Don’t Fall for Fad Diets: Use Common Sense

Running in general--and training for a marathon in particular--takes energy, and that comes from food. The important thing is not to obsess about food, and try to eat a balanced diet, and the most important thing is to eat. Eat plenty of carbohydrates; they remain a marathoner’s first-line energy source. Some fat is important, too, so it’s OK to put real butter or cream cheese on your bagel if that’s what you like, and be sure to incorporate healthy fats (aka monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats), into your food plan. Some easy sources of these healthy fats are olive oil, flaxseed, walnuts and most other nuts, and cold-water fish such as salmon and herring.