Fueling for an Energized Workout
If you’ve ever swung open your refrigerator door and stared hopelessly at its contents with a sense of uncertainty before a workout, this guide is for you.
Most of us can relate to this feeling and as we both well know, gazing into your refrigerator usually doesn’t conjure up any more answers than you had before you opened it. Luckily for you, I have some tips that will simplify your future decisions.
The Truth About Nutrition Science
First of all, I don’t blame you for feeling unsure about what to choose given the barrage of conflicting nutrition advice and fad diets floating around. It feels like for every one person boasting the health benefits and importance of a certain food, there is another person vehemently advocating for its avoidance.
The truth is that nutrition is not an exact science, and it may never be. Nutrition is notoriously difficult to study for many reasons: cost, limitations to human trials or controlled variables, and the sheer diversity in individual digestion. I could go on about what makes nutrition such a difficult science to study and why there is so much conflicting information out there, but I’ll save that for later. My point here is that if you aren’t exactly sure what to eat to fuel your body, cut yourself some slack, as even experts face uncertainty in this domain.
With that being said, there are some things that the great minds of nutrition science have been able to agree upon when it comes to how to fuel your body before a workout, and it’s important to remember that you’re already taking a step in the right direction by opting to fuel your body before a workout instead of working out on an empty stomach. Let’s get into it:
Choosing How to Fuel Your Body a Few Hours Before Your Workout
Ideally, it’s recommended to eat a balanced meal of protein, carbohydrates a little bit of fat a few hours before your workout. This could encompass your normal breakfast, lunch or dinner. To clarify, here are a few examples of balanced options and a serving size guide that can be used as a general rule of thumb:
greek yogurt topped fruit and granola (contains a balance of protein, carbs, and fat)
eggs (protein and fat) and a piece of toast (carbs)
chicken or beef (protein and fat) and rice (carbs)
Having a balanced meal a few hours before working out will give you time to digest your meal while still giving you sustained energy and fuel for your workout.
Fueling Your Body Within an Hour of Your Workout
Now here’s the thing. Many of us don’t necessarily have time each day to perfectly time out a well-balanced meal a few hours before your workout. You may work out first thing in the morning, or after work in the evening, and we might only have time for a quick snack.
So let’s say for example that you’ve just woken up, and you have less than an hour to drink your coffee, get dressed, and get out the door for your workout. You might be thinking right about now, “Well, problem solved because once I drink my coffee, I’m not hungry anymore”, and I am here to tell you that the feeling of satiety induced by an appetite suppressant such as coffee does not equate to being properly fueled before a workout.
When your workout is fast-approaching and you have less than an hour before go-time, you’ll want to choose something that:
doesn’t just sit in your stomach and make you feel nauseous during your workout
provides your body with a readily available fuel source
Now Introducing: Carbohydrates, the Pre-workout Fuel of Champions
You may be surprised to learn that carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for exercise, making a snack that is carbohydrate-rich the go-to choice just before your workout. Note here that this doesn’t mean you should scarf down an entire portion of fettuccine right before going on a run (please don’t).
According to Christine Rosenbloom PhD, “eating just 30 g of carbohydrate 5 to 10 minutes before exercise may improve performance. Carbohydrates should be easy to digest such as liquid sources of carbohydrates found in sports drinks or foods such as a serving of plain grits, mini plain bagel, a small banana, or yogurt”. Note here that even if you were able to have a balanced meal a few hours prior to working out, it is still advised that you opt for a carbohydrate-rich snack within an hour before your workout.
If you have a sweet tooth and enjoy incorporating sweet treats into your nutrition (I know I do), this would be a great way to quite literally have your cake and eat it too. Snacks such as rice Krispy treats, dried fruit, and even candies can be incredibly useful during times like these when your body will happily turn the sugar you’ve provided it with into energy for your workout.
What About Protein and Fat?
While protein and fat sources are equally important to include in your diet, when it comes to providing a quick fuel source for your workout, carbohydrates will always be the most readily available and preferred fuel source. This means that when you’re looking to fuel your body within an hour of your workout, a low-fiber carbohydrate source is the way to go. You’ll want to choose a low-fiber option here because foods that are higher in fiber will take longer to digest, and you’ll feel as if they’re sitting in your stomach during your workout. Getting in your recommended daily percent of protein and fat is still important for maintaining a healthy body, however, when it comes to fast fuel sources, carbohydrates are the clear favorite.
In Summary
I want to reiterate that nutrition science is complicated and it’s okay to feel confused and unsure about what to choose when you open your refrigerator. With that being said, what you can take home from this is that you are doing your body a favor by eating before your workout, even if it is just a quick snack. Let’s review some ways in which you can optimally fuel your body before your workout:
A Few Hours Before the Workout
Prioritize eating a balanced meal consisting of protein, fat, and carbohydrates
Examples include:
Chicken and veggies
Beef and rice
Eggs and toast
Turkey Sandwich
Within an Hour of the Workout
Choose a snack that is a high source of carbohydrates and low in fiber
Examples include:
Rice krispy treat
Banana or dried fruit
Candy
Bagels and/or toast
Sports Drink
Now that you’re armed with the knowledge of how to fuel before your workouts, make a plan to get some kind of movement in for the day and see what your body is capable of accomplishing!
