I must confess, one of my main motivations for going to gym is to grab a peanut butter and banana shake on my way out.
Whether or not I really need it, is another story…
Any athlete or bodybuilder will tell you that success is less about what you do in the gym, and more about what you do in the kitchen, or how you fuel your body on the go between, especially if you want to ‘see results’.
But figuring out what to eat, whether you looking to build muscle, improve performance, or lose weight, is only half of the equation. The other part is when to eat in relation to exercising?
Since there are many different schools of thought around fitness nutrition and exercise for weight loss, it can be confusing to figure out what the best approach might be for you. Turning to experts to answer some FAQ’s…
Let’s break it down
Before exercise: To eat or not to eat
Ashleigh Caradas, a registered dietician based in Johannesburg, says that “if you are exercising on an empty stomach, it is true that you will probably burn off more stored energy”, i.e. glycogen (which is glucose stored in the liver) and fat. So, “if you’re goal is to lose weight and you plan to exercise in the morning, it might be better not to eat a meal first,” she says, however, “you might not have as much endurance potential in the session”.
On the other hand, “if you are going for performance, like to increase your time, or win the race or you’re planning on exercising for longer than an hour, then you should probably eat something that has slow releasing carbohydrates, before,” Caradas advises.
Special considerations
Taking practical advice from an article written for Healthline by Grant Tinsley, an assistant professor of exercise physiology at Texas Tech University, an important factor to consider is your workout type and the time of day you’re training. For example, if you’re going for a 5km run or want to do a yoga class, it might work in your favour not to eat shortly before, mainly so that you’ll feel lighter and won’t need to run to the bathroom in the middle of your workout.
Of course, you don’t want to tap out halfway due to feeling sluggish, faint or nauseas either, says Tinsley. He suggests that “personal preference should be the determining factor” for whether you eat before exercise. More importantly, he says, is what you eat to help your body “recover and adapt, after exercise.”
Refuelling rules
For exercise that’s less than an hour, “you really don’t need to replace lost energy immediately after your workout by having an energy drink, snack or smoothie”, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, says Caradas.
However, she clarifies that “for races and endurance events, you would replace energy at 1g per kg per hour of glucose. You can also use a super-absorbable fat that doesn’t cause indigestion like MCT oil or coconut oil, but generally you would just replace with carbohydrates.”
At the end of the day it’s really about your goals. Says Tinsley, if your main objective is to gain muscle, you might want to have a protein shake, either before or after a strength training session, or eat something before you train, e.g. “turkey and veggies on a whole-grain wrap, or yogurt with berries,” and have a protein shake after.
If your effort is worth it, there’s room for a peanut butter and banana shake after all!
References
Ashleigh Caradas. Telephonic interview. www.ashleighcaradas.com
Jones. J. (2019) What to Eat Before and After a Workout, According to a Registered Dietitian. Available at SELF [online] https://www.self.com/story/what-a-registered-dietitian-says-you-should-eat-before-and-after-a-workout
Is It Better to Eat Before or After a Workout? https://greatist.com/fitness/is-it-better-to-eat-before-or-after-a-workout
Pritchett. K. et al. (2008) South African Journal of Sports Medicine – Effects of timing of pre-exercise nutrient intake on glucose responses and intermittent cycling performance: original research article. Available [online] https://journals.co.za/content/m_sajsm/20/3/EJC67012
Tinsley. G. (2018) Should You Eat Before or After Working Out? Available at Healthline [online]
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eating-before-or-after-workout