You want to get the most out of your workout but sometimes it’s hard to time eating, choose the right food and work it around your training. Especially if you’re a keen early morning exerciser, or work out in your lunch break. You need energy to fuel your workout and keep you feeling strong, and food consumed before exercise is only useful once it has been digested and absorbed.
As a general rule, if you train in the morn, you should aim for a light snack about an hour before exercise. Best options are a banana or an Athletix Whey Protein Shake. Make up for your smaller carbohydrate intake prior to exercise by having carbohydrates after the training session. You don’t want to work out with food still in your stomach, it may cause cramps and could make you feel sick.
A number of studies suggest, however, that if you want to strip fat, it’s a good idea to postpone eating anything till after you exercise, as a greater proportion of fat is used as fuel. This is definitely easier to do if you exercise first thing in the morning.
If you work out in your lunch break or after work, the same rules apply. Since you’ve had breakfast, you may need a snack mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Again, a piece of fruit, a protein shake, some yogurt or a handful of nuts and plenty of H2O would be best.
Let Your Own Body Be Your Guide. Most experts agree that you should wait between one to three hours between eating and exercising – an hour for a smaller meal or snack, or three hours for a heavier meal.
Your best guide is your own body – do what feels best for YOU! You may need to experiment with timing and food choices to see what is optimum for your personal needs!