Healthy Foods for Before, During, and After Your Workouts

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Figuring out how to fuel your workouts takes time and practice. It can be a lot of trial and error until you figure out what foods work for you and how to time your eating. If you're not sure where to start, take a look at these simple tips for how to fuel before, during, and after your workouts!

 

Pre-Workout
  1. Eat early: Eat 90 minutes - 2 hours before your workout
  2. Don't Go Hungry: The last thing you want during a workout is to feel tired, which can result in injury.
  3. Carbs and Protein: Eat something with complex carbohydrates and a bit of protein (whole grain cereal, a bowl of oatmeal, a ham/tuna/or chicken sandwich, or hard boiled eggs and rice. Try to keep this meal between 300-500 calories.
  4. Limit Fiber: Foods high in fiber can upset your stomach though a limited amount is usually alright, especially if it's from veggies.
  5. Limit Fat: Fatty foods take a long time to digest and can upset your stomach during a workout.
During Your Workout 
  1. Stay hydrated: It's important to take in enough fluids during your workout. If your workout is under 60 minutes, sticking with water is alright. If your workout is over 60 minutes, incorporating some sports drink may be beneficial.  
Post Workout
  1. Carbs and Protein: An ideal post workout meal is a blend of carbs and protein. 50 grams of carbohydrates and 20 grams of protein within one hour of completing your workout can start the recovery process. 
  2. Limit Fat and Fiber: For the first two hours following a workout, it is ideal to limit your fat and fiber, which can upset your stomach and slow the absorption of carbohydrates and protein. Fiber and healthy fats are important parts of a balanced diet so make sure you're getting these in your other meals throughout the day. 
  3. Quick protein: If you're limited on time, a protein bar or Greek yogurt is a quick way to get the protein you need. Chocolate milk also makes a great recovery snack and is a good balance of protein and carbs.

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