'Should I eat before my morning workout?'
I get this question a lot so I have decided to explain why and how does this work well for me.
When it comes to optimising your nutrition for exercise there are two things to consider,
- The type of food you eat and
- The timing
Eating before your morning workout is not necessary when you are training for an hour (and I certainly do - I never over exercise as my goals is to keep fit and keep my body functions overall healthy - from physical condition to cognitive health), as your body has a store of carbohydrate called glycogen. This sits in your muscles and liver and can provide enough fuel for around 60-90 minutes of exercise.
If you are exercising every morning, with no days off (as I do), it sure is important to get your recovery nutrition right after each workout. This will support the refuelling of your glycogen stores, so they are topped up and ready for the next day’s workout. However, if you wait too long to eat after your workout, your recovery may be slower. So i suggest you do eat right after :).
Beside (remember this) this is part of the reason you might progressively be feeling more tired and ‘hitting the wall’ in your workouts as the week goes on.
1. Eat right
Soon after your morning workout, your body needs both carbohydrate and protein to optimise refuelling and muscle repair as well as fluid to help you rehydrate. If you have done resistance (weigh) training as part of your workout, aim to include 20g-30g protein along with some carbohydrate to optimise the results of your efforts. Know your body and fuel it right with the right amount.
2. Keep your post-workout meals simple
I always try to eat varieties of foods, but on a numerous occasions I always hit
- A bowl of oats with berries or pineapple (sometimes 1/2 of banana), natural yogurt and sprinkle of seeds and/or spoon of honey.
- A smoothie made with banana, berries, milk and yoghurt
- A large banana cut in half or an apple and spread with peanut butter, along with a glass of freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice.
- I also love to eat eggs on toast or/and with some veggies
- Tuna sandwich with fresh microgreens
- Etc.
Right food amongst with enough water will do wonders and you will will satisfied until your next meal.
Also make sure you eat small portions and eat regularly to keep your metabolism going.
This works well for me and trust me if you organise yourself a bit and make it a habit to workout prior to your day even starts - that's the moment your life will change for better.
Until next time, S.
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