What to Eat Before Workout

Table of Content

• Introduction

• Best Foods to Eat Before a Workout

• Best foods during workout

• What to Eat After a Workout

• Foods to avoid before and after workout

• Take Home Points

• FAQs on What to Eat Before Workout

Introduction

There are certain foods you can eat before exercising to boost your results. The same way a car uses gas, your body needs to burn carbohydrates for fuel. Such foods will give the energy to exercise during your training session.

Although there is no specific diet for everyone before workout, the foods you consume before a fitness class can impact your energy level, mood and results. This can probably influence how likely you are going to exercise again.

The right time to snack or take a light meal is 2 to 3 hours before your workout. Taking meals right before a workout can cause abdominal discomforts when exercising. This is because a lot of blood is channeled to your muscles when you are exercising, which means the digestive tract will be deprived. Once you are done with a training session, your body will need to refresh and rebuild muscle tissues. You should take a meal or snack within an hour after workout.

In this blog, we are going to look at what to eat before and after a workout in order to keep your body running before, during, and after every training session.

Best Foods to Eat Before a Workout

1.   Nuts and Berries

Several studies on sports nutrition demonstrate that a bowl of blueberries and almonds are some of the best foods to eat before a workout due to their benefits. According to research, nuts and berries are rich in a variety of polyphenols, compounds that reduce inflammation due to prolonged exercises.

Wild blueberries, for instance, can yield these effects among untrained athletes and competitive cyclists. Their polyphenols have antioxidant properties that counteract the effects of harmful molecules caused by inflammation when exercising.

2.   Banana and peanut butter

A classic combination of banana and peanut butter are some of the best foods to eat before a workout. Banana will provide carbohydrates in the form of natural sugar while peanut butter will give you protein and healthy fat. This combination is essential to give you longer-lasting energy to fuel your body throughout your workout session.

3.   Yoghurt

If you are looking for a perfect pre-workout nutrition, yoghurt is a great choice as it naturally contains both carbohydrates and protein. Yoghurt is versatile as it can be easily customised with other foods such as granola, nuts, or salad fruits to boost your energy levels throughout your training session.

It’s worth noting that digestibility is a major factor to keep in mind when choosing what to eat before workout. Yoghurt is easily digestible, making it a good option for pre-workout foods. However, if you have problems with dairy products, you can consider other options like coconut or almond yoghurt.

4.   Oatmeal

Are you in the group of trainers who like exercising in the morning? If yes, oatmeal is a fashionable option for morning exercises as it offers whole-grain carbohydrates and you can quickly prepare it in the morning or even the night before.

You can as well add some protein with a handful of nuts or find alternative oak shake products that are rich in fibre.

5.   Rice

Rice is an amazing source of fast-acting carbohydrates. You can take it plain or combined with a few proteins to reap all the potential benefits as pre-workout nutrition. Taking rice will give your body all the energy it requires to work at its best.

Rice has a moderate glycemic index, which means that it is slowly and steadily absorbed in the body. According to research, this lets your body power through a sustainable amount of energy, without getting fatigued, and thus enhancing your performance.

Packed with nutrients, protein, vitamins and minerals like potassium, rice promotes muscle recovery while keeping blood sugar and glycogen levels stable. You can pair rice with other protein-rich foods such as chicken, fish, or eggs.

6.   Carrots and hummus

Traditional hummus that comes from sesame oil and chickpeas is rich in plant-based protein, fibre, and healthy fats. On the other hand, carrots are loaded with vitamin A and potassium. Pairing the two makes a perfect balanced and nutritious snack for pre-workout.

On caloric content, a one half cup of hummus contains about 200-300 calories while about 8 medium carrots have about 30 calories only.

You can prepare hummus with baked pita or slices of pita bread. Alternatively, you can mix it with fresh vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, or celery.

A recent study demonstrated that hummus can play a beneficial role in regulating blood glucose and insulin levels, which are paramount in anyone on a weight loss management course through workouts.

