Have you ever dragged yourself to an exercise class after a long day, only to barely finish the workout? Maybe you have even felt lightheaded? If your last meal was at noon and you plan to work out at six in the evening, you need fuel, not a workout! This is a common mistake people make when they want to lose weight: not eating before a workout to save calories and speed up weight loss. But this can backfire, and instead of increasing weight loss you just have a lousy workout and overeat later. A well-planned snack can give you the mental and physical energy to boost performance, burn calories, and help you stay within your calorie goal.
What and how much you eat before exercising, depends on:
1. When your last meal was.
2. How much time you have before your workout.
3. How long and intense your workout will be.
4. What you can tolerate. Some people can eat whatever they want before an exercise session, while others may need to keep the snack small and carbohydrate-rich.
Plan to have your snack 2-4 hours before your workout and choose snacks that are high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat and fiber, for easy digestion.
If you only have a few hours before your exercise session, make your snacks smaller and easier to digest. The closer your exercise session is to your last meal, the smaller your snack should be. Choose foods you’re familiar with and can tolerate well.
Smaller carbohydrate-rich snacks are ideal just before a workout
Pretzels, popcorn, crackers
Fresh or dried fruit
Applesauce
Fruit Quenchers
Dry cereal
Fig bars
Granola bars/granola
Half a bagel or toast with jam
Bigger snacks consisting of a mix of carbs, proteins, and fats are ideal when you have 2 + hours before a workout
Fig bars with a glass of milk or plant-based milk
Smoothie with fruit and non-fat yogurt
Half a PB & J
Trail mix with dried fruit and nuts
Cheese and whole grain crackers
Hummus with baby carrots
Cereal with milk
Oatmeal with raisins
Toast with hard-boiled egg
Frittata-To-Go with an English Muffin
Low- or non-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese with fresh fruit and flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with Agave nectar
Sports drinks, gels, bloks, or sports bars
Although real food should always be your first choice for optimal nutrition, sports bars, gels and chews can be a good option when you don’t have time to prepare or pack a snack. They are portable, don’t have to be refrigerated, and are easy to eat.
Hydration
Equally important to being well-fueled is being well-hydrated. This is especially critical when exercising in the summer and outdoors. When you feel thirsty, your fluid levels are already too low. Try to drink plenty of water throughout the day and during your workout session. One easy way to see if you are drinking enough is to check the color of your urine. It should be light in color, like lemonade not like orange juice. But be careful you don’t overdo it either. Overhydration can cause hyponatremia, which means having abnormally low blood sodium levels. Hyponatremia is dangerous and can be fatal.
When you are exercising for more than one hour or you are exercising in hot/humid conditions, a sports drink with electrolytes can help you get the fluid and electrolytes you need. Choose one you like or make your own. My daughter does not like the artificial taste of the store-bought ones so I make my own sports drink. I have a recipe here. Also if you need more information on hydration, see my post on hydrating during exercise, HERE
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