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Choice of Food/ Fuel to Workout Best for You

When planning your exercise sessions, it’s important to factor in how you’ll fuel those workouts beforehand and how you’ll replenish lost energy afterward.

You don't want to eat too much food before exercising, because if you become sluggish, nauseated or throw up, you've lost that workout.

Your body needs fuel for exercise, but eating a large meal right before working out can cause discomfort. Exercising muscles draws blood away from the stomach, slowing digestion and causing stomach upset. To avoid this, wait one to four hours after a meal before exercising. The larger the meal, the longer you should wait.

Only elite athletes need supplements and energy bars. The rest of us can fuel our workouts with regular whole foods. According to Lisa Cooper, registered dietitian who has worked with many athletes, food is more than something that quells hunger; it is fuel composed of nutrients essential for maintaining optimal health and top performance during an endurance event like a race.

But if you don’t eat, you might be too weak to lift the weights or too sapped of energy to swim laps.

Good food choices to fuel your workout include high-carbohydrate, low-fat snacks such as:

A whole-wheat toasted bagel with fruit spread; or

A quick bowl of instant oatmeal.

You’ll want your food to be mostly digested before exercise so it’s not sitting like a lump in your stomach. It may take little experimenting to find out the right amount of time to eat before a workout that feels best for you. Bear in mind that large meals can take as long as five to six hours to digest and empty from the stomach, whereas a smaller snack may take an hour.

After your workout, it’s essential to refuel your body with a carbohydrate-protein blend, such as:

A peanut butter sandwich;
A small handful of walnuts or almonds; or
A fruit smoothie with some protein powder.

Of course, don’t forget to drink water before, during and