If you want to get the most out of your workout, you should have a good pre-workout meal. Having the right nutrients before your workout can give you the energy you need to perform well and feel good during and after you exercise.
What supplements does your body need for a workout?
Before a workout, it is important to have the right fuel for your body to get the most out of your session. You should have a little bit of each macronutrient in your pre-workout meal, but your main priority should be to have carbs. Carbohydrates are a great pre-workout snack as they give you the energy you need during a workout.
What foods have these nutrients?
What are some good foods that will give you the energy you need for your workout? Here are some carb-dense snacks to have before a workout.
Bananas: bananas are a great source of carbohydrates as their composition is about 90% carbs. If you don’t want to eat too much before a workout, having a banana can be a good solution
Oats: oats are a slow-digesting carbohydrate. Eating them before a workout will satisfy your hunger but also not make you feel full. Oats will give you energy over a long period of time as they are processed by your body slowly.
Whole Grain Bread: An excellent source of carbohydrates is whole grain bread. If you are working out in the morning, this can be a great option for a breakfast sandwich
When should you eat before a workout?
You should wait long enough for your meal to digest before you begin your workout. It is best to wait between 2 to 3 hours if you have eaten a full meal before your workout. But what if you don’t have that kind of time before your workout? The closer you are to your workout, the lighter your meal should be. Here are a few examples of meals you can eat before your workout according to time:
2-3 hours before: If you have a couple of hours before your workout, you should have a full meal to ensure that your body has all the energy you need for your session. A good meal in this time period would be to have grilled chicken for protein, brown rice for carbohydrates, and some greens to supply your micronutrient need.
1-2 hours before: If you only have an hour or two before your workout, you may want to have a lighter meal so you will not feel full during your workout. A good meal like this could be a piece of whole-grain toast with scrambled eggs and a small portion of avocado. If you combine these you can make a pretty delicious breakfast sandwich!
30minutes to an hour: If you don’t have much time before your workout session, you will want to make sure that you eat something light to not make you feel too full. A good option for a snack would be a banana or a quick bowl of oats with some berries.
DiamondFit Performance
If you need help with your nutrition, we offer nutrition coaching at DiamondFit performance. We can help you plan your nutrition according to your body’s specific needs. There is not a one size fits all approach to nutrition, and we can help you eat the right foods to perform your best in the gym.