It’s quite challenging for health enthusiasts to squeeze in mealtime on exercise days, including the right foods to eat while exercising. Knowing when to eat before or after exercising greatly affects the physical training you are engaging in. It can also make a big difference in how you feel while doing your exercises.
There are circumstances in which you eat before, during and even after exercising. Eating too much before exercising will make you feel sluggish, leading to an upset stomach that will manifest symptoms like diarrhea and cramps. It is due to the alteration of the digestive system and the muscular system that compete with each other to fight for the source of energy. On the other hand, not eating before working out is also terrible, as it makes you feel weak, faint, or tired due to low blood sugar from not eating. It would also affect your mental abilities, making you slower to react to other things.
It is essential to have something to eat before or after exercise, as food provides a large amount of energy to be used during exercise. So, here are some of the main points to consider in order to have an effective workout:
Eat a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is one of the important meals that one must have as it provides the necessary energy for the whole day’s activity. When planning a workout, consider eating a healthy breakfast. Get up early enough to have breakfast. In the morning, your blood sugar may be low, since most of the energy you received from last night’s dinner is used up by morning. If you don’t eat breakfast, you may feel sluggish or dizzy while exercising. If your exercise time is within an hour after breakfast, eat a minimal amount of your breakfast or drink something to raise your blood glucose, such as electrolyte-rich drinks.
Avoid skipping meals. This would certainly lower your blood sugar level which would make you feel weak, tired and dizzy. If you were unable to have a snack or meal before working out, go for sweets if you have no other choice, as they will still help you improve your performance compared to eating nothing at all. But it’s still good to eat nutrient-dense foods, so opt for bananas or yogurt over sweets.
Schedule meals based on their sizes. Having large meals is appropriate to eat three to four hours before exercising. When planning small meals before exercise, consume it two to three hours before exercising. If you feel hungry just before or during training, you can eat small snacks. Remember that the key is how you feel; do what is good for you.
Gobble after working out. After exercising, eat a meal that will help your muscles recover and replace lost blood sugar. Plan a meal that is rich in carbohydrates and protein and eat it within two hours of exercising if possible.
Save energy for the rest of the day’s consumption. Reward yourself for rest periods from time to time. You cannot recover with food intake alone. Rest for about ten to fifteen minutes after the exercise regimen. This will also help calm your mind.
Every person is different when it comes to managing their eating and exercise time. These points will somehow make it easier for you to plan a great workout. The most important thing to remember is to pay attention to how you feel during your workout and your overall performance. Don’t push yourself; eat whenever you are hungry, as long as you don’t consume too much. Let your experience be your guide to how you will manage your exercise and mealtime to suit your needs.
