Food as Fuel Before, During and After Workouts

[Marryme456]

Your body is your vehicle, so you have to keep your engine running when you work out. That means fueling up your body by eating the right foods and drinking the right fluids, in the right amounts at the right times.

The American College of Sports Medicine says, “Adequate food and fluid should be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain blood glucose concentration during exercise, maximize exercise performance, and improve recovery time. Athletes should be well hydrated before exercise and drink enough fluid during and after exercise to balance fluid losses.”

There are some things you should do before, during and after you work out.”

[*]Before: Fuel Up!

Not fueling up before you work out is like “driving a car on empty,”. You also won’t have enough energy to maximize your workout and you limit your ability to burn calories.

Ideally, fuel up two hours before you exercise by:

Hydrating with water.
Eating healthy carbohydrates such as whole-grain cereals (with low-fat or skim milk), whole-wheat toast, low-fat or fat-free yogurt, whole grain pasta, brown rice, fruits and vegetables.

Avoiding saturated fats and even a lot of healthy protein — because these types of fuels digest slower in your stomach and take away oxygen and energy-delivering blood from your muscles.
If you only have 5-10 minutes before you exercise, eat a piece of fruit such as an apple or banana.

“The key is to consume easily digested carbohydrates, so you don’t feel sluggish,”

[*]During: Make a Pit Stop.

Whether you’re a professional athlete who trains for several hours or you have a low to moderate routine, keep your body hydrated with small, frequent sips of water.

Note that you don’t need to eat during a workout that’s an hour or less. But, for longer, high intensity vigorous workouts, eat 50-100 calories every half hour of carbohydrates such as low-fat yogurt, raisins, or banana.

[*]After: Refuel Your Tank.[/b]

Fluids.
Drink water, of course. Blend your water with 100% juice such as orange juice which provides fluids, carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates.
You burn a lot of carbohydrates —
the main fuel for your muscles — when you . In the 20-60 minutes after your workout, your muscles can store carbohydrates and protein as energy and help in recovery.

Protein
Eat things with protein to help repair and grow your muscles. It’s important to realize that these are general guidelines. We have different digestive systems and “a lot depends on what kind of workout you’re doing,” Platt said.
So do what works best for you. Know that what you put in your body (nutrition) is as important as you what you do with your body (exercise). Both are crucial to keeping your engine performing at its best.

[Bluebird03]

I don't usually eat prior to a workout. But during the work-out I drink lots of water mixed with a zero-calorie sports drink. Afterward, I also believe in protein. If I am at home, I may eat a boiled egg and/or drink low carb chocolate milk. On the go, I like protein bars. Thank you for the great information!

[Taylor Danvers]

During workouts that are an hour or less long, it is ill-advised to take food before workouts or immediately after workouts because the calories in the food you eat immediately replace all you've lost. Take food about 30 minutes after the short workout

[Corina Elena]

Thank you for this post! I just started running but I didn't really take care of my diet...

[Wanja Hannah]

Wow very informative, I like my peanuts so much and I take them anytime.

[Favour Alade Boluwatife]

Whenever I'm going for a workout I prefer not to eat anything I only take water. Your post is educative thanks for sharing

[Liza Chulukhadze]

Thank you for the information! I have been trying to balance my meals woth workouts for a while now.

[Runan]

I don't feel like eating anything before a workout. I feel nauseated during a workout, if I eat before a workout. Post-workout, I don't feel like eating as much. I wait for some time before I eat. I like drinking fluids before, mid- and after workout. But I will try to incorporate eating pre-workout.

[Ika Apo]

Thank you for such an interesting information! I am going to the gym today and will definitely take this into account.