What to Eat Before a Workout for Better Results

It is the time of the year when everyone is becoming more active, trying to get in shape for summer and lose those extra pounds. We all know that exercise is important, but what most people don’t realize is the importance of what you eat before the exercise. Here we will look at the best things to eat before your workout, what you should avoid, and what supplements you could implement as well.

Why Is It Important to Eat Before a Workout?

Before a workout, we eat for fuel. We need energy to exercise, and we need carbohydrates to fuel that energy. This is especially true before an intense workout, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or heavy lifting. The body only stores enough glycogen (stored carbohydrates) for about two hours of intense exercise. So before an intense workout, the body requires extra carbohydrates. 

When a person is working out, they are actually putting their body through a great deal of physical exertion. That exertion causes their body to become tired and requires energy in order to continue working out. During the time that a person is working out, they burn calories. Their body will also use up glycogen, which is a form of sugar that is stored in their muscles. When a person’s glycogen levels are low, they will not have enough energy to continue working out. When a person’s body is low on both glycogen and calories, it will start to burn fat and muscle which are not efficient energy sources when compared to carbohydrates. This causes poorer performance and worse results. This is not good for a person who is trying to lose weight or build muscle.

Would you still be able to lose weight or build muscle without eating before a workout? The short answer is yes. You can still lose weight or build muscle without eating before a workout. But it might not be as easy. Eating before your workout can help to improve performance and reduce tiredness, thus leading to better results.

What Are Some Good Pre-workout Foods?

The best pre-workout foods to eat before your next fitness class or gym session are the ones that give you a burst of energy, boost your endurance, and help you feel light and refreshed, instead of sluggish and weighed down. 

Eating a healthy snack before your workout can give you the energy you need to push through a tough workout. It is recommended that you eat a small snack 30-90 min before you exercise. The size of snack you should eat depends on how long and intense of a workout you are going to do. If you are going to be doing a short workout, such as a 20-minute run, then a smaller snack should be enough to fuel your body. Here are some good foods before a workout.

• A banana is a good quick source of energy that will give you the energy you need. 
• For a longer workout, such as a 90-minute run, you will need more energy. A granola bar or oatmeal with a banana is a good option for longer workouts. This is because the fiber in the oats can extend the release of the sugar so that it isn’t burned up so quickly during the workout. 
• Fuji apples are also well-documented to improve performance in the gym.
• Whole grain bread also offers both complex carbs and some fiber and protein as well making it a good all-around choice.
• Other fruits contain fructose or lighter carbohydrates as well.

Protein is important to have pre-workout as well. So many will have a protein drink too. Though I would do water in your shake to avoid milk before a workout. A clear whey isolate would be lighter on the stomach. 

Protein helps your muscles to take less damage during the workout and begin recovering right away. It is especially important for bodybuilders who are looking to gain muscle more than lose weight.

What Are Some Foods to Avoid?

Just like there are foods that can enhance a workout, there are some that you should avoid. As a general rule you will want to avoid food and drinks that will cause stomach discomfort or lethargy when combined with physical activity.

Some examples would be processed food like fast food, food with high fat content, or dairy. So you would want to avoid foods like milk, cheese, avocados, nuts for example. 

You also should avoid irritants such as spicy or acidic foods which can also ruin your workout by creating an upset stomach or reflux.

Exercise can create stomach discomfort because when you work out, your body diverts blood from the gut to your skeletal muscles. This is part of the sympathetic nervous system or “fight or flight” response. Digestion is controlled more by the parasympathetic nervous system so it isn’t as effective during exercise. This can cause stomach pain and gas if you are trying to digest heavy or fatty food in your stomach. So you should always just eat a small amount before like a few hundred calories at most and avoid the heavy foods mentioned.

What Is the Purpose of Pre-workout and Is It Necessary?

Pre-workout is also a commonly consumed substance before workouts. It usually has multiple purposes such as longer, more explosive energy, vasodilation or increased blood flow to your muscles, less fatigue, etc. Common ingredients are caffeine, creatine, and branch chain amino acids or BCAA’s.

Pre-workout supplements are not necessary to have a good workout and good results though they can help to get a competitive edge and some better results. They also help to give you a boost of energy if you work out early in the morning or when you don’t feel like going to the gym.

There are many pre-workout supplements on the market so it may be difficult to know what to get. Opt for a brand that stays aways from mysterious proprietary blends where you don’t really know what or how much product is in it. Also avoid ones that are purely stimulants which can cause poorer performance or jitters. One brand that is very transparent that I recommend and use is Pre-Jym by Jym Supplement Science. It is a pre-workout developed by a sports scientist with science-based ingredients and transparency. As an affiliate with them you can also get 15% off with code WELLNESS101 at checkout.

So give pre-workout a try if you haven’t before and see if you like it though it is only a small aid when it comes to your overall success.

Conclusion

So in summary, eat something small 30-90 before your workout if you can. You should eat primarily protein and healthy carbs and sugar which will provide your muscles with energy throughout the workout. 

Avoid foods that are fatty, heavy, or irritable to avoid stomach issues caused by exercise.

I hope this helped you to learn more about pre-workout nutrition and supplements and that you can continue growing in your own fitness and wellness journey!

Read also: The Best Time to Eat Carbs, Jym Supplement Science: Best in the Industry