Should you eat before a workout?
Do you eat before working out? Do you exercise fasted? Should you wait? Sometimes it can all feel so confusing and overwhelming!There is some science behind this question BUT most of it is actually subject to every individual. It's a personal choice based on what feels good for you and your body. Things to consider is the time of day you're working out. If it's 5am it's totally understandable for you to not feel like eating anything, specially if you're getting up 5mins before you have to leave to go. But if you're working out at around 9am then there is more time to fit in a quick bite.I've had some clients who can't eat before we do our sessions (personal training) and they find no matter what they eat they feel sickBut someone like myself unless I'm working out at 5am, I have to eat something before because if I don't then I feel sick. Which is the opposite of the other type of people. BUT WHAT SHOULD I EAT? So! If your eating pretty close to exercise it's best to have complex carbs with a bit of protein. This will give our body sustained energy. We want to avoid high-fat foods as they take longer for our body to digest and can make us feel sluggish. Some examples of great pre workout snack/meals would be oats and berries, bananas or fruit smoothie, peanut butter jam on toast, trail mix, greek yoghurt and banana (if you can tolerate dairy) eggs. Keep in mind that these foods above are just examples and will be a personal preference for each person. It's best for you to try out a few different foods at a few different times (an hour before, 3 hours before etc..) and see what feels best! Our food is our fuel if we utilize it. That is the benefit of us having food before we train. This goes for both strength training and endurance, we want slow-releasing energy to keep us going through the whole session. Athletes should never try a new pre-workout food before any competition as you may not respond well and may hinder your performance. So best to stick to what you know on these more important days!DONT FORGET TO DRINKDon't forget to stay hydrated especially in those workouts you sweat! Just like lack of food can make us feel light-headed so can lack of water so make sure you keep your fluids up during and after your sessions. I hope you found this helpful! It's a topic that can be confusing if you listen to what everyone else does. But what matters is you and your body and what feels best for you. So trial and error a few different ways and find your magic! Sending so much love! Mikaela xx
