A healthy diet is the most important part of a fitness program. Everything begins and ends with proper eating. As a runner, it is important to eat vital nutrients that your body needs for proper muscle growth, endurance gains and general recovery. The most efficient time to run is when your glycogen levels are lowest, which is either first thing in the morning when you’ve fasted through sleep or directly after your workout with weights. Here is a sample diet plan when you go out for a run in the morning.

Pre-HIIT Cardio: 1 Hard Boiled Egg & 1 Fig 
This is just enough to prevent muscle breakdown and provide energy with some key nutrients and will also burn fat in the body. Glycogen levels will still stay low, which is important for cutting fat and not your carbohydrate sources.

Post-HIIT Cardio: 3 Egg Whites & 1 Slice of Whole Wheat Toast
This meal is designed to prevent muscle breakdown even with performing intense cardio.

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Berries & Greek Yogurt
An hour and a half later you want to have more complex carbs in this meal. The reason why it is 90 minutes after is this has been scientifically proven to be the best time to eat. Your body burns fat for a long time after you run until this meal. However, here is where your muscle mass won’t suffer. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn.

Lunch: Grilled Chicken with Mushrooms with Rice & Beans

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Bowl of Mixed Fruit, An Apple & Handful of Almonds

Dinner: Whole Baked Fish with Whole Wheat Pita & Carrots and Peas

Late-Night Snack: 2 Tbsp. of Peanut Butter, Vegetable Crudite in Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar
If your intention is to get lean and cut the fat, you don’t want to have a lot of carbohydrates at night. Your body doesn’t have the ability to burn up those carbs for energy during sleeping hours. However, you don’t want to eat nothing. You need to keep your metabolism increased and the vegetables here provide an alkaline environment to your body. An acidic body is dangerous for your health, where an alkaline body is conducive to losing fat and operating with maximal capacity utilization.