Best foods during workout

You are not supposed to eat anything when you are working out for an hour or less. But if you are in a high-intensity vigorous workout that lasts longer than an hour, you should take 30 to 90 grams of carbohydrates every hour. Some of the best carbohydrates sources when working out include raisins, bananas, and low-fat yoghurt.

Irrespective of your fitness goal and the level of professionalism, keeping your body hydrated with frequent small sips of water is very important. During workouts, sweat evaporates from your skin as your body tries to return to its optimal temperature. You should drink a lot of fluid while working out to replace the water that is lost when you sweat.

What to Eat After a Workout

Refuelling your body is very crucial after workout. Some suggestions on what to eat after a workout include:

1.   Fluids

Keeping your body hydrated with water after working out goes without saying. You can add some flavour with lime, lemon, cucumber slices is a good idea. You can blend your water with 100% fruit juice like orange juice, which provides both hydration and carbohydrates.

Snacking on vegetables or whole fruits with high water content like berries, oranges, carrots, grapes, melons, or lettuce can be an excellent option with hydrating and nutritional benefits.

2.   Electrolytes

Your body uses electrolytes during workouts and thus it is important to replace them on a regular basis. Examples of what to eat before and after a workout to replenish your electrolytes include:

·         Nuts

·         Seeds

·         Leafy green vegetables

·         Low-fat dairy products

·         Fatty fish.

These are some of the best sources of electrolytes and minerals. Although some sports drinks, powders and tablets contain electrolytes, it is always advisable to check their ingredients. Some products are high in caffeine and sugar, which can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and muscle cramps post-workout if electrolytes are not properly replenished.

3.   Carbohydrates

Your body burns a lot of carbohydrates when you are working out. Luckily, your body can store carbohydrates and protein as energy in the 30 to 60 minutes after you exercise. This energy can be utilised during the recovery process.

Examples of healthier sources of carbohydrates after a workout include brown rice, whole-grain pasta, and whole-grain bread.

4.   Healthy fats

Foods high in unsaturated fats should be a part of your post-workout nutrition. They include nuts, avocado, and fatty fish like tuna and salmon. You can also consume non-tropical oils such as coconut butter, sunflower oil, or canola oil while cooking in place of other solid fats.

Your body stores healthy fats which can be used as an energy source when you are on an intensive training session.

5.   Protein

Protein is not only a part of what to eat before workout, but also a vital macronutrient that your body requires during the recovery process. Protein is a good source of minerals and energy. It is also loaded with essential amino acids that help in the repair of damaged tissues.

Good sources of protein for post-workout recovery include skinless chicken breast, low-fat ground beef, pork, salmon, or trout. If you are on a vegetarian diet, healthy sources of protein include seeds, nuts, lentils, peas, and beans.

Foods to avoid before and after workout

Hoping that you are now aware about what to eat before workout and foods that can aid in the recovery process, let’s now look at what you should avoid.

a) Fibre-rich foods: Foods like whole-grain bread or whole-wheat pasta which are rich in fibre should be avoided. Such foods take longer to digest and can cause gastrointestinal issues.

b) Energy drinks: Though some gym goers think they can reap benefits from sports drinks, they are filled with unnecessary sugars and caffeine that can make you jittery and raise your blood sugar levels.

c) Refined sugars: Though adequate amounts of sugars and carbs are vital before a workout, foods filled with refined sugars should be exempted before, during and after exercises.

d) Processed foods: Regardless of your workout goals, ready or processed foods should be avoided before and after workout. They normally contain artificial ingredients with minimal nutritional value and thus won’t give you enough energy during your exercise session.

e) Fried foods: Consumption of fried foods before workout will give you excessive saturated fats which are hard to digest. Such fats can cause bloating and severe cramping.

Take Home Points

There are plenty of what to eat before workout to fuel your body and help in the realisation of your fitness goals. Pre-workout foods should be taken 3 to 1 hour before you start exercising. This ensures that your body will get the required energy for normal functions and aerobic activities.

Certain foods should be avoided before a workout. According to experts, some foods consume so much energy to digest, which could have been used to power your exercise.