Many people are in for sports and a lot of them visit the gym. They want to be strong, get rid of fat, have a nice figure, etc. The food they consume for their workouts is one of the most important parts as well as sleep and water intake, as it can help to reach various results. One of the most popular questions sounds like this – Who can tell me what to eat before a workout? Do you even need to eat before a workout that should take place in about 30 minutes? We’ll answer these and other questions.
There is no one opinion about how long should you wait to workout after eating. Some claim that you can start in half an hour and others claim that you must wait about an hour or longer. If you’re fasting before your workout, you can get various options. Various studies show the following evidence:
- It can help to use your body fat
- It will increase your chances to lose extra pounds
- It will not affect your performance if the workout is short
In the meantime, eating before long-duration exercise may improve performance. You will get enough energy to endure, complete more exercises, and will show better results. So, you should try to eat and find out what to eat 30 minutes before workout? We mention 30 minutes because a shorter gap in time may lead to unwanted effects. For example, it may vomit. Give your body enough time to digest food. Some experts recommend eating about 2–3 hours before exercise. If you prefer 30 minutes, it should not be something heavy for your stomach. Here are the recommendations of certified nutritionists and athletes about what to eat before a workout:
- Carbs because they provide your body with the fuel to work out.
- Protein because it is essential for muscle mass growing and quick recovery after training.
- Fat because it helps to increase performance, help you endure longer, increase the level of oxygen, and enhance your body composition.
At times, athletes also wonder – What to eat before early morning workout? Commonly, you should eat the same products and absorb as many calories as before day or evening workouts.
What About Food After Exercising?
Many athletes also wonder – What to eat after a workout? They want to be sure it’s important for them. Some of them wait for about 30 minutes at the least. It’s a good precaution because your muscles still consume energy. As a result, your digestive system will not have enough energy to digest heavy food. This may lead to serious problems with your stomach. If you are very hungry, eat something light. Here are our recommendations:
- Products rich in carbs, which are grains (semi-cooked), potatoes, pasta, fruits, whole grain bread, etc.
- Products rich in protein, which are beans, eggs, meat, paultry, fish. etc.
- Food rich in fat, especially not saturated fat that can be found in raw oils (sesame, olive, walnut), seeds and nuts, and also avocado.
Another popular question sounds like this – How long after eating to workout? Various studies showed that there is no difference at all. One trial tested athletes who start to eat right after training and another trial tested the one who ate only 2 hours later. The results were the same and the time difference did not impact muscle recovery.
Remark! In case you haven’t eaten before your workouts, you definitely need to eat because you have lost a lot of energy. It may lead to weakness, tiredness, bad mood, and similar negative outcomes.
You should also understand that your diet cannot be taken from the Internet or one of your buddies. Every system is individual and you should consult a certified nutritionist to know what ration suits your type of the body and your workout goals.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, there are different thoughts and cases when eating or not eating before a workout can provide various outcomes. Everything is individual and you should check it for yourself. Now you know what to eat after a workout and before. Therefore, you are armed with the right information.