What Should I Eat Before, During, and After My Workouts?
Not sure how to fuel yourself for your workouts? Here are some simple tips to help you support your body before, during, and after your sweat sessions.
Pre-Workout
Your food choices should help you: feel energized, boost performance, preserve muscle mass, and speed up recovery.
What you eat before your workout depends on how much time you have, your digestion status, the kind of workout you’re going to do, and your overall goals. You know your body best, so make sure you give yourself enough time to digest so you're not running to the bathroom mid-workout! if you’re an early riser, make sure your meal the night before is nutrient-dense and well-balanced (but please, still eat something before you workout!).
A meal with protein and carbs - not too much fiber or fat, as this slows down digestion and can cause cramps - is a good place to start. For example, if your digestion status is good and you have 2 hours before your workout, maybe you have a snack with 10g protein and 15-20g carbs. This can look like yogurt and berries and/or honey, jerky with some coconut oil potato chips, cottage cheese and fruit or jam, or lean animal protein and a baked potato.
Intra-Workout
Some people even need intra-workout snacks. Generally you want to stick to stuff that's easy to digest here as well, such as fruit juice mixed with collagen and coconut water.
Post-Workout
Your post-workout nutrition choices should help you: kick-start recovery, re-hydrate, and refuel.
Generally speaking, you don’t want to wait longer than 1 hour post-workout to eat your meal, as your body will cannibalize itself. Beware of eating too soon, however, as if you’re still in a fight or flight state (sympathetic) and not in a rest and digest state (parasympathetic), there’s a good chance your meal will go right through you.
It’s a good idea to have a meal with at least 20g protein to prevent muscle breakdown and to stimulate protein synthesis and 30g carbs to replenish glycogen stores. The amount of fat you eat post-workout can greatly vary based on goals. This can look like a Chipotle Rice Bowl, a roast beef sandwich on sprouted grain bread with tomato and avocado, a potato baked in coconut oil with some lean meat, or a smoothie with banana, berries, collagen, and avocado.
Let’s Not Forget About Hydration!
Generally speaking, it's a good idea to drink 8 oz throughout your workout - in small sips and not all in one gulp. Adding a little bit of high-quality sea salt will help you retain water and remain hydrated. You can even add a splash of fruit juice or a squeeze of lime/lemon to make for some homemade, natural Gatorade.
Throughout the day, your daily water consumption should be half your body weight in ounces PLUS 8 oz for every hour of working out, every 8 oz caffeinated drink, and every 8 oz alcoholic drink. For example, if Danny Deadlift weighs 200 pounds, he should be drinking at least 100 oz of water or more if he's working out, drinking coffee, or consuming alcohol.
Last Words of Wisdom
Remember, the total amount of protein/carb/fat/water consumed over the course of the day is still more important than any specific nutrient-timing strategy. And what works for you will vary depending on your goals, body size, digestive status, duration and intensity of training.
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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