Happy New Year! This time of year it’s natural for us to want to set goals, make changes and begin the year with a fresh start. You may have already picked out a couple of races that you want to run in this year and are determined to get to the start line injury free and chase down a new PR.

With your race goals in mind, this year you’ve decided to ramp up your training to get there: More running, cross training, strength training, and stretching. Oh and then there is that diet thing. Perhaps you may be wondering if your diet is even that important since you know you will be burning so many calories with all the extra training, right? You’ve worked hard, so your thinking you deserve to eat whatever you want.

Besides, adding one more thing to your already full agenda, seems a bit obsessive and who really has time keep food journals as well as training logs? It’s just too complicated and overwhelming. Plus there is so much conflicting information out there about which diet is the best for a runner anyway.

First of all, if you feel this way, I want you to know you are not alone. For years I felt that way too. I felt conflicted when it came to diet. On one hand I wore my ability to “eat with the boys” like a badge of honor. You know what I mean, the entire double cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake the day after a 20 miler. And what about an entire order of loaded nachos or potato skins all by myself?! All that without much fluctuation in my weight. And if I wore a size 2, why should I be on a diet anyway?

On the other hand, I knew I probably should make some changes to my diet, but my preconceived notions kept me from seeking out help. I had a fear of keeping a food journal and sharing it with a health coach or nutritionist. More to the point, I was afraid of her judgment about what I was eating and drinking. And then I was overwhelmed by all the changes I was sure that she would have me make.

If that sounds familiar, I’ve got good news for you! You can make a fresh start with your diet, and it’s easier than you might think.

But first, let’s talk about why your diet is important. If you want to get more out of your training and improve your race performance, then your diet is a key element. It’s more than just eating enough food to fuel your training, it’s important to eat the right foods to optimize those workouts. Running puts a lot of stress on your body and if you are not eating high quality nutrient dense foods, then your body will not have the fuel it needs to perform or recover. Make sure to keep reading my blog as I will be discussing this in more depth in a future post soon.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a martyr or perfect with you diet to improve your running. While a major overall would be great, often it can be overwhelming and make you just want to give up completely. There is all this talk about organic, GMO, gluten, grains, paleo, vegan, free range, happy cows…it can make your head spin!

Begin by taking a look at the way you currently eat. Instead of cutting out all your favorite foods, start looking a where you can add more vegetables and real fruit (not juices) to your diet. Add in healthy fats such as nuts, seeds and avocados. Stay hydrated by making sure you are drinking enough water to offset any caffeine that you consume.

It’s easier to change your diet when you make gradual changes. Think of it like training for a marathon. You wouldn’t start out the first day running 20 miles, but instead you build up to it. Eating should be a pleasurable experience and by adding in more nutritious foods over time it won’t feel like a chore. Gradually you will learn which foods you like and how to prepare them, as well as which changes will work best for you.

Make sure to leave a comment and share what changes will you make to your diet this year.