“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” - Michael Jordan
This may be one of the biggest questions I get to date. So, let’s breakdown what to eat around those workouts and training schedule.
Many people see athletes or active people as something to aspire to and possibly the healthiest people out there. As a former D1 college athlete and current sweat junkie, the dirty secret is most athletes are burning so much energy in activity that they rarely think or watch what they eat. My graduate sports nutrition professor, a former PGA golfer, says they are amongst the most unhealthy people. They are constantly pushing their bodies to extremes and not fueled with enough or the right nutrients they need to keep going. This often results in a lot of issues, from disordered eating, poor bone health, menstrual cycle issues, injury and more.
Now, I know most of you here are not professional and college-level athletes. But I do know many of you have your own goals and performance markers you are working towards.
First off, most people can meet all their nutrition requirements for their workouts by eating a meal 1-2 hours before exercise and 1-2 hours post-exercise. And any extra hydration is not needed during a workout until they exceed 30-60 minutes.
For those doing more than the typical 60-minute bout of physical activity (moderate or higher of intensity) here are a few things to keep in mind pre-exercise:
Protein before exercise can reduce markers of muscle damage, muscle building capacity and help with faster recovery
Carbohydrates before workouts help with energy, recovery, and muscle growth via glycogen storage preservation, stimulate insulin to get energy into cells
Dietary fats before workouts aren’t necessary they can slow digestion and also help us absorb fat-soluble nutrients (Vitamins A, E, D, and K)
A good meal might look like 1-2 palm-sized proteins, 1-2 thumb-sizes of a fat, 1-2 cupped handfuls of starchy carbs and 1-2 fists of non-starchy vegetables
If you have 0-60 minutes before your workout, here’s what this might look like:
a liquid meal, like a smoothie with protein powder, 1-2 servings fruit, 1-2 tbsp nuts or nut butter, greens or other veggie you like (cauliflower or zucchini) and a 1/2-1 cup of a liquid of your choice (I like unsweetened coconut or almond milk)
or a small snack (100-200 calories) that you can digest well like banana and 1/2 apple, 1/2 protein bar, small bowl of overnight oats or chia seed pudding, dried fruit, greek or coconut yogurt, trail mix, or cottage cheese are all nice options.
Did I miss something here? If I did, drop me a note and I am happy to answer!