When running for endurance and exercise or getting ready for a big race, putting the right foods in your stomach is just as important as putting miles in your legs. Without a good nutrition to balance training, it can bog down the body and make a runner feel uneasy. That's why The Final Sprint has compiled this very thorough article on optimum nutrition for runners.

The great thing about this report is that it has good information for any level of runner. Whether you're an experienced morning athlete or a novice who gets a workout in after dinner, the nutritional advice can help shed light on the importance of eating the right foods at the right time. First off, don't make the mistake of not getting food before heading out. That's where lack of energy comes from and it can adversely affect performance.

In the morning, try consuming around 500 calories of a low-fat, high-carb food. Followed by half a pint of water, this combo can be all you need if taken two to three hours before working out. Don't forget a post-exercise meal either. Anything with high carbs and protein for muscle replenishment is ideal (pasta, chicken, protein shakes, etc). This is literally the tip of the iceberg, so don't forget to check out the rest of the article for more information!

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It's the most wonderful time of the year for a reason! Many of us take this Christmas holiday as an excuse to pig out and feel no remorse about stuffing our faces with our favorite foods. I know that's how I look at it anyway. But according to the The New England Journal of Medicine, the average weight gain won't be more than a pound or so. The problem comes from the fact that most of us don't shed the extra baggage during the following months, so it turns into a cumulative effect.

However, if you're under the knife about keeping a diet in order or just want to cut back this season, here are some strategies to eat smarter and avoid that extra pound or more altogether. First and foremost, like all things holiday or otherwise, moderation is the key. This is not just a holiday strategy because we've seen this focal point echoed many times before. Excessive eating at any point in the year will give you the same effect, so as the common knowledge suggests, eat in moderation!

The article points out that an appetite can also be the culprit. "Avoid eating smaller-than-normal portions for breakfast and lunch, which may leave you feeling ravenous at dinner and prompt you to eat more than normal," said Doctor Milton Stokes of the American Dietetic Association. Although eating more may not have as much to do with it as the social situation you are in. Some new research indicates that when we are rubbing elbows with friends and family, we're far more likely to eat a greater amount of food. How much, you ask? Forty-four percent more calories are consumed when eating with a group than alone. No wonder we love the company of our friends and family so much!

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