As much as I'm a promoter of physical activity, diet is equally if not more important for a healthy lifestyle. No one really teaches us how to eat, we usually go with what tastes good, what magazines say, and what mom fed us when we were young. Though I could very easily jump into a whole blog about diet for life, I'm going to focus on pre- and post-workout nutrition.
Pre-Workout
As far as I know, there isn't an absolute position on what one is supposed to eat before a workout just that you should. This is because your body likes to use the most easily accessible energy source: glucose floating around in your blood. When you eat food, it doesn't get stored right away. Instead it floats around ready to be used by your cells. However, not every person is the same. I know some people who can eat a full meal before working out without a problem. I know others who can workout on an empty stomach and still perform well. There are two factors that seem to come into play: your tolerance and when you last ate.
I'm the kind of person who can eat breakfast as soon as she wakes up; my intolerance for food so early is practically zero. I also usually workout in the morning. Put those two together and you can deduce that I do eat a little something before I start my morning workout. I also try to make sure I eat a complete meal for dinner and hydrate well the night before. If I workout in the middle of the day, I try to make sure it's about three or four hours after my last meal. I have however ran on the trails after eating a burger and half a milkshake...just saying.
Here are my suggestions for a pre-workout snack (all less than 200 calories):
- an apple, banana, or other small fruit
- a bar with fruits and nuts
- a few Sport Beans
- a little shot of Gu or other energy gel, or
- any other foods that are easy to digest and are mostly carbohydrates
Post-Workout
After your fantastic workout, you should reward your body with food preferably within the next 40 minutes. Though you don't feel hungry, your cells are starving, damaged, and need some loving. The best way to love your cells is with protein and carbohydrates. This can come in the form of a protein drink, nuts, deli meat, etc. You don't have to eat a whole meal, just something to feed your cells. I guarantee you'll feel hungry in the next hour.
As always, stay hydrated!! Drink water before, during, and after your workout. If you are in a particularly strenuous environment (high heat or humidity), you should consider drinking something with electrolytes like Vitamin Water, Gatorade, Mio, etc.
If you have any questions or comments, send them my way!
In health,
Lauren
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