Eating before your workout is like drinking coffee – you either roll in the hay or you don’t. In other words, the answer to what you should eat before you exercise is complicated.
With intermittent fasting a constantly hot topic within the wellness world, it isn’t surprising that a lot of people wonder if they need to eat before a workout in the least. The answer relies on when your workout is and how your body handles either eating before your workout or working out fasted./iStock-636592142-58fa72a95f9b581d59138776.jpg)
The question mainly comes up for people who tend to workout early morning. The way to know if you should eat : If you feel weak, depleted, nauseous, or lightheaded before or during a workout, that could be a sign your body needs a little fuel pre-workout.
What should you eat before you work-out?
If eating before a workout, one should avoid foods that take longer to digest such as high-fiber raw vegetables and big salads. It’s also best to avoid high-fat foods. One should have a combination of carbohydrates and protein and be mindful of the portion size.
Some of the Best Pre-workout foods:
– A banana and Peanut Butter
– Almond butter on sliced bread
– Yogurt
– Boiled chicken slices
– Sweet potato
For something quick, an energy bar would be the best.
How much should you eat before a workout?
It’s worth saying that a portion size matters when eating before a workout. Eating an excessive amount can cause you to feel sluggish, offering you stomach issues. The best idea is to make your pre-workout portion one-fourth the size of a meal. This will prevent you from overeating but still give you enough energy for an effective workout.
What risks do people face if they don’t eat before a workout?
Over-training and under-eating can end in injury, burnout, anxiety, and other physical problems. If you’re not eating and you’re exercising, the risk of fainting or feeling weak increases in your workouts. This doesn’t mean that everybody must eat pre-workout – many people feel better fasted – but it is vital to understand your body and what works best for you.
Working out on an empty stomach won’t hurt you – and it may actually help, depending on your goal. If your primary exercise goal is weight loss, exercising on an empty stomach may come with some promising perk – though more research is still needed. After you exercise, drink some water – but wait 60 to 90 minutes before eating.
