Workout Fuel: What to Eat Before and After Exercise
Exercise is great for both the mind and body but when it comes to changing body composition, have you ever heard someone say “it’s 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise”? Now I hate the word diet, it makes me feel like I’m restricting myself. Instead, I try and think about what awesome yummy food I GET to eat to make my body happy and healthy. So today, pulling two of my favorite things together, exercise and food, I wanted to write about what to eat before and after a workout! *As a disclaimer, I am not a nutritionist but as an athlete, personal trainer, and food enthusiast (that's the classy way of saying I’m a food monster that loves to eat constantly), I have experience and knowledge that I hope you find helpful!
Nutrition might be a topic you love or find extremely confusing. I know I still get confused and sometimes there never seems to be a “right” answer. For example, there are two side to whether it is beneficial to do fasted workouts (not eating before)…my opinion? Every single body is different and you have to listen to yours. It may be tough to recognize at first but if you get sluggish or your muscles feel fatigued, try and eat more before your workout and see if it helps. I think every time your body or mood feels off, the best thing to try is a snack! Alright, so now let’s jump into the important stuff you need to know to fuel for your workout.
Imagine your body is a car and needs fuel to run. So the three things you need for a great fueled workout?
1. Fluids (always hydrate!)
2. Carbs = main source of fuel for muscles. Bonus: High fiber carbs (like oatmeal), are slower to digest and help maintain blood sugar levels. *There are “good” and “bad" carbs so if you want to nerd out even more and make sure you’re eating healthy, check out this article for more info: https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/good-carbs-bad-carbs/
3. Protein = muscle repair and growth. They also help you feel full longer!
*Avoid saturated fats and even some proteins because it takes extra oxygen and energy to digest that you need for your muscles!
Pre-Workout 30 min to 3 hours before exercise
Carbs: whole-grain cereals/toast, rice cakes, fruits, veggies
Proteins: nuts, greek yogurt, egg, regular/soy milk, turkey
Examples:
PB&J
Oatmeal with fruit (can add milk or peanut butter)
Smoothie
Trail Mix
Apple and nuts
Rice cake and nut butter
Bagel and cream cheese
Banana (easy to digest!)
Post-Workout Eat within an hour! (or as soon as possible) It’s time to replace used up calories and eat protein for muscle recovery. It’s important to eat more complex carbs and healthy proteins such as:
Carbs: quinoa, brown rice, nuts, whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes
*Proteins: tofu, beans, fish, chicken, eggs, greek yogurt
Examples:
Whole wheat toast and egg
Quinoa bowl with veggies
Toast with peanut butter and banana
Whole wheat pita with veggies and hummus
Green smoothie with protein powder
Chocolate milk
Turkey wrap with avocado
Greek yogurt and fruit
Salmon and sweet potato
Chicken, brown rice, and veggies
*Complete protein has all nine of the essential amino acids (which your body doesn’t produce and needs from food), they repair and grow tissue, help produce energy, and assist with nutrient absorption and immune function. Single source examples are red meat, poultry, fish, dairy products (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt), quinoa, tofu, chia seeds, etc.
In short, go for quick easy to digest carbs pre-workout and afterward make sure to replenish your body with both carbs and protein to repair and recover! (Do you have a favorite workout snack I missed? Write it the comments!)
If you’d like a printable PDF version of pre/post-workout food ideas click —> HERE