Eating and Exercise
Article contributed by Reid Beloni
Do you ever wonder what to eat before and after you exercise? Or when you should eat to get the most out of your workout? Exercise and nutrition are both individually important, but combined they are the secret to diet and fitness.
Some people tend to eat too soon before working out which causes discomfort or cramps. Eating breakfast will allow you to work out and burn more calories later. Cramps occur because the blood that would be used to digest the food is not being diverted to the hard working muscles. On the other hand, if you don’t eat at all before exercising you could feel weak, faint, dizzy, or unmotivated. Timing is an important factor in pre and post exercise meals. It is a good idea to eat 1-3 hours before exercising depending on the intensity of the workout. Leave more time for digestion if the workout intensity is high or you just ate a large meal and less time if it is low intensity or a small meal.
Always start every day with breakfast. Breakfast is the first supply of energy that the body receives for the day and uses this energy to get you going in the morning. Eating too much food or the wrong food before working out can cause indigestion, nausea, or fatigue. Pre exercise meals and snacks should be high in carbohydrates and low in fat because these types of food are more easily digested and will help stabilize blood sugar levels throughout exercise. Foods high in fat will slow the emptying of the stomach and should be avoided before exercise. Protein is good for you, but excess protein can lead to dehydration because your kidneys need more water to eliminate the extra nitrogen that is found in the proteins.
A good pre exercise snack contains between 40 and 100 grams of carbohydrate. Sports drinks or energy bars are good, but are expensive and there are other foods that still have what you need. Some healthy pre exercise snack ideas include:
Banana and yogurt (56g)
Bagel with jelly and juice (83g)
Low-fat vegetable soup and crackers (40-50g)
Milk and crackers with 2 tbsp. peanut butter (54g)
A glass of sports drink, juice or other high-carbohydrate foods should be consumed right after exercising to replenish the energy stores. Follow up with a high-carbohydrate meal, especially after a hard workout. Protein is important, but after exercising the body needs carbohydrates and fluid to replace the energy and water lost during the workout. It’s best to eat carbohydrates within the first hour after exercising, and within 2 hours to consume protein to help repair and build muscle tissue.
If the goal is to lose weight it is effective to eat meals after exercising so the body will burn stored energy, but still always eat something before working out.
Always stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water before, during, and after working out. Eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day is a guideline that everyone should follow; however if you exercise, you need even more. Always drink before you're thirsty. By the time your brain can tell your body that you are thirsty, you have already lost one percent of your body's weight through sweat. You can monitor your hydration levels by weighing yourself before and after you exercise. For every pound lost, drink at least two cups of fluid.