Foods To Eat Before & After A Workout!
Global Winnipeg News Interview with Registered Dietitian Whitney Harms
The foods we eat before and after exercise is important.
When we exercise, our body needs energy to perform. Whether we are running, lifting weights, playing sports, or doing yoga, proper fueling for exercise can help improve endurance, speed, and power to help us get the most out of our workouts. It’s also important for our brain to have fuel since many times we may start to feel mentally tired before our body is ready to give up. The saying ‘mind over matter’ definitely applies to exercise!
In terms of eating after exercise, this is a very important part of the recovery process. In fact, what you eat after exercise is just as important as the exercise itself and an important part of improving our body composition and preventing injuries.
Imagine that when you perform a difficult workout your muscle fibers are actually breaking down and getting microscopic tears – this is normal, but it does require a bit of planning on our part to ensure they are properly healed and ready for our next workout.
“When” and “what” should I eat BEFORE exercise?
When and what you eat before a workout can largely differ between individuals. Some people find they are able to tolerate small amounts of food or fluids before a workout where others find they need to eat several hours before they exercise to avoid GI distress. It may take some experimentation and collaboration with your dietitian to get it right – don’t be afraid to try new things!
- Examples:
- 3 – 4 hours before a workout: Have a small meal. Your body has time to digest this and if it is a balanced meal you should have enough energy stored to perform at your best! (2 slices toast + PB, 1 banana, 1 cup low fat milk)
- 1-2 hours before a workout: have a small snack such as a homemade granola bar or yogurt parfait
- 30-60 min before your workout: something very light, liquids may be tolerated better by some people such as a fruit smoothie.
The other important thing to remember is to hydrate! Going into a workout dehydrated will definitely affect your performance, may increase your chance of injury, and may make it harder to recover. Water is the best choice!
“When” and “what” should I eat AFTER exercise?
If you are someone who is vigorously training almost every day – you will want to have your recovery snack almost right away upon completing your workout. Within 30 min is usually a good guideline to follow. For others that may only be exercising a few times a week they will have more time to recover and therefore should aim to eat something within 2 hours of exercising.
Many people are under the impression that the most important thing after a workout is protein and although it is an important nutrient for muscle recovery, protein alone is not enough to refuel your body after intense exercise. In order to build new muscle you need both resistance exercise, protein, AND carbohydrates. For most people, at least 10 – 15 grams of protein + about 30 grams of carbohydrate is needed for properly post-workout recovery.
- Examples:
- 1 small muffin + 1 slice cheese
- 1 piece of fruit + ¼ cup nuts
- ½ cup oatmeal with milk and berries
In most cases, water is again the best choice for hydration during and after a workout. There is usually no need for extra carbohydrates and electrolytes often found in sugary sports drinks. Most commercial sports drinks are not needed unless you are doing intense activity for more than 60 – 90 min.
Are you still not sure what to eat before and after exercise?
If you are still not sure on what you should be eating before and after your workout, then maybe meeting with one of our registered dietitian nutrition coaches is the answer. We can help formulate the perfect eating plan that suits your physical activity level and will have an individualize approach to your food preference and lifestyle.
We can help you learn to make your own customized meal plans that meet your nutrition requirements to stay energized and have optimal nutrition!
