There is plenty of evidence to show how important it is nutrition is for exerciseto help performance to improve recovery. But it’s often confusing whether it’s best to eat before or after exercise.
To answer this question, you must first think about why you train, because your goal can influence whether you eat before or not. Second, you need to consider what level you are at. A needs of elite athletes are different from a beginner and likely influence the amount of energy from food needed – and even the number of meals eaten. Third, you need to think about what works for you. Some people thrive when they train on an empty stomach, while for others it’s the opposite.
eat before
When we exercise, our body needs energy. This energy is provided by fuel, either stored in our bodies (as carbohydrates in our liver and muscles, or from fat stores) or by the foods we eat. If the exercise is demanding or if we train for a long time, we use more stored carbohydrates (called glycogen).
Studies show that carbohydrates in our diet are important for replenishing our glycogen stores between exercise sessions and also when eaten before exercise sessions.
So if your energy is somewhat low or you’re having a longer or more demanding workout, eating carbohydrate-rich foods – like pasta, rice, cereal, or fruit – about three to four hours before exercise. exercise can help you. supply the energy you have to keep moving on.
There is also some evidence that the type of carbohydrate can help improve metabolic responses exercise. Although it does not necessarily affect performance, eating low glycemic index foods (foods that produce a slower-release carbohydrate effect, such as oatmeal or wholemeal bread) may improve maintain energy and provide benefits (such as less use of glycogen stores) during exercise for some.
But eating right before exercising can cause indigestion, cramps, or nausea. Consuming an easily digestible, carbohydrate-rich meal (eg, blueberry porridge) about three hours before a workout can help maintain energy and improve workout quality without necessarily leading to intestinal issues. . Prefilling also helps maintain blood sugar during exercise, which can positively affect performance.
If your goal is to build strength or build muscle, evidence also suggests that consuming protein before exercise may improve global recovery responses. By providing essential amino acids before they are needed, it could support early recovery and may be relevant for those undertaking intensive workouts.
eat after
On the other hand, however, recent research has demonstrated that training in a fasting state – for example, first thing in the morning before breakfast – can actually lead to positive adaptations related to efficient use of fuel and fat burning.
This doesn’t necessarily mean greater weight loss, but it could optimize energy efficiency, which can be important for those training for a marathon, for example, to help delay fatigue. Fasted training could also have other health benefits as improved blood sugar and hormones regulation.
But if we think about the value of training, it all depends on how we recover and adapt. This is where nutrition has an important role to play. Early research has shown the benefits of eating carbs after exercise for restore muscle glycogen. Not only does it affect our ability to train several times a week by helping muscles recover faster, it has also been shown to affect our performance.
Studies have also shown that eating soon after you finish exercising (rather than waiting a few hours) can help. maximize recovery, particularly if a carbohydrate intake of approximately 1.3 grams per kilogram of body weight per hour is consumed during the short-term recovery phase of two to six hours. This could be useful to know if you are doing another session that day or within eight hours.
If your exercise sessions are more spread out, an early carbohydrate refueling is less importantas long as you aim to meet suggested guidelineswho for moderate activityis about five to seven grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day.
But there is also an overwhelming amount of evidence pointing to the importance of protein diet during post-exercise recovery, both for maximize the muscle growthand supporting glycogen replenishment (if protein is eaten with carbohydrates). Research also shows that if training is done later in the day, consuming a small protein meal (like a shake) before going to bed can also help acute recovery leading to muscle growth.
Before and after
Unless training on an empty stomach for some specific reason (such as metabolic adaptations or personal preference), there seem to be clear benefits to eating before (and during) longer duration exercise. This may also be the case for more trained athletes looking to gain performance edge. But using nutrition for recovery strategically should be a must for those who really want to maximize their workouts.
But what about both? In the case of resistance training, such as weight lifting, research shows that immediate consumption of a combination of primarily carbohydrates, protein, and creatine before and after training provided greater muscle and strength gains over ten weeks compared to consuming these nutrients outside of training.
While eating after exercise is important for building muscle and recovering between workouts, eating before a workout can be just as important for those doing demanding or long workouts. But no matter the type of exercise, it’s important to make sure you’re eating enough carbohydrates, protein, and other essential nutrients to fuel you.
