When do you work out? Is it first thing in the morning, during
your lunch break, or maybe after work? Like most people, your work out time is
dictated by everything else on your schedule.
Between work, school, kids’ activities, and family dinners, at some
point during the day you carve out time to exercise. Go you!
But are you thinking about the food you’re choosing to fuel your
workouts? How many times have you had a workout interrupted by a sudden lack of
energy, dizziness, side cramps, or that dead weight in your stomach from a
large meal? Both the food you eat and when you choose to eat it have an impact
on your ability to complete your workout. Eating too much too close to your
workout can leave you feeling sluggish or cause digestive issues, while eating
too little can make you feel lightheaded. Either way, you body doesn’t have the
energy it needs to power through your workout.
So when should you eat? Well, it depends on when you work
out. Ideally, you should eat a nutritionally balanced meal 1-2 hours before you
exercise. This meal should contain no more than 50% of the calories you expect
to burn during your workout. If your workout normally burns 500 calories, then you
should aim to eat 250 calories. 50-60% of these calories should come from
carbohydrates, 25-35% from protein and 15% from fat. Carbohydrates, such as
fruits, vegetables, bread, cereal, and pasta, help keep your blood sugar levels
stable and provide energy for your workout. Protein from meats, cheese, eggs,
dairy and soy help build and maintain muscle. Some good meal choices include:
·
Low-fat yogurt with a piece of fruit
·
Raw vegetables and hummus
·
Cottage cheese and fruit
·
Half a chicken, turkey or lean roast beef
sandwich on whole-wheat bread
·
Low-fat string cheese with whole grain crackers
·
Hard boiled eggs
·
Trail mix containing nuts and dried fruit
For a morning work out in Atlanta, plan on waking up early enough to
eat breakfast. Don’t rely on the previous night’s dinner to provide the energy
for your workout. Most of that energy was used up while you slept, leaving you
with low blood sugar. Exercising with low blood sugar can cause you to feel slow
and unsteady. If you can’t bring yourself to wake up more than an hour before
you exercise, have a lighter breakfast. And if the thought of eating anything
in the morning causes you distress, try having a sports drink. They generally
contain sufficient carbohydrates to raise your blood sugar and fuel your
workout. Otherwise, some good breakfast choices include:
·
Whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and a piece
of fruit
·
Fruit and yogurt smoothie
·
Small whole-grain bagel with peanut butter
·
Oatmeal
If you haven’t eaten in awhile, or you only have 30 minutes
before a scheduled workout, choose a small snack of easily digestible, simple carbohydrates
containing 100-200 calories. Simple carbohydrates will cause fewer digestive
issues during your workout than complex carbohydrates since they take less time
to digest. Some good snack choices include:
·
Banana
·
Fruit juice or smoothie
·
Sports drinks
·
Raisins
·
Crackers or pretzels (not whole-grain)
·
Applesauce
It is important to think about the food you eat before you
exercise. A combination of carbohydrates, some protein and a little fat will
provide you with the energy you need to power through your workout. But even
the best food choices can derail your workout if not
given enough time to digest. The key is to find the foods and timing that work
best for your body, and be consistent. If you are concerned about your pre-workout
diet, schedule an appointment to speak with your doctor or a registered
dietitian. There are tons of qualified people in Atlanta who would love to see a healthier and more fit Atlanta!!
Contact Information:
Ilovekickboxing.com
(470)377-3854
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