What to Eat Before a Workout
Do you have trouble figuring out what to eat before a workout? Or maybe you don’t like to eat anything before you work out. Either way, today’s post presents arguments for and against eating before a workout and lists some easy pre-and post-workout meals and snacks.
The research
There are arguments for and against eating before a workout. I personally like to have a little something before I work out, but I know a lot of people feel better exercising on an empty stomach.
Eating before a workout
Eating before exercise can give you more energy and make it easier to work out at a higher intensity. Higher-intensity exercise will allow for more calories to be burned. Research shows that eating before a workout can help you burn more carbohydrates during the workout; it is also possible that this can help improve digestion after the workout and increase metabolism. Eating too much or the wrong types of foods before a workout, however, can have the opposite effect and make you feel sluggish or give you a stomachache.
Exercising on an empty stomach
These two studies have shown no positive effect of fasting before exercise. Often energy levels are lower in those who fast before exercise, thus they burn fewer calories. That being said, plenty of people don’t like to exercise with any food in their stomachs. It’s okay to do this, but know you likely will not have as much energy as if you had a small snack beforehand. Low-intensity exercises like walking or yoga probably won’t affect your performance if you don’t eat, but higher-intensity exercise may benefit from a small snack before.
Timing of food intake
How much you eat before and after a workout depends on the intensity of the workout. If you are eating a meal, try to allow 2-3 hours to digest before exercise. If you are only eating a snack, you can eat right before you exercise or 30-60 minutes before. High-intensity exercises like running, biking, or swimming that last longer than an hour may require fuel during the workout as well. Timing of food intake is less important for lower-intensity exercises like walking or yoga; just eat if and when you feel hungry before your workout!
Pre-workout snacks
If eating within 30-90 minutes of exercise, try to have a snack containing carbs + protein to give you the energy to last you through your workout. Examples include:
Banana + peanut butter
Whole wheat toast + almond butter
Plain or low-sugar flavored Greek yogurt + fruit
Whole grain crackers + cheese
String cheese + apple
A small handful of nuts mixed with raisins
Hard-boiled egg + a small orange
You can modify the portion size of your snack based on how far in advance you are eating the snack as well as the intensity of your workout. Listen to your body in terms of how much food it needs before you exercise.
If eating immediately before exercise, you may choose to forgo the protein and just stick with fast-acting carbs to give you energy, such as a piece of fruit or a few whole grain crackers.
As you can see, eating before exercise will need to be tailored to the type of exercise you plan to do as well as the intensity. Less intense exercise may not require a snack, but if you’re hungry, having something before your workout can improve energy levels and help you burn more calories. What are your favorite pre-workout snacks?
