Eating Before/After Exercise
Our personal trainers sent this out to us here at the office yesterday, and I thought I'd share it with you. It's kind of long, but good info:
To eat or not to eat… this simple questions has a simple, yet complex answer. What do you really know about eating and exercising? How to eat is dependant on several factors - how long you exercise and your type of exercise.
If you are going to achieve your fitness goals, you need to eat a nutritious, balanced diet and drink plenty of water. If you do not practice these eating/drinking habits, you probably will not be able to workout as efficiently as you could or recover properly afterwards.
Lets start with eating before exercise. What you choose to eat before you exercise can make or break your workout. Food is fuel and it is important to eat at a little something prior to a workout. Eating before exercise provides several functions:
1. Fuels your muscle
2. Helps prevent low blood sugar
3. Prevents your body from using muscle as a source of energy.
4. Ensures your body it will receive the maximum benefit from exercise.
What and how much you eat vary from person to person and sport to sport. Eat a balanced diet every day so your body is fueled and ready for action. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are sources of energy. Carbs are a source of instant energy, protein builds and repairs muscle, and fats are a source of long term energy.
Exercising on an empty stomach?? Probably not a wise choice. The truth is exercising on an empty stomach or for more than 30 minutes means your body doesn’t have enough fuel to perform properly and this may result in fatigue and muscular atrophy (body uses muscle rather than fat for its energy). If you do not have time to prepare a meal in the morning, grab a small apple, a small handful of nuts, 1/2 of a protein shake, small handful of trail mix, low-fat yogurt - foods that will provide quick, yet long lasting energy. If you hit the road without any food, you'll be running on fumes, not fuel. Its like choosing not to put gas in your car - a few gallons will get you farther than if your tank is on or below empty.
Guidelines for eating BEFORE a workout
* Consume food 1-3 hours before your workout - dependant upon activity. For example, if you are going for
a long run, make sure to eat at least 2-3 hours before. If you are going to weight training, sticking to the 1-2 hour time frame is ideal.
* Allow 3-4 hours for a big meal to digest, 2-3 hours for a small meal to digest, and an hour or less for a small
snack to digest.
* Avoid high fat proteins (nuts, PB, meat) - take longer to digest and often add to feelings of fatigue.
* Choose high-carb, low fat foods. Eat a moderate amount of protein as well. Wait until after exercise to eat more.
* Drink plenty of water before and during your workout.
What about eating after exercise?
What you eat after your workout is just as important as what you eat before you workout. Your body needs to recover and repair itself in time for the next workout and throughout the day. It is common not to want to eat after you exercise, because you may not be hungry and/or don’t have time. Learning to eat after a workout has it's benefits too!
Guidelines for eating AFTER a workout
* 15-60 minutes after your workout is the optimal time to consume a meal.
* Eating a meal that contains carbohydrates, protein and an adequate amount of fat is important.
* Carbohydrates helps replenish glycogen (fuel for your muscles) stores in your muscles. Protein helps
repair muscles and fat helps provide long lasting fuel.
* Don’t be afraid of eating too many carbs - watch your portion sizesl. You should accompany protein with
carbs in the post workout meal - this will help your body/muscles uptake the food ingested.
If you are not used to eating before and after exercise, remember it is a learned behavior. You can train your body to do almost anything. Teaching your body how to use food for exercise is an important part of building your fitness. With practice and patience, you can take advantage of the benefits of good nutrition for exercise.
Sample pre-workout meals:
2 pieces of whole wheat toast + 1 tsp jam or jelly. 1 whole egg + 1 egg white (run, weight training)
1 cup of oatmeal + 2 egg whites (cardio, weight training)
1 Meal Replacement drink (weight training day, cardio)
Cup of fruit + 1 low-fat yogurt + 1/2 c. of granola (cardio)
1/2 bagel + 1 tbsp. of low fat cream cheese (cardio)
1 small apple
1 Low-fat yogurt - low sugar
Sample post-workout meals:
1 Meal Replacement Drink
1 cup of Pasta + 4oz. 96% lean ground beef + vegetables
Tuna sandwich with 2 pieces of whole wheat toast + 1 serving almonds or avocado
1 chicken breast + 1 yam or sweet potato
1 chicken breast + 1 cup of brown rice + 1 serving of vegetables
|
