The right diet before exercise plays an important role in your training success , whether you want to lose weight , build muscle or maximize your endurance.
When and what you eat before exercise can be crucial for an optimal result. A wrong meal at the wrong time can quickly negatively affect your performance during your workout.
Here you can find out when you should ideally eat before exercising and what should not be missing from your pre-workout diet plan.
We'll also tell you what you can eat before your workout if the timing is a bit tighter, you're trying to lose weight or gain muscle mass.
Eat before or after exercise?
Nutrition and exercise are the two most important pillars of a healthy lifestyle. In addition, the two are inextricably linked. With the right diet, you can significantly influence your athletic performance. Not only what you eat, but also when you eat is important. For example, if you eat food too close to your workout, it can have a negative effect on your performance. On the other hand, you can also lose performance if you don't eat anything before exercising.
Your food intake after exercise is just as important. By choosing the right foods, you can support your body in regeneration and promote muscle building in the case of strength training.
In addition, you should also drink enough after exercise. The fluid you lost in the form of sweat needs to be replenished.
Eating before exercise
Before exercising, you should pay particular attention to your carbohydrate intake. The important macronutrient provides your body with energy immediately, so that you are already able to perform shortly after meals. According to various studies, which carbohydrates you consume does not play a major role. Therefore, it is best to use familiar foods that you tolerate well. Sports bars are also a good option, as they often provide a balanced nutrient composition.
In addition to carbohydrates, your pre-workout meal should also contain proteins, but not too many. Protein is digested by the body more slowly than carbohydrates. Therefore, the energy is not immediately available to you and your body has to spend energy on digesting the proteins.
It is best to avoid fatty foods before exercising. Fat puts a lot of strain on your gastrointestinal tract. So that you do not get stomach pains or intestinal complaints during exercise, the percentage of fat before exercise should be low.
In order not to dehydrate during exercise, you should also make sure to drink enough fluids. Best in the form of water or sports drinks.
Timing – When to eat before exercise?
So we know that you should drink enough water so that you can perform to the maximum. But what about eating before exercise? Is it better to eat before or after exercise? And when is the best time to take a fortification?
Basically, whether you want to build muscle mass, reduce weight or increase your endurance performance, eating before exercise is just as indispensable as after it. This is the only way you have enough strength to get the most out of your workout.
Instead of unhealthy, artificial workout supplements, you should eat a balanced meal two to three hours away from your workout session.
Because the best way to achieve success is to provide your body with healthy carbohydrates, proteins and fats at an early stage. Easily digestible foods are ideal, which give you a lot of energy for a long time.
How long before training not to eat?
As already mentioned, it is generally recommended not to eat anything for two to three hours before exercising. But what do I do if my personal daily routine does not allow for such a long break? How long do I have to wait at least before eating before exercising?
Here, the shorter the distance, the smaller and easier your meal should be before exercising. Otherwise, your body is still too busy with digestion and cannot perform properly.
What should you eat before exercising?
The perfect pre-exercise food is low in fat and contains both protein and complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.
This ensures an optimal interplay between power and regeneration. Dishes with oatmeal are about an ideal pre-workout meal, as oats contain both complex carbohydrates and vegetable protein.
Carrot Cake Porridge
Ingredients
- 50 g oat flakes
- 200 ml milk or plant drink
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp walnuts
Preparation
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First grate the carrots small and then put them in a pot.
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Then add the oat flakes and the milk or plant drink. If you want to save extra calories, you can also replace half of the milk or plant drink with water.
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Then add the salt and a bit of cinnamon to the pot.
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Boil the porridge for about 5-7 minutes. When the porridge is almost ready and is already creamy, remove the pot from the heat and add some almond paste to your porridge.
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Then put the porridge in a bowl. Now you can refine the porridge with toppings of your choice, such as delicious walnuts.
In principle, stay away from fatty or spicy food, carbonated drinks or energy drinks!
Losing weight – the right food before exercise
What does my food look like before and after training for fat loss? Should I skip carbs if I want to lose weight? Why not eat before exercise? Does intermittent fasting work ?
First, never exercise on an empty stomach. Otherwise, you quickly run out of power and the training becomes inefficient. Second, don't forget to eat enough carbohydrates. This is the only way to lose weight with food before exercise.
Unfortunately, although your body learns to use its fat reserves without carbohydrates, this does not automatically melt it. The reason for this is that it is primarily the free fatty acids of your muscles that are used for this purpose.
In addition, without them, you will not be able to reach your full performance potential if you are about to undergo a demanding workout, such as a HIIT workout session (high-intensity interval training) or an intensive home workout.
Building muscle – the right food before your workout
What does the food look like before training when building mass? As a strength athlete, should I only have protein on my pre-workout diet? No, a nutrient ratio of 20-25% protein to 45-55% carbohydrates is recommended for you.
You should definitely eat carbohydrates in addition to proteins. Because they provide your body with the necessary energy, protect your muscles and help with muscle building and regeneration.
What do I eat 2 hours before training?
You should consume all macronutrients, i.e. protein, fat and carbohydrates. Instead of empty carbs, choose complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, rice, or quinoa.
Combine these with protein-containing foods, such as milk, tofu or egg, and also add healthy fats, for example in the form of avocados, nuts or cashews. And don't forget about vegetables!
Get power in 2 hours – what else should I eat?
If you need extra power, mix a few extra oatmeal into your protein shake before your workout. Oats provide you with all the important nutrients you need before a strenuous workout or a long run.
What should I eat if I have to perform in less than 1 hour?
If you exercise early in the morning, it is of course not possible to eat 2-3 hours before exercise. In this case, if you eat food up to an hour before your workout, it is best to do so in liquid form. Shakes, smoothies or sports drinks are suitable for this. In this way, the stomach empties quickly and the food is not heavy in your stomach.
However, small, easily digestible snacks such as dried fruit or ripe bananas are also suitable. Coffee is not necessarily a snack, but it also provides an energy boost. Caffeine boosts your metabolism for sports and brings you to peak performance.
But beware: snacks such as bananas and the like are easy to digest and provide fast energy, but they also contain short-chain carbohydrates. These quickly lower your blood sugar level again and only give you energy for a relatively short time.
Muesli Bites
Ingredients
- 200 g sports granola nut and seed coconut
- 1 banana (ripe)
- some bourbon vanilla
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 tbsp oatmeal
- possibly 1-2 tsp wholemeal spelt flour
Preparation
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First preheat the oven to 180° C circulating air and line one or two baking trays with baking paper.
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Mash the banana finely with a fork so that there are no more pieces. Of course, you can also use a hand blender for this.
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Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
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Heat the honey with the coconut oil and add to the dry ingredients with the banana puree.
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Mix everything into a smooth mixture and place small piles on the baking trays with the help of 2 teaspoons.
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Press the heaps slightly flat with a moistened teaspoon or with your fingers and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
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Then turn the muesli bites and bake again for 7-10 minutes until golden brown.
Pre-competition food
When you are preparing for a competition, the right diet before it is crucial for your performance.
Be sure to replenish your glycogen stores before the race. You do this by replacing some of the proteins and fats in your diet with carbohydrates and eating an above-average amount of them. Among runners, this carb loading is celebrated in the form of pasta parties on the evening before the competition.
However, eating a large amount of carbohydrates the night before is often not enough to fill your glycogen stores. In order to noticeably increase your performance, you should start carb-loading three days before the competition.
On the day of the competition, you should eat your last big meal at least 2 hours before the start. Otherwise, the food is heavy in your stomach and limits your performance. The foods of choice are easily digestible carbohydrates and low-fat proteins. For example, you can eat white bread with butter and jam or low-fat cheese. You should avoid meat and meat products, because they are heavy in the stomach and are only digested slowly.
Just before the start, you should drink water again to start the competition hydrated.
Pre-game food
The same nutritional tips as for competitions apply to match days. No matter what sport you play, you should eat plenty of carbohydrates the day before a game. The best ones are those that are easy to digest.
What not to do the day before a match:
- Try new things: Stay away from new recipes that you may not tolerate.
- Eating Fatty Dishes: Stay away from junk food and high-fat meals.
- Drinking alcohol: This puts a strain on your system and you may feel the effects on match day.
- Eat just before bedtime: As you know, you don't sleep as well on a full stomach. Before the game, a good night's sleep is important.
On the day of the game, you should also consume a lot of carbohydrates and little fat. Also, be careful not to eat too soon before the game, as a full stomach can hinder your performance.
Eat before you run
Before a run, it's time to recharge your batteries. This is best done with carbohydrates. If your run lasts longer than an hour, you should make sure that you have consumed enough calories throughout the day to keep up. The last big meal should be 2-3 hours before the run.
Even if you generally eat a high-fiber diet, a low-fiber diet is recommended before the run. This puts less strain on your digestive system and the food leaves the stomach faster.
If you suffer from stomach problems, you should avoid acidic fluids before running. These include, for example, fruit juices or coffee.
Pre-workout oatmeal
Oatmeal is a popular food in the fitness world. Due to the nutrients they contain, they provide energy and keep you full for a long time. Since they consist predominantly of long-chain carbohydrates and are also high in fiber, they keep blood sugar levels stable over a longer period of time. As a result, you will be able to perform and concentrate in training over a longer period of time.
For example, eat the oatmeal as a porridge with fresh fruit or nuts about two hours before your training session to get the maximum performance out of your workout.
With the VERIVAL Sport range, you are always ready for your workout
The VERIVAL Sport range meets all the requirements of a balanced sports diet. Our sports porridge ,sports granola, and protein cereal are not only rich in vegetable proteins and fiber, but also contain essential amino acids and important vitamins.
Whether for your stamina or strength, our selected recipes guarantee you the ideal energy supply throughout your training.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and what to eat before exercise?
It is best to eat short-chain carbohydrates that are quickly digestible before exercising. If your body is busy digesting during exercise, this will affect your performance. The last big meal should be at least two hours before exercise. If you need another energy boost just before your workout, it's best to use liquid foods such as shakes or smoothies.
How many minutes before exercise to eat?
It is best to eat a large meal 2-3 hours before exercise to be at maximum performance. Your body needs this time to digest the food you eat. If you eat food too short before exercise, your body is busy with digestion during exercise.
What to eat before endurance sports?
Be sure to fill your glycogen stores with carbohydrate-rich foods the day before your endurance workout. Just before exercising, you should rely on easily digestible foods. Short-chain carbohydrates such as white bread or fruit are best suited.
What food gives energy for sports?
Carbohydrates and fat are the energy sources among the macronutrients. You have stored fat in your body anyway, so it is important to add carbohydrates before exercising.
Should you eat before or after exercise when losing weight?
Even if you want to lose weight, you should eat both before and after exercise. Before training, you need energy in the form of carbohydrates to be able to perform and after the exercise session, you should replenish your glycogen stores with carbohydrates and support your muscle growth with proteins.
Should you eat something after exercise?
After exercise, you should definitely eat something. This promotes regeneration. For one thing, you need protein for your depleted muscles and carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen stores.
What should you eat before and after exercise?
Before exercising, you should pay attention to your carbohydrate intake to have enough energy for your workout. The best choice is short-chain carbohydrates, which are quickly digested. After exercise, your body also needs carbohydrates and additional protein.
Why shouldn't you eat before exercising?
You should definitely eat before exercising. If you don't, you risk a rapid drop in performance in training. However, you should eat your last big meal 2-3 hours before exercising. Shortly before, you should not eat anything more, because on a full stomach it does not work out well.
