
Good fats:Fish and fish oils - polyunsaturated, best source of Omega 3's - cold water fish tuna, salmon, cod
Flax seed - some Omega 3, good Omega 6
Olive Oil - mono unsaturated fat
Avocados - mono unsaturated fat
Nuts - mono unsaturated, poly unsaturated, and omega 6s best are walnuts and almonds
Bad fats:Saturated fats - from animal products (fatty beef, pork, milk, etc)
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats (trans fats - margarine and Crisco are trans fatty acids)
Most vegetable oil and corn oil (use canola oil if you must use oil, and use in moderation - try not to cook in oil if you can avoid it. If you cook with oil, use an oil with the appropriate smoke point).
Remember that fats are calorie rich containing 9 calories per gram compared to 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates and protein.
As a female runner you should try and get at least 1,600 calories per day, ideally more than 2,000.
Check your weight and waist size once or twice a month. If they increase then you may be eating too much.
I'm glad that you are enjoying running so much. Welcome!
------------------
Me[/URL" target="_blank">
