Team Somersaults kicked off their 12 week training for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon. For many of us in the office we have not trained this hard since our training in 2011, but once again we are ready to give it our all. With all of this extra training we tend to think that we need to consume more; I mean, I am running almost every day now so of course my body needs more fuel, right?

Reality is we do need to increase our fuel intake, but we need to provide our body with the right balance of fuel. A good rule to keep in mind is 65-20-15:

• 65% of your daily calorie intake should consist of complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, vegetables and fruit.
• Protein should make up 20% and come from sources like lean meat, low fat dairy/or dairy substitute, and legumes.
• It is important you consume about 15% of fat from your calories to support vitamin absorption, but choose healthy fats, such as nuts/seeds and avocados.

To maximize your training you should eat a pre-run meal/snack about 90 minutes before your run. This should consist of mostly carbohydrates and some protein. An example of this is a bowl of cereal with low-fat, almond or soy milk or my favorite option is a serving of Cinnamon Crunch Somersaults and an apple.

Well, it’s time to lace up my shoes and hit the pavement. Hope to see you out there!