3 Tips to Properly Fuel for your Workouts

One question that I am always asked by my clients and participants of my classes is…”How soon and what do you recommend I eat before and after my workouts?” I believe the answers can really effect the performance and results of your workouts.

How soon should I eat before I workout?

I personally recommend eating a meal at least one hour before a workout. I know for some people working out with a full stomach can be uncomfortable. That’s why I recommend 1 hour before you start exercising. This will give your body enough time to digest some of your food and restore energy levels so you can perform at your best. Your post-workout meal should be consumed no later than 45 minutes to 1 hour after you completed your workout.

What should I eat before and after I workout?

To keep energy high and maximize your results, it’s crucial to stabilize your blood sugar with the right nutrition before, during and after your workout. Though many people mistakenly believe that they need to follow a different eating routine before and during exercise, the goal should always be to stabilize your blood sugar to keep your body in balance.

The only difference between a workout day and any other day is that your body uses more energy. And because your body is a “re-fuel as it goes machine”, you simply need more fuel on the days you workout. To fuel any intense workout, the goal is to continue to stabilize your blood sugar and make these 3 simple adjustments:

1. Pre-Workout Fuel

Since we all have different digestive systems, you should experiment with pre-workout meals and adjust your portion size depending on how you feel. Ideally you should eat a balanced, high-quality meal consisting of:

1 complex carbohydrate such as oatmeal, brown rice or sweet potatoes
1 small portion of simple carbohydrates like fruit or vegetables
1 high quality protein such as chicken or egg whites
1 high quality fat such as avocado, nuts or nut butters

If you like to workout really early in the morning, like myself, then I suggest eating a protein bar, or drinking a shake, on your way to the gym. My favorite products are Power Crunch bars & Protowhey by BNRG and RVL products by MonaVie. They both have the perfect ratio of nutrients for proper blood sugar stabilization. A cup of coffee with your bar is good too for a little caffeine boost too.

2. During Workout Fuel

If your workout is considered “high intensity” and then you require more fuel during activity. One of the most common nutrition mistakes people make during high intensity exercise is consuming gel packs (an all-sugar supplement) or carbohydrate loading.

The reality is, whenever you eat too many carbohydrates or an all-sugar meal, your blood sugar spikes and then crashes…hard! This wreaks havoc on your energy levels and severely hinders performance. Again, the goal should always be to stabilize your blood sugar during activity with balanced nutrition. Now, of course the food needs to be delivered in a portable and easy fashion.

This can be accomplished in two ways:

1. Try a Protein Bar:

Try cutting a balanced protein bar into pieces and eating one piece every 10 minutes

2. Drink a Protein Shake:

Sip on a protein drink made with a high quality recovery carbohydrate solution

Your serving size depends on your conditioning, size and intensity level of the exercise; I recommend that you experiment to find what works best for you.

3. Post-Workout Fuel

Your after-workout meal should follow the same guidelines as your pre-workout meal to replace any depleted glucose (sugar) stores. Depending on the intensity level of your workout, you may have an increased appetite the remainder of the day. Eat a balanced meal every 3 hours (or sooner if hungry) for the rest of the day for optimal recovery.

Please feel free to share any tips or advice you may have for fueling your workouts.

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