Pre-Workout Nutrition

Remember your mom telling you that breakfast is the most important meal of a day and that you should never skip breakfast? The same goes for your workout—it is ESSENTIAL that you eat something light before you work out so that you don’t pass out and your stomach doesn’t “eat itself” from hunger during your workout.

As well, you need some carbs before you work out so that your muscles have food too. Just because you might have some fat on your body doesn’t mean that your body uses that for energy—it needs an immediate source to burn off.

Let’s define carbs

Proteins and fats may turn to carbs at some point down the line, but they are not our body’s main source of energy. Carbs are our brain’s main source of energy. When we eat carbs that don’t have any fat or protein, our body digests that carbohydrate quickly so that we have energy. Think of when you eat lots of Skittles and then get a “sugar high” and have lots of energy—That’s when your body digests the carbs.


A carbohydrate serving is defined as 15 grams of TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE. It is important to eat some carbohydrates before, during, and after exercise, and we will talk about how many grams of TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES that you need at these time points.

Carbohydrates are found in the following food groups: fruits and fruit juice, yogurt and milk (but NOT cheese), rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, peas, corn, beans, and anything made from flour or sugar.

What are good food choices before a workout?

About 30-60 minutes before your workout:
Women: 150-200 calories or 15-30 grams of carbs
Men: 200-300 calories or 30-45 grams of carbs

Examples include:
1. Energy bars/granola bars
2. ½ bagel with lite cream cheese
3. Lite yogurt and fruit
4. Peanut butter and crackers*
5. Meal replacement drink (like Slimfast, Ensure, Boost)
_{*Avoid high fat foods (some peanut butter on crackers is OK but don’t overdo it) and high-fiber foods (save the beans for later in the day—your body will thank you!) because these will sit in our stomach, slow the absorption of the carbohydrate, and not give you the energy that you need for that workout!}

Pre-Workout Nutrition for an Endurance Workout

For someone, say, training for a marathon, it’s best to eat more calories than you would for a run around the block. On average, you should eat between 400 – 800 calories at least 2 hours before a workout (some studies suggest 0.5 grams to 3 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight). However, the amount of food you need really does depend on how long you plan to exercise.
Some choices include:
1. Whole bagel with cream cheese and a banana
2. Cereal, milk and an orange
3. Peanut butter with waffles (my favorite!) and a glass of milk
4. turkey sandwich, baked chips, and an apple

Summary

By eating a couple hundred HEALTHY calories before a workout can extend your energy much longer than if you had started with an empty stomach. Have you ever tried working out while hungry? The hunger takes control of your brain and eventually food is all you can think about! Eat before your workout to satiate your appetite and allow more focus on your routine.

Look forward to an upcoming article that will focus on what you should be eating and drinking DURING your workout, especially endurance training and long runs. I’ll finish this series with nutrition for cooling down and maintaining your energy after a workout.

_{Photos courtesy of [Beige Alert and berny.ch]}

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