The All-Day Buffet

To run your best and keep your weight in check, forget three meals a day. Think six. And think small

by: Jeffery Lindenmuth

Grazing may sound like a practice more suited to bovines than runners, but you don't need to look any further than the corner tapas bar to see just how trendy small plates and shared portions have become. And more than mere culinary excitement, these small meals deliver big health benefits. A diet of mini-meals has been proven to keep your energy levels up and your weight down, both keys to successful running.

The three-square-meals-a-day regimen we learned in grade school is really the product of a post-industrial revolution workforce, not human physiology, according to Dan Benardot, Ph.D., R.D., associate professor of nutrition at Georgia State University. Before we began commuting to work and punching time clocks, it was only natural for humans to eat whenever they were hungry.

Recent research also shows that regular refueling is far superior to thrice-daily gorging. "We're finding there are limitations that make it impossible to operate efficiently on three meals a day," says Benardot. "It's particularly a problem for active people who have enormous energy intake requirements; they simply need more opportunities to eat." As for how much to eat, in a study of elite gymnasts and runners, Benardot discovered that when we take in about 400 calories more than our current energy needs, the body begins to store the calories as excess fat, rather than boosting immediate energy reserves. On the flip side, when we take in 400 fewer calories than our current energy needs, the body is forced to break down muscle.

The simple solution, according to Benardot: Eat when you know you're going to use the calories. "If you know your expenditure will rise, your intake should rise a few hours before that," he says. This is especially important for runners who need to account for their increased energy needs before, during, and after runs.

Felicia Stoler, R.D., exercise physiologist and nutrition captain for the New York City Marathon, says spreading your dietary intake over more meals throughout the day is beneficial in other ways. First, you exploit the thermic effect of food. That is, you burn more calories in the process of digestion and raise your overall metabolism by keeping a fairly steady stream of calories coming in. Furthermore, small frequent meals help you maintain your blood-sugar levels, so you'll be less likely to overeat at mealtime.

While there's no magic number of meals for everyone, most nutrition experts agree three is too few. About six meals spread over 16 waking hours is a good goal for runners, says Stoler. But it's easy to overload on calories when you have six meals to fill. To guard against this, Stoler suggests redistributing your current calorie intake over more meals without increasing the total number of calories.

To ensure healthy grazing, keep the right foods at hand. Stash some dried vegetables or tuna in foil packets in your briefcase for a mid-morning snack. When dining out, ration those American-sized portions. You should be able to get two mini-meals from most standard restaurant entrées.

And no matter when you run, sneak a mini-meal in before you hit the road. For morning runners, Stoler advises orange juice and yogurt at least 30 minutes beforehand. "You want to choose something liquid for this meal, without too much protein or fat so it will leave your stomach quickly," she says. And for the early evening runner, a mini-meal fits perfectly in the long stretch between lunch and dinner. A rice cake or an apple with peanut butter an hour before your run will give you the fuel you need to ensure your dinner is a human-sized portion--which is clearly smaller than we once thought.

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