Best Foods To Eat Before A Workout For Weight Loss

Best Foods To Eat Before A Workout For Weight Loss – How to fuel up for a sweat, whether you have three hours or three minutes.

Here’s the nutrition question: You’re more likely to get a “it depends” answer to any nutrition query than a hard-and-fast rule. So, if you’re wondering what the “best” foods to eat before a workout are, you might want to arm yourself with some serious nuance and accept the fact that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” pre-workout diet. 

Best Foods To Eat Before A Workout For Weight Loss

Here are some registered dietitian-approved guidelines for pre-workout fueling, whether you’re planning a full meal or only have time for a quick snack on the go. Here’s what everyone should know about what (and when! And why!) to eat before a workout.

When And What To Eat Before Workout

In other words, it’s generally a good idea to fuel up before a workout, especially if you’re training more intensely. But of course, there are many factors to consider when trying to decide whether or not to eat pre-workout. For many, taking pre-workout fuel is out of the question, and for others, the thought of chewing something before breaking a sweat is downright irritating.

Personal preference aside, the concept of fasted training (i.e. training on an empty stomach) has become popular in recent years, leaving many exercisers confused as to whether food can actually hinder their progress. Although there may be some studies to support the performance

Fast-paced, fuel-free training isn’t recommended for everyone, and it’s definitely not a good idea if you’re doing everything you can at a high intensity or strength class.

“In general, I would say that cardio is more acceptable when fasted, while strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) require eating,” says registered dietitian and naturopath Jaime Schehr, ND, RD. “If you’re doing steady-state cardio that lasts less than 60 minutes, it’s probably good to do it quickly if you’re hydrated.” But if your heart rate is higher during exercise (like in the 3+ zone), you need fuel, he adds.

Should You Eat Breakfast Before Or After A Workout?

If you’re wondering what could be “unsafe” about exercising on an empty stomach, there are serious risks to consider, such as overtraining, as well as the dizziness and fatigue that some people experience when malnourished. But there’s also the very real possibility that skipping a meal or pre-workout snack could derail your fitness goals.

“If you’re trying to build muscle by lifting weights or doing a HIIT workout where your heart rate is really high and you’re completely hungry, you don’t have the energy to support the workout quickly,” explains Schehr. “You can actually inhibit your body’s ability to build more muscle or strength, or get the stress response needed to support high-intensity exercise because you don’t have the fuel to use.”

The main reason Schehr and other experts advocate pre-workout fueling is because our bodies run on one primary energy source: glucose. Glucose, otherwise known as blood sugar, runs many systems in the body, and if not used immediately, it is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver for later use, such as during exercise. But to produce this important source of energy, your body needs carbohydrates, which along with protein and fat (as well as cholesterol, fiber and water) make up the macronutrients that everyone needs to survive and thrive, including during exercise. 

Although carbs (think: bread, pasta, rice, and even fruit) have gotten a bad rap for their alleged role in weight gain (a false simplification, by the way), they are absolutely critical and play an important role in your workouts. . “When someone doesn’t give their body enough carbohydrates, their body can break down the proteins found in their muscles to give them enough energy,” says registered dietitian and owner of The Wellful, Brenna O’Malley, RD. “Carbohydrates break down into glucose and provide energy for your brain, muscles and nervous system.”

A Nutritionist Explains: What To Eat Before + After A Workout

But that doesn’t mean you should force yourself to eat a bagel at 5 a.m. for fear of jeopardizing the results of your 6 a.m. workout. “You don’t want to make yourself sick just because you have a goal to eat before you work out,” says O’Malley. “But it’s important to check how you feel.” Even eating something small before a workout and enjoying the rest of your breakfast afterwards will help your body get through the workout, he adds.

If you plan to sweat more, carbs are a great pre-workout choice, especially since they are digested faster than other macronutrients and are the fastest source of energy. But if you think it’s better to eat something else, experiment with other types of snacks and follow your intuition. 

“Research shows that what we call ‘protein-fueled workouts’ can help someone who can’t eat before a workout because they’re nauseous but wants to do weight training or HIIT,” Schehr said. “For some people who work out in the morning and can’t eat, something like protein powder mixed with almond milk can give them a quick workout benefit, but not at the expense of building muscle mass.”

If you’re still trying to figure out carbs vs. over protein and fat, here’s a quick breakdown of each macro and some examples of foods you should eat before your workout.

What To Eat Before And After A Workout For Weight Loss

As we mentioned earlier, carbohydrates are sugar molecules that break down into glucose, your body’s main source of energy. There are several different categories of carbohydrates, but experts generally recommend that the majority of your total carbohydrate intake should come from “complex” carbohydrates, such as starches (think bread, cereal, or pasta) and fiber (such as vegetables, some fruits, beans, seeds, and whole grains). 

Otherwise known as the “building blocks of life,” protein is found in every cell in your body and is essential for repairing and creating new cells (which is why you need it for muscle growth). During digestion, your body breaks down the proteins in your food into amino acids, which are important for maintaining overall health. Your body naturally produces some types of amino acids, but others must come from proteins such as meat, milk, fish and eggs (animal sources) and beans, soy, legumes, nut butters and some grains such as quinoa (plant sources).

Like carbs, fats are sometimes frowned upon, but they’re essential to your overall health and, yes, your fitness. During exercise, the body first burns calories from the carbohydrates it eats for energy, but after about 20 minutes, it draws calories from fat to fuel the activity. In general, experts recommend getting most of your fat from unsaturated sources, such as olive oil, avocados, seeds and nuts. 

So, armed with all the macro knowledge, which food group is the best for pre-workout snacking? Again: It depends, and the best pre-workout food for some is different for others. But for the most part, as you get closer to your training period, you want to focus on digesting carbs and protein faster, because fat takes the longest to digest and can make you feel sluggish if you eat before your workout. 

What To Eat Before A Workout

And of course, consider hydration an important part of your fueling plan. To avoid the unpleasant and potentially dangerous consequences of dehydration (such as weakness and fatigue), you need to hydrate throughout the day—not right before your workout. “Moisturizing shouldn’t be about the moment, it’s about staying on top of your needs,” says Schehr. “So if someone wakes up at 5 a.m. on Thursday to exercise, for example, they need to drink enough water on Wednesday.”

Your diet is also key. For some afternoon or evening workouts, eating a balanced meal or two before your workout isn’t a problem. But for those who train in the morning, the timing can be more difficult. Regardless of when you train, the general guidelines are:

If you wake up early and prefer to exercise in the morning, you may want to reduce your pre-workout fuel consumption – but you’ll probably still be consuming, even if it’s just a little. “You might not want to eat before you work out, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t,” says Schehr. Think about how your body tolerates food and what snacks or meals work best for you, especially for shorter periods of time. For example, if you wake up sweaty in the morning, consider something like a banana, a rice cake, or a piece of toast, says Schehr.

It’s also important to consider how you eat throughout the day, not just before your workout. “It’s helpful to zoom out and make sure you’re eating enough throughout the day, staying hydrated, and taking care of yourself outside of the two or more hours before.

Best Pre Workout Foods (plus Best Foods For Athletes)

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