Having enough energy to complete your workout can make all the difference. If you’re going to spend one hour in the gym you want to spend it well. What you eat before a workout will depend on a lot of factors. First you have to consider your exercise goals and the type of exercise you will be doing. Next you have to consider how much time you have to eat before your workout and when the last time you ate was. For example, are you rolling out of bed at 5:30am for a 6am run or are working out at 5pm right before dinner?
Also remember that pre-workout nutrition goes beyond just the snack you had directly before your workout. How much you have been eating all week or the day before can have an affect on both your recovery from the workout, and how hard you were able to train.
Exercise goals
First, know that going into a workout fueled will ensure you get the most out of your workout. It might mean having the energy to lift a higher weight or get in one extra rep. You also have to remember that most types of exercise require carbohydrates as the primary fuel source. So skipping breakfast and doing a fasted 11am run might mean a slower pace run than you’re capable of. If you train more than once a day, it’s more difficult to recover and therefore even more important to eat before your workout.
Timing
3-4 hours before a workout you can eat a regular balanced meal of carbs, fats and protein (4oz meat, 1 cup rice, 2 cups veggies). 1-2 hours before a workout you should aim for a low fiber snack that is higher in carbs and lower in fats and proteins. Fiber, fat, and protein take longer to empty from the stomach, so if you eat too much too close to your workout, you’ll end up feeling nauseous or sluggish. But everyone is different. Some people can handle more food than others right before a workout, so you have to experiment and see how much you can tolerate.
- 2 hours before exercise: low fat yogurt with granola, white toast with nut butter & honey, or a packet of oatmeal with fruit
- 1 hour before exercise: granola bar (25+ grams carbohydrates), white toast with honey, potato without the skin, crackers, pretzels, fruit or dates.