During the off-season, it’s easy to let your guard down and relax your eating habits. With Trey Zepeda’s eight-week training plan for sprint and distance athletes, ignoring nutrition would be like training in the wrong shoes. Here, Eve Pearson Rogers, RD, CSSD, LD, nutrition consultant at the Michael Johnson Performance Center, provides eating practices and two options for each meal and snack. 

Sprints: The following practices are for a 155-pound male sprinter. Modify serving sizes for gender and weight differences.

Weeks 1 through 3 focus on accumulation, and Weeks 5 through 7 on strength and power. To ensure positive muscle protein balance, improve reaction time and stay focused, try the following meals. Note, Weeks 4 and 8 focus on recovery, so cut back slightly on total intake, but keep similar concepts.

Breakfast: 20 oz water or flavored water with breakfast [and between breakfast and lunch] Option 1: 2 whole-grain waffles with 2 tbsp syrup; 2 scrambled eggs; ½C grapes
Option 2:  1C Post Selects cereal, ¼C low fat granola in ½C nonfat vanilla yogurt, 1C berries

Lunch: 20 oz of water or flavored water
Option 1: 3 oz turkey or tuna salad on 2 slices whole-wheat bread with vegetables and Dijon mustard; 1 serving baked chips; 1 apple
Option 2: 1 ½C chicken noodle soup with 1 oz whole-wheat crackers, 1C baby carrots with 2 tbsp light ranch dressing

Pre-workout [1½ hours before]: 16 oz water or flavored water
Option 1: 1 Clif bar; 1 banana
Option  2: 1 whole-wheat tortilla with 1 tbsp peanut butter; 1 banana; 2 tbsp raisins

During workout: 16 oz sports drink

Post-workout [within 30 minutes of training]: 32 oz water or flavored water
Option 1: 2 grilled chicken sandwiches; 1C nonfat chocolate milk
Option 2: 2 scoops whey protein in 1C skim or soy milk; 1C nonfat yogurt; 1C fruit, ½C fruit juice; 1 small banana, 1 tbsp peanut butter (ice and/or water for consistency)

Dinner: 20 oz water or flavored water
Option 1: 4 oz pork tenderloin; medium sweet potato with 1 tsp butter, cinnamon and brown sugar; veggie salad with light dressing; steamed cauliflower
Option 2: 4 oz beef sirloin, 1C macaroni and cheese made with whole-wheat pasta, veggie salad with light dressing

Snack:
Option 1: ¼C nuts; ¼C low fat granola
Option 2: 1C light frozen yogurt with 1 crumbled graham cracker

Distance: The following plan is for a 125-pound female distance runner. Modify serving sizes for weight and gender differences.

Pre-workout: 8 oz water
Option 1: 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 tbsp peanut butter
Option 2: 1C Cheerios, ½C nonfat yogurt

During workout: 16 oz sports drink

Post-workout: 24 oz water or flavored water
Option 1: 3 slices Canadian bacon and 1 slice cheese on 1 whole-wheat bagel; 1C berries
Option 2: 1C nonfat cottage cheese with 1C pineapple, 2 packets oatmeal

Lunch: 16 oz water or flavored water
Option 1: 1½C lentil soup with 1 serving whole-wheat crackers; 1 orange
Option 2: Turkey wrap, 1C melon, 100-calorie snack pack

Snack: 16 oz water or flavored water
Option 1: 1 apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter
Option 2: 1 string cheese; 1C grapes

Dinner: 16 oz water or flavored water
Option 1: 1½C chicken spaghetti; steamed broccoli with 1 tsp butter
Option 2: 3 oz grilled salmon; 3 new potatoes; veggie salad with 2 tbsp light dressing

Snack:
Option 1: 1C strawberries; 2 pieces dark chocolate
Option 2: 1C nonfat yogurt with 1 tsp honey