Pre-workout food and post-workout food is an essential part of your workout plan.  Foods to fuel the human body are critical for achieving your fitness goals.  Pre-workout food and post workout food gives your body the energy needed to move without getting tired.  Energy is provided through calories.

Many people will get up and exercise without eating.  This is not the answer and can leave you feeling fatigued and unenthusiastic about your exercise routine.  A fitness routine requires you to have the energy to at least perform the exercises and it also requires you to be motivated.  If you are not enthusiastic about exercising, you will not get the full benefits.

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Foods to Fuel Body – Unexpected Source of Energy

Your body requires healthy and nutritious pre-workout food and post-workout food.  Foods to fuel your body should contain carbohydrates and proteins.  Not surprisingly, many people who go on diets try to eliminate carbohydrates.  This tends to be the focus for many diet plans.  Do not eliminate carbohydrates from your meals, as they are the body’s first source for energy.  In fact, approximately 60% of your body’s total daily calories should come from carbohydrates.  Only 15% should come from protein.

The type of carbohydrates you put into your body makes a difference.  While pasta and bread are common foods for carbohydrates, there are some other sources you can get the carbs you need, which include, but are not limited to:

• Dairy products
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains (brown rice, barley and quinoa)

Pre-Workout Food – Factors to Consider

Pre-workout food helps to prevent your body from low blood sugar.  Low blood sugar will not only decrease your energy levels, but can make you light-headed and lose concentration.  It will also fill up your muscle and liver carbohydrate stores.  This will give you the endurance you need to complete your workout.

Choosing pre-workout food will depend on the type of person you are, the type of exercise you are performing, and the level of intensity you are working out.  Take these factors into consideration when determining the best pre-workout food for you:

The pre-workout food should:

• Have a lot of fluid to maintain hydration
• Contain low fat and fiber to avoid GI distress and gastric emptying
• Contain high amounts of carbohydrates from healthy sources
• Contain some protein
• Not contain simple sugars, like candy

Sugar from candy can bring your blood sugar level down during your workout, which will severely impact your energy level.

Pre-Workout Food – When to Eat

Allow adequate time between eating and exercise.  Simply put, the more time you allow, the more you can eat.  If your exercise routine will be intense, allow more time for digestion.  You will not need as much digestion time if you are performing a low-intensity workout and if the pre-workout food is liquid.

Pre-Workout Food Ideas

• Cereal with a banana
• ¾ cup of yogurt and ½ cup berries
• ½ cup trail mix
• English muffin with nut butter and honey
• Smoothie with milk or juice – add fresh or frozen fruit and wheat germ or flaxmeal
• Low-fat granola bar
• Apple and low fat cheese
• Handful of unsalted nuts and fruit

Post-Workout Food

This is the most important meal of the day, but also the simplest meal.  Just like your pre-workout food, post-workout food should contain protein and carbohydrates.  However, it should not contain fat.  Good fat is not a bad thing to have during the day, but is not something you should include in your post-workout food.  Fat of any kind will slow down digestion.  If you are eating carbs and protein, then the fat will slow down the digestion.

It is important to eat very soon after your workout.  Eating within 30 minutes of your workout will give your body the best benefits.  You will want to try to eat no later than one hour after a workout.  Try eating whole grain pasta with a side salad or a whey protein shake.

Pre-workout food and post-workout food can make a huge difference in how your body relates to the exercise routine you choose.

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