Whether you are just starting to work out or committed to a regular workout program, the right nutrition can help you feel better, recover quicker, and get more out of your workouts. Brittany DeLaurentis, RD, CDN, a Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside, provides some valuable tips on what to eat before and after your workout.
Should I eat before a workout?
You definitely don’t want to go into your workout feeling hungry. However, you don’t want to have a large portion or eat the wrong things, otherwise you may feel fatigued or groggy during your workout. It also matters how soon you plan to work out after eating. For example, if you have a light meal or a snack—like a banana, an energy bar, or a smoothie—I’d recommend postponing your workout for one to three hours. If you have a larger meal, you want to wait a full three or four hours, just to make sure that the meal is well digested. In the morning, I’d stick to a small meal or a snack—just so you’re in that shorter window of one to three hours.
What foods would you recommend eating prior to a workout?
Make sure that you’re loading your body with carbohydrates. That said, the type of carbohydrates really matters. So choose complex carbohydrates—like a piece of whole grain toast or some whole grain cereal—over simple carbohydrates—like candy or packaged baked goods. It’s important that you choose complex carbohydrates, because simple carbohydrates can cause your body to crash and burn from the sugar high.
What about the trend of taking a scoop of dry protein before a workout?
Dry scooping is a very dangerous trend. Many protein powders have a large amount of caffeine. For comparison, a single scoop can have 200 mg caffeine as opposed to 65 mg in a small cup of coffee. Ingesting this plain without dilution can cause damage to the heart arteries, which can lead to a heart attack and organ failure. It also should be remembered that protein powders are not regulated by the FDA, so it is difficult to even know what they truly contain.
What foods would you avoid?
High fat foods like fried foods can make you feel bloated and groggy during your workout. And again, avoid simple carbohydrates so you don’t have that sugar high, and then a crash and sudden fatigue.
What drinks would you recommend during a workout?
Water is very important. You want to make sure that you’re going into a workout having had a minimum of two to three cups of water. And throughout the workout, you should also be hydrating. The general recommendation is about a half cup to a full cup every 15 to 20 minutes of working out. And, of course, the amount of hydration needed depends on the weather. If it’s a hot and humid day, you’ll need more.
Also, don’t forget to hydrate after your workout. Avoid sugar-filled beverages like soda or lemonade, and opt for plain water. The recommendation is to drink at least eight ounces of water afterwards. But, if you have completed a more intense workout, such as running, cycling, tennis, you might want to include a beverage that contains electrolytes, like Gatorade.
What foods are best to eat after a workout—and how soon after?
After a workout, you want complex carbohydrates to replenish the glycogen that your body just ran through as well as protein because working out actually breaks down your muscles. The ratio of your post-workout meal should be three to one, with carbohydrates being the majority, and you should eat within two hours of exercising, to replenish your glycogen stores and help your muscles recover.
Examples of post-workout meals could be yogurt and fruit, a peanut butter sandwich, turkey on whole grain bread, oatmeal with protein powder and fruit, or grilled chicken with vegetables. It depends on the time of day—but you want to make sure you’re combining carbohydrates and protein.
How should I change my eating habits, depending on whether I work out in the morning or in the evening?
In the morning, I would recommend sticking to a small meal or a snack. For most people’s schedules, it is probably better to only wait one to three hours before exercising. You also want to make sure that you are drinking water before working out. Also, studies show that drinking caffeine is beneficial before working out, so a cup of coffee is definitely appropriate if you like an early workout.
In the evening, I recommend having a post-workout meal, but make sure that you allow your body time to digest before going to bed. Give your body a good three to four hours before bedtime.
Should I change what I eat depending on whether I’m doing cardio or weightlifting exercises?
If you are doing endurance activities that involve aerobic exercises like running or swimming, your body burns through your glycogen stores more quickly. So you will need more carbohydrates when you are engaging in those types of workouts.
But whether you are doing cardio or weightlifting, you want to have carbohydrates before, and carbohydrates along with protein afterward.