Welcome to the final installment of “Eating to Fuel Your Workout.” So far, we’ve covered Nutriiton 101, What to eat in the 1-hour window before your workout and what to eat post-workout. This week, it’s what to eat if you have a little more time before your workout.
Ticking the clock back a little bit, I’ll now discuss what to eat 1-4 hours before your workout. You have more time for food to clear the stomach, which means you can take in a greater amount of energy and you can eat more energy-dense foods. This is the time to incorporate some fat and protein into your meal. These foods take longer to clear the stomach, you will feel full longer.
Remember to avoid anything that will clear your stomach too quickly as you could then find yourself feeling hungry just before your big race or before your workout. This hunger will, at a minimum, distract you from focusing on your goal. Worst case, it will impede your performance.
Studies have shown that consuming 200-300 grams of carbohydrate four hours before exercise improved performance by as much as 15%.1. Composition of the meal will vary with how much time you have until you are exercising . . . more time, more energy intake. Marie Dunford, PhD, RD recommends 1 gram of carbohydrate/ kg of body weight 1 hour before exercise, 2 grams of carbohydrate 2 hours before exercise, etc.1 Longer times between meal and activity also allow you to add a little bit of fat and protein to your meal, to help that full feeling last a bit longer.1
Don’t forget the fluids. You will want to consume about 2 cups (16 oz.) of fluid in this window to prevent dehydration. Add another 1-2 cups if you will be exercising in hot and/or humid conditions.
In terms of real food, think Subway-type sandwiches. Two slices of turkey, one slice of cheese, lettuce, tomato on a 12-inch sub. Add a banana and 2 cups of water, juice or non-fat milk and you have your meal. You could also try a salad made of greens, 2-4 oz. pasta, 4 oz. of chicken, light dressing, banana and fluid. You will be looking for a light meal that has some staying power, but not something to weigh you down. This means burritos and pizza are generally not going to be on your menu. The high fiber content of beans and the fat content in the cheese overload your system and will not clear the stomach fast enough to give you energy. Instead, they will sit on your stomach as your digestive system does its work.
As with the one-hour window meal, experiment. Different foods will work for different people. What works for you may not work for your training partner. That’s ok. That’s what training is for. To figure out what works and what doesn’t before the big competition.
1. Advanced Exercise Nutrition Version 1.1. Dunford, M. Human Kinetics www.HumanKinetics.com
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