Nutrition for Pre-Workout Fuel

Diana Savani, RD, LDN

This post is sponsored by Granite State Dairy Promotion as part of the Refuelwith Chocolate Milk Campaign.

Fueling Up Before Exercise

Achieving top physical performance during exercise is influenced by many factors. One of the most important pieces of the puzzle that many people tend to put low on the priority list is properly fueling up and recovering with good quality nutritious foods. Proper nutrition habits for pre-workout fuel and post-workout recovery can help your body maintain adequate energy, leading to a more effective workout and a reduced risk of injury.

The key is to find a meal pattern and types of food that ensure that your overall diet provides a wide variety of nutritious foods for consistent energy and overall health. Aiming for a well-balanced diet, including at least three food groups at each of your meals (preferably a large portion of fruit and/or veggies, protein, and a fiber-rich grain or starch), and balancing snacks with both carbohydrates and protein or long-lasting energy and stable blood sugar levels can help ensure you are properly fueled for day to day activities.

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy and can be found in grains (bread, crackers, pasta, rice, quinoa, etc), fruits and veggies (fresh, frozen, canned, and dried), dairy, and legumes (beans, peas, lentils). When consumed, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose which raises blood sugar levels and provides the body with energy. Glucose can also be stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver, which will get used for energy later on. When exercising, the body taps into glycogen stores for energy, while it is still available. Glycogen stores can typically fuel exercise less than two hours long, but anything over that duration likely will require additional fuel. Overall, it is best to make sure your daily diet incorporates plenty of carbohydrate-rich foods that fill your glycogen stores and support your daily exercise energy requirements.

Protein is vital for top physical performance, as it supports energy, muscle building, and muscle repair. Protein is broken down into amino acids and is found in meats, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy, nuts, and seeds. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg) body weight per day, but this is simply the average adult’s basic minimum requirements for overall health. The more active you are, the more protein you likely need, and the type of activity you do can also increase your needs. The American College of Sports Medicine states that in order to increase muscle mass, you likely need around 1.2-1.7g of protein per kg of body weight per day.

It is important to remember, more is not always better. Protein intake should be adjusted depending on how you feel, your goals, activity level, and energy levels. Working with a dietitian can determine if you are getting the right amount of overall energy, carbohydrates, and protein to be set up for the most effective workout possible.

Timing

Depending on the time of day that you exercise, you may choose to either have a meal or a snack beforehand. If the last thing you eat before exercise is a meal, it is best to enjoy that meal three to four hours before to allow your body time to fully digest. There is nothing comfortable about having a stomach ache during a workout! If the last thing you eat before exercise is a snack, it is still ideal to give it time to digest, ideally one to two hours. Overall, aim to eat foods in smaller portions and with less fiber and fats the closer to the time of exercise it is. Less fiber and less fat close to exercise is key to avoid mid-exercise stomach discomfort.

Hydrating Before Exercise

Staying hydrated is vital for a successful workout, and overall health. Aiming for half of your body weight (lbs) in ounces of water each day can help meet your body’s daily baseline hydration needs, not accounting for any long duration or high intensity exercise hydration needs. Any beverages that are low in caffeine, sugar, and sweeteners, such as water, decaf hot or iced tea or coffee, seltzer or sparkling water, or coconut water, are great options that can contribute to your daily hydration with some flavor. Even fresh fruits and vegetables help hydrate your body since they contain a lot of water themselves!

Staying Hydrated and Fueled During Exercise

If your workout is less than two hours long, you likely do not need much more than water during your workout. If you are participating in high intensity exercise or exercise that lasts much longer than two hours, additional carbohydrates and electrolytes may be needed during the workout to replenish glycogen stores that have been depleted during the workout thus far. This is a good time for electrolyte-packed beverages, such as sports drinks, to provide the body with some sugar for energy and electrolytes to help rehydrate more efficiently.

Pre-Workout Takeaways

Now that you are fueled up and gave your body time to digest, you are ready to crush your next workout feeling stronger than ever! The key is to ensure your day is filled with nutrient-rich foods that bring along plenty of carbohydrates and protein, and water intake is consistent throughout each day. If you ever feel like your strength or energy is lacking during a workout, it’s time to look back at your habits and assess whether or not your body is lacking fuel prior to exercise. Once you learn what dietary pattern best suits your energy needs, you will be on your way to achieving many personal bests in your future exercise routines!

Remember, fueling up to crush your workout is only the first step to overall success in achieving your fitness goals. The recovery process is just as important for building and maintaining endurance and strength, and is greatly impacted by nutrition as well. Click here to read more about recovering from exercise with nutrition and learn about the benefits of chocolate milk for exercise recovery!

To learn more about The REFUEL with Chocolate Milk Campaign by Granite State Dairy Promotion, visit – https://www.nhdairypromo.org/refuel-with-chocolate-milk