Every morning, noon and night, in gyms across India, you can hear the sound of a low but persistent rumble. Listen carefully and, in between the whir of the treadmill and the clank of weight plates, your ears will pick it up: the clamor of empty stomachs crying out for food. Some people's reasoning is that if no food is available for fuel, the body would tap into its fat reserves.
Well, Yes. But there's a whole lot more to the story than that. As it turns out, if your goal is to maximize your workout and get (or maintain) a lean body, eating, not starving, is your best strategy.
Why eat before a Workout?
The pre-exercise food prevents hunger during exercise. Eating a high carbohydrate snack two hours before exercising can leave you with ample energy and a calm stomach for a great workout. These pre-workout meals will allow you to have increased muscle strength, better endurance, give you increased energy, better pumps, burn more calories and improve your concentration.
What to eat before a Workout?
Before a workout, eat something light, as well as balanced. It's also wise to choose foods high in fiber as it's more digestible, giving you an easier workout. Some suggestion can be:
- Fruit or vegetable juice such as orange, sweet lime, carrot etc.
- Fresh fruit such as apples, watermelon, grapes or oranges.
- Sports drink
- Sandwiches (Preferably Brown bread)
- Energy bar
- Cereal with milk
- Boiled Eggs
What NOT to eat?
Any foods with a lot of fat can be very difficult and slow to digest and remain in the stomach for a long time. They also will pull blood into the stomach to aid in digestion, which can cause cramping and discomfort.
When to eat?
Eating too much food minutes before exercise can impair your performance or cause indigestion, sluggishness, nausea, and vomiting. On the other hand, if you have eaten six hours ago and try to work out, you may feel weak and unmotivated. Timing is important. Your goal is to have fueled your body with nutritious food that is no longer present in your stomach when you work out. You can have these foods just 2 hrs before work out so that your body is full of energy and you can reap the maximum benefits of your work out.
Finally, be aware that finding what works perfectly for you might take some trial and error. Keep in mind that everyone is a bit different and what works for you may not work for your teammate or training partner. Some people find that certain foods and beverages eaten close to exercise are troublesome, while others find that they can eat a big meal and work out an hour later with no problem at all. So do a little experimenting, but at least eat something!
Good article full of information.