This article was contributed by Debbie M., MS, RD
Did you know that during anaerobic activity like resistance training, sugar is your body’s primary fuel source?
The goal is to keep plenty of blood sugar available to fuel working muscles and prolong glycogen (stored carbohydrate) levels. Consuming good sources of carbohydrates achieves this and results in reduced fatigue, improved performance and extended exercise duration in aerobic activity and endurance sports. Also, carbohydrates benefit strength training as it stimulates the hormone insulin to readily promote feeding the muscles during recovery.
Easy-to-digest items like starches are ideal to eat pre-workout. Good food choices include: bread, bagels, crackers, pasta, potatoes, rice and fruit. High-fiber complex carbohydrates like bran cereal, oatmeal, beans are nutritious, but don’t provide a lot of ready energy. High sugar (sweetened) foods are tolerated by some individuals, but not suggested for most to consume immediately before exercising. Downing food you’re not used to before exercising can make your bodily systems unhappy! Choose foods and beverages that you enjoy and that don’t upset your stomach. High-fat items may delay stomach emptying and digestion; so avoid foods such as nuts, cheeses, ice cream and anything fried prior to working out.
All of the following are examples of eating patterns for a 5 p.m. resistance workout:
1) 11a.m. lunch – vegetable pizza, oranges, water; 2 p.m. snack – large bagel, lean ham, skim milk. 5 p.m. snack – banana, water.
2) Noon lunch – green salad w/ grilled chicken, beans, iced tea; 4:30 p.m. pre-workout snack – low fat crackers, skim milk, pear.
3) Noon lunch – tuna salad sandwich, sweet potato fries, milk; 3 p.m. snack – baked pita chips & carrots with low-fat hummus; 5 p.m. snack – natural applesauce, water.
4) 1 p.m. lunch – burrito, grapes, milk; 4 p.m. pre-workout snack – turkey sandwich w/ low-fat cheese, diet soda.
5) 1 p.m. lunch – chicken & vegetable stir-fry, rice, juice; 4:30 p.m. pre-workout snack – energy bar, water.
There are so many possibilities, no one food or meal is ideal. The best pre-workout meal and timing for an individual should depend on personal preferences/experience and eating habits that day. In general, you want to allow for complete digestion and absorption after eating a full meal and wait 2 hours before you exercise.
The time to eat to maximize your exercise isn’t just before physical activity. Drinks containing carbohydrates provide quick energy that may help during exercise lasting at least an hour. The concentration of carbohydrates varies, but a good level for exercise is 14-17 grams per 8 oz. Also, if you sweat heavily or exercise for long durations, choose a carbohydrate drink with electrolytes.
The calories from these “fuel foods” need to be part of, not in addition to, your daily caloric intake total; so be sure to add them to your food log. For more information about how to track your calorie intake and why it is important CLICK HERE or go to http://bloglafitness.azurewebsites.net/2012/08/13/keep-a-food-diary-log-or-journal-and-lose-weight-faster/ to read more about this topic.
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Complex carbs are not a good preworkout energy source??????? Ive always found that a balanced meal with lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fatty acids an hr before my workout to be ideal and work wonders!
Hi Jason — you are right that complex carbs are an ideal fuel source pre-workout, just not the HIGH FIBER ones. They usually take more than a couple hours to digest, thus you won’t get the full energy when you need it and may be left with residual solids in your stomach. So I do recommend bread, bagels, crackers, pasta, potatoes, and rice.
What about a good recommendation for a 5:00 AM pre workout food workout?
good one.
when working out for strength should I use less weights more reps or more weights less reps
Dont use high fiber, you can make home some protein bars, here is the receipe that i used 1 cup gluten-free Brown Rice Flour
1/2-cup Flax Meal
1/2-cup unsweetened/unflavored vegan gluten-free protein (or protein of choice)
1/2-cup of gluten-free pretzels crumbled
1/2-cup chopped almonds
1/4 to 1/2-teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/4 to 1/2-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2-cup natural ground peanut butter, almond butter or favorite nut butter
1/2-cup pure maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of choice)
1-teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips
1/2-tablespoon coconut oil
1/2-tablespoon almond milk
Line an 8-inch square pan with a piece of parchment paper. in a large bowl mix together the flax meal, brown rice flour, protein powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add in the vanilla,nut/seed butter, and maple syrup . Stir well to combine. Add almond milk, adding more if mixture is dry.
Add in crushed almonds.
Press almonds into pan and roll out with a pastry roller until smooth. Place bars into freezer.
While bars are freezing, place the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in a small saucepan on stove eye set to low heat; stirring frequently until halfway melted. Then remove from heat and stir mixture until smooth.
Remove bars from freezer (make sure they have set for five to 10 minutes) and cut into bar slices. Drizzle with chocolate mixture and then place back into freezer.
Store bars in freezer until ready to eat. Enjoy 🙂 I also use a natural pre workout drink Hydroslim that help me burn fat fast, increase strenght and endurance and also increase
musculare mass.
Homemade protein bars are great! Thanks for sharing your recipe.