Think about the type of exercise you’ll be doing and the foods you’ll need to keep yourself fueled before you even think about bringing your gym bag. In order to determine the optimal pre-workout snack options, we spoke with fitness experts to get their recommendations based on your preferred routine. Their statement is as follows.
Walking:
You may go without refueling every time you put on your walking shoes because it’s a milder form of exercise. Avocado a Day Nutrition’s Rachael Hartley, R.D., L.D. of Columbia, SC, suggests skipping food altogether if you’ve eaten a healthy meal in the last four to five hours and aren’t hungry.
You can stabilize your blood sugar and prime your muscles to stride powerfully with 100 to 200 calories of quick-digesting carbs, along with a little healthy fat or protein, if you walk first thing in the morning, more than a few hours past lunch, or just when you start to feel your stomach rumble.
Running :
The slosh factor should be considered in your pre-run preparation, according to triathlete and nutritionist Tara Martine, R.D., L.D.N. When your feet are constantly hitting the concrete, some foods, including dairy (for those who are lactose intolerant) or citrus (for those who suffer from acid reflux), can begin to irritate and even cause stomach pain.
Think about how many miles you’re putting in as well; if you’ve eaten within the last three or four hours, you can likely run two or three miles on water alone. However, Rumsey recommends eating a snack of 150 to 250 calories, with about 30 g of carbohydrates and a little amount of filling protein or fat, approximately one hour before you put on your running shoes if you’re expecting to be out for 45 minutes or more on an empty stomach.
Strength Training :
When you lift weights, your muscles utilize less glycogen, a kind of energy that powers endurance activities like cycling and running. According to Rumsey, it’s not absolutely necessary to refuel right before doing weights. However, you won’t get the most out of your exercise if you skip food before you start, as you’ll be too weak to do your last lunge.
Incorporate a 100- to 250-calorie snack with 15 to 30 g of carbs and 10 to 20 g of protein approximately one hour prior to lifting weights if you have dizziness or weakness after a workout or if you haven’t eaten in three to four hours. According to Stacy Sims, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and nutrition expert, getting high-quality protein from dairy, eggs, or meat before your workout makes sure that you have the crucial amino acid leucine circulating in your blood after your activity. This jumpstarts the healing process.
