When’s the Best Time to Eat: Before or After Workout?
One of the most difficult questions to answer when one talks about working out and going to the gym is the best time to eat. While some recommend eating a good meal before doing your workout, others meanwhile find more beneficial to eat after workout. Now, which the better timeslot?
There are actually no strict nutritional rules when it comes to eating schedules, says sports dietician Molly Kimball. There are however, factors which can help you determine the right schedule for eating, including the time you last ate, the way you’re feeling, and the intensity and duration of the workout you’re going to do. The timing of other workouts are also checked in order to know when is the best time for you to eat.
Not everybody feels like eating before working out, and it’s just fine especially for recreational exercisers. According to Kimball, “your body has enough carbohydrate reserves to fuel exercise lasting up to 60 to 90 minutes.” So, if you would want to work out with an empty stomach, then it’s okay, as long as your exercise routine is short and you won’t feel weak after workout.
However, there are people who become more energized when they eat a snack at least 30 minutes before their workout. “Experiment with eating a combination of carbs and protein beforehand,” she recommends. “You may be surprised at how much more power and endurance you have during your workouts.”
Recommended snacks before workout include:
- One ounce of 2 percent or low-fat cheese with a serving of whole grain crackers
- Light cream cheese on a mini whole-wheat bagel
- Fresh fruit with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
Meanwhile, if you’re are thinking of going on a workout after a heavy meal, then you should wait for about two hours so that you won’t feel crunches in you stomach while working out.
To those who prefer eating after exercise, then it’s okay, although it’s not necessary. However, eating right after exercise is recommended to athletes in training, as food refuels the energy you will need once you got back to training. “This recovery refueling should ideally be within the first 20 to 30 minutes after your finish exercising, when your muscle cells are most sensitive to glycogen replenishment.”
Here’s a good post-workout meal consisting of high-carb snacks which can help your muscles recover:
- A glass of low-fat chocolate milk
- A bowl of whole grain cereal with skim or low fat milk
- A grilled cheese sandwich
Most of all, you must listen to your body in order to know how to manage your eating habits before and after exercise. “If eating prior to any workout helps your energy and power, then have a snack, no matter the intensity or duration of your workout,” says Kimball. “And if you know that eating after any workout will prevent you from feeling weak, shaky or ravenous, then by all means, refuel after exercising.”
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