If you want to perform and feel your best while working out, you have to be properly fueled before training.
Before we break down the things to do, let’s talk about a few common mistakes we see.
1. Wrong Foods
2. Wrong Time
3. Too little or too much
Wrong Foods?
-Heavy or dense foods (A burrito, a burger, or a big meal.)
-Fiber rich foods (vegetables)
-Foods high in fat
You don’t want anything sitting heavy in your stomach while you work out, especially doing high intensity training.
Wrong Time?
If you allow too big of a gap to occur between your last meal and your workout you will most likely be running low on energy and your workout will be affected. Which will lead to underperforming.
Too Little or Too Much?
Eat too little or not at all and you risk feeling weaker and tired.
Eat too much and you risk feeling sluggish or getting sick.
Here’s what to do:
-Time it out.
A good rule of thumb is to eat 1 to 2 hours before your workout.
-Get carbs in.
Eat fast digesting carbs. Fruits are super easy, quick and help in supplying our muscles with energy. Your muscles primary source of fuel is glycogen. Glycogen is a stored form of carbohydrates. Consuming carbs before your workout ensures you are properly fueled.
-Keep Fiber intake LOW
Fiber is important but not ideal before working out.
But what about those who workout early in the morning?
There are a few options here. If you wake up early enough with a 90 minute window you can keep it light with some fruit. However, most people, myself included enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning and don’t want to give that up. What you can do is at dinner the night before ensure you have a good amount of carbs. This will be stored as energy for your workout the next morning.
Use these tips to help you get more out of your workouts and help in steering you towards better results.