What to eat and when to eat it are important questions to answer in order to get the most out of your workouts. Especially if you are using exercise as a means of maintaining or losing weight, the calories that you consume need to be carefully considered as proper nutrition is necessary, but needless calorie consumption is counterproductive to achieving your goals. Even if your weight is not a concern, eating appropriately can improve your exercise bouts and your overall fitness level.
Pre-workout nutrition, or the things you consume prior to beginning your workout, should depend on when you are exercising and what kind of exercise that you will be doing. You need to consider how fast you will digest what you consume. Protein and fat take longer to digest, but allow for a longer energy source. Carbohydrates digest quickly, but can lead to a drop in blood sugar which can make you tired. If you exercise first thing in the morning and will be exercising for a short amount of time, a small carbohydrate heavy (think whole grains and fruits) might be sufficient. If you are an evening exerciser and have time to eat a substantial meal two hours prior to exercise, it is usually best to consume a balanced meal (around 400 calories with at least 20% from protein). A snack closer to the time of exercise might be beneficial to you.
Fueling during exercise is important if you are exercising for an extended period of time. There are many products available now to make this easy and efficient. Sports drinks, gels, shots and bars are all designed to give you energy during exercise. They often contain a lot of sugar which is important to fuel your working muscles, but is not necessary for short exercise bouts and can be detrimental to your diet if that is your focus. The general rule of thumb when considering whether you need to fuel during exercise is: less than two hours- water should be sufficient, more than two hours: supplement with carbohydrates (30-60g per hour), sodium, potassium and caffeine (optional). It is important that you know your personal needs in regards to fueling as the intensity of you workouts may require you to adjust the way you fuel.
Post-exercise nutrition is critically important and often overlooked. Restoring your stores of carbohydrates, water, and electrolytes is essential to maintaining exercise habits over time. You will feel better during tomorrow’s workout if you refuel today. Including protein in your post exercise meal is also a good idea to help the muscles rebuild. Within 30 minutes post exercise you should ingest something with carbohydrates and protein, the quantity of which should be in relation to the length and intensity of your workout.
Food is not your enemy. It is the fuel that allows you to perform daily activities and to achieve amazing feats of athletic performance. Fats, carbohydrates and protein are all important for their own reasons and none of these three should be avoided entirely. They also have their downsides, especially when eaten in excess. Making smart choices about what and when you eat will enhance your workouts and by default, your life.
Reference:
Journal of Sports Sciences, 2004, 22, 39–55 Fluid and fuel intake during exercise
EDWARD F. COYLE The Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
Written by Michaela Shoberg
Michaela is a clinical exercise physiologist located at BaySport’s San Francisco office. She graduated from the Master’s program in Exercise Physiology at San Francisco State University. Michaela graduated suma cum laude and received the Distinguished Academic Achievement award for her thesis work on cycling economy. While at San Francisco State University, she taught undergraduate physical activity courses including aerobics and strength training and assisted with undergraduate research projects. Michaela is classically trained in ballet and other dance forms and has spent many years as a professional dancer.