Eating Before Exercise

People often ask me, "What, if anything, should i eat before working out?" The most important thing is to definitely eat something before working out. Your body needs the energy to get through the workout. Here are some tips and a list of foods to eat that will give you a boost for your workout.

Eating Before Exercise
• Consume a carbohydrate-rich snack or meal before exercise to top off muscle stores.
• Include small amounts of protein in your pre-exercise meal(s). Protein helps build and repair muscle tissue. Adequate protein before exercise may help reduce post-exercise muscle soreness.
• Choose pre-exercise meal(s) that are low in fat and fiber to ensure optimal digestion.

3–4 Hours Before Exercise
• Peanut butter & honey on toast
• Fruit and yogurt smoothie + low-fat granola
• Oatmeal with brown sugar and almonds + skim milk + banana
• Low-fat cottage cheese + apple butter + crackers + fresh grapes
• Lean hamburger on bun with lettuce & tomato + side salad + yogurt-fruit parfait
• Turkey and Swiss sandwich + fruit + sports drink • Low-fat tuna melt sandwich + fruit cup + fat-free yogurt

30–60 Minutes Before Exercise
• Sports drink or water
• Sports gel, sport beans or gummies, sports bar
• Piece of fruit or jam sandwich
• Handful of pretzels or crackers

Tips to Take With You
1. Experiment with foods and drinks to determine the best timing and your tolerance for pre-exercise foods.
2. Practice! Figuring out what works best for you will boost confidence in eating before exercise.
3. Fuel muscles early with easily digestible carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages for training.