It can be hard to decide whether you should eat before or after you exercise. On the one hand, it makes sense to fuel up so you have enough energy to exercise. On the other hand, it makes sense to wait so you’re not pushing on a full stomach. And there you are, shake in hand, wondering if it’s a pre or type of post-workout meal.
Well, as with any nutrition or exercise question, there is no single, perfect answer. Everyone is different when it comes to how they feel about eating before and after workouts, says Sandy Sweney, trainer and owner of Burn Boot Camp Hainesport, New Jersey. And it also depends on factors like what kind of workout you’re about to do, how long you plan to exercise, and when you last ate.
If you had dinner an hour ago and feel like going for a bike ride, don’t think about it too much. Mohammed S. Alo, MD, DO, a cardiologist and certified personal trainer, says there’s no need to overthink what and when to eat if you’re just in the mood for a casual workout. But if it’s first thing in the morning and you want to squeeze in an hour strength training Before work, that’s when you’ll want to reflect on your nutrition. Here’s what the experts are saying about eating before or after a workout and how each will affect your body differently.
eat before exercise
The food you eat shortly before a workout works as your fuel. “Your body will use the glycogen from that food source for energy”, explains Sweeney. Glycogen, by the way, is a form of sugar. “You can store some in your muscles, but it’s not much and you can get depleted quickly,” says Alo. Essentially, when he needs energy, his body first taps into the sugars in his bloodstream, he explains, which run out fairly quickly. From there, it reaches the muscle glycogen stores, then energy stored as fat.
If you exercise first thing in the morning and haven’t eaten for 10 hours, your body is considered to be fasting. That means you won’t have the right fuel or the right amount of glycogen to complete your workout. “Exercise on an empty stomach, especially if your muscles are depleted of glycogenit makes training less productive and you may feel fatigued and unable to reap the full benefits of a heavy, hard workout,” adds Alo.
Sure, you might feel fine for the first few minutes, but you’ll quickly start to lose energy. “Your muscles are getting depleted of glycogen and being fasted can mean you can’t do as many reps or as many sets or you can’t last as long on your HIIT either cardio workout”, says Alo, so it is recommended that you first get something on your system.
What to eat before a workout
For a little pre-exercise fuel, Alo recommends eating fast-absorbing carbs to give you a quick burst of energy, as well as slow-absorbing carbs for more sustained energy. “Things like oatmeal can really help power your workout, as well as some easily absorbed sugars like a fruit juice or some of those. pre workout drinks [that have sugar and some caffeine],” he says. “You could also eat fruits and stringy vegetablesIt will help you power up your training so you can work out longer and harder.”
If you’re worried about exercising on a full stomach, keep it light with a pre-workout snack. A banana, granola bar, or even toast with peanut butter and jelly are all good options, she says. Dr. Suzannah Wong, D.C., chiropractor and health expert. If she plans on doing cardio or working out for a long period of time, she suggests topping it off with a carbohydrate-based drink for even more energy. You can also have a mid-workout snack if you start to feel fatigued.
Are you planning a strength training? Experts suggest adding a little extra protein to your snack. “Protein is generally digested more slowly than carbohydrates and therefore will last when you do strength training that requires more effort from your muscles,” says Sweeney.
when to eat
If you are about to do light exercise, such as a incline walking on a treadmillit is recommended that you eat 30 minutes to an hour before. “East [amount of time] it allows food to enter your system and your blood sugar level to start rising, which is what gives you the energy to train,” says Wong.
If you’re about to do something that takes more effort (think CrossFit, weight training, running, etc.) try eat two hours before. “This gives the stomach enough time to digest the food, absorb the sugars, and pass them into the small intestine,” says Alo. But remember, do what feels right to you.
Eat after a workout
Their the post-workout meal is what will help recharge your body. “Getting a combination of protein and carbohydrates is important as helps your muscles rebuild and helps restore your glycogen levelssays Wong. That translates into faster recovery.
This post-workout meal will also help you build muscle. “Whether you’re an intermediate weightlifter or an advanced athlete, it’s very important to replenish your glucose and glycogen stores after a workout,” says Alo. Building muscle is all about aiding this stage of recovery, she says, which is why eating carbohydrates and proteins after lifting
For Reference: Strength Training and Other Hard Workouts Essentially break down your muscle fibers, Sweeney explains. “The regrowth of fibers is important for building lean muscle tissuee,” she says. That’s where post-exercise fuel comes in.
what to eat
If you just did cardio, Sweeney recommends replenishing your energy levels with some plant-based carbohydrates. Think of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, or starchy foods like potatoes. If you just did strength training, add some protein. “Protein is the key here post-workout,” she says, noting BCAA-containing proteins (branched-chain amino acids), which come from animal and plant sources (including beef, chickpeas, lentils, and fish).
When in doubt, try to have a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates. “Ideally, a food that has all its macronutrients it will be for the best,” says Sweeney. “That would include good carbohydrates from vegetables, clean protein and a little Healthy omega 3 containing fats.”
when to eat
One thing to keep in mind is that you may not feel like eating right after you exercise. “Your digestive system, for example during a HIIT or intense cardio session, will slow down or shut down because your the body thinks it is in a stressful situation”, explains Sweeney. Since the adrenaline can take a while to settle down, you may feel like it feels good to wait an hour or so after your workout.
If you’re training with specific goals in mind, say for strength or endurance, you may want to get some BCAA protein into your body as soon as possible. “It is best to get these sources back into your body as soon as possible. 20 minutes after training and up to one hoursays Sweeney. “But protein needs and amounts are different for everyone and also depend on individual goals.”
Food to go
Fueling and recovering are equally important if you want to get the most out of your exercise routine, says Wong. Of course, everyone is different when it comes to how they feel before, during, and after exercise, as well as how serious they are about their fitness goals. Sometimes you just want to get some movement, grab a snack, and get on with your day, and that’s okay. The bottom line, according to Sweeney, is to experiment and find what feels best for your body.
Referenced studies:
de Oliveira, EP. (2009.) The impact of physical exercise on the gastrointestinal tract. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e32832e6776.
Ivy, JL (2004.) Regulation of muscle glycogen replenishment, muscle protein synthesis and repair after exercise. Journal of sports science and medicine.
Jensen, J. (2011.) The role of skeletal muscle glycogen breakdown for the regulation of insulin sensitivity by exercise. Frontiers in physiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2011.00112.
Murray, B. (2018.) Basics of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. Nutrition Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy001.
van Vliet, S. (2018). Achieving optimal muscle protein remodeling after exercise in physically active adults through whole food consumption. Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852800/
Experts:
Sandy Sweneycoach
Dr. Suzannah Wong, D.C.chiropractor, health expert
Mohammed S. Alo, MD, DOcardiologist and certified personal trainer
