Introduction
Colorado is a state with an invigorating climate, with the summers being hotter during the day and cooler in the evenings, while winters are usually dry. The diverse topography of the region makes the temperatures go up and down throughout the day, irrespective of the climate. If you’re a runner, you need to include healthy and seasonal friendly diet options in your meals to hit the peak performance mark and stay on track. In this article, we’re going to look at some seasonal eating tips that you can use throughout the year to keep yourself healthy and beat the climate changes that Colorado goes through throughout the year.
Seasonal Eating Tips For Peak Performance In Colorado For Runners
Summer Eating Tips
Summers in Colorado can be extremely humid and hot, leading to dehydration. Replenishing yourself as a runner is an essential part of meeting your overall nutritional needs. Try to add more liquids into your diet. Apart from water, you can include foods with higher water content to make up for the water loss while running. Foods such as melons, celery, berries, cucumber, lettuce, and zucchini are rich in H20, that will help you stay hydrated in the hot season regulating your body temperature, lubricate your joints, help in absorption of minerals by your body, and bring more oxygen to your cells. Apart from water, you should consider whole grains such as quinoa that’ll keep you fuller for longer and lean meats such as chicken that’ll help with muscle recovery after an intense running session. To beat the lethargic feeling, focus on eating a higher amount of meals instead of having more quantity in one go. This will keep you more active and energized throughout the day.
Winter Eating Tips
Winters are often accompanied by dry and chilly winds in Colorado. This means you need more warmth as a runner if you plan to run outside in the snowy grounds. You also need more energy to sustain optimum muscle mass in the long run (pun intended). For a power packed peak performance, you’ll need to add more fats, proteins, and carbohydrates and the best way to ensure that is by having nutrient dense meals and snacks. Eat seasonal vegetables like beets, turnips, and brussel sprouts. Don’t miss out on fruits like kiwi, guavas, and pomegranates. To keep yourself energized and protected from the cold winters, add more red meat such as beef and mutton, as well as seafood such as shrimps, grilled lobster tail and salmon to your diet. Accumulation of healthy fats in your body during this time will protect your joints from injury during a run. To add a balance to your overall food choices, accompany them with soups, stews, and teas.
Spring Eating Tips
Spring is the best time to lean into the freshness of nature and eat more fruits and vegetables that are locally produced. Since the spring season in Colorado is usually accompanied by warm weather and longer days, focusing on replenishing electrolytes in your body with fresh produce is essential for peak performance as a runner. Vegetables such as kale, broccoli, tomatoes and spinach are found in abundance in Colorado in the months of spring. Add them to your diet to stay healthy as climate changes in the state. You can also add fresh fruits to your diet that will replenish the necessary nutrients in your body. Most commonly found fruits for a spring run in Colorado are blueberries, plums, cherries, apples, and pears. Focus on meeting your macronutrient needs by adding easier to digest sources of protein, carbohydrates, and fats to your diet. By eating right, you’ll be able to keep your performance optimum, be able to focus on muscle recovery, and stay fit.
Fall Eating Tips
Fall season is usually the time when the weather starts to get more cool, with temperatures starting to drop and days getting shorter. As a runner in Colorado, you must utilize this time to make local produce a part of your diet instead of consuming ultra-processed foods. The vegetables and fruits available in the state this time of the year are rich in essential nutrients and fibers, keeping you fuller for longer and providing more energy. Try including pumpkin, squash, green vegetables, radish and fruits such as grapes, persimmons, and apricots in your diet. You can also include spices such as ginger and cinnamon in your diet to keep yourself healthy. Include more antioxidants in your diet by drinking green tea or herbal tea, they’ll keep you hydrated and warm, especially after a strenuous running session in the later hours of the evening, or early in the morning.
The Final Stretch
Running in the ever-changing climates of Colorado requires precision over many things, but most importantly it requires you to know what you can eat seasonally to ensure peak performance while running. The tips given above are just a simple guide to how you can start preparing for your meals in every season, ensuring a healthy body and mindset that’ll keep your muscles strong and your will unconquerable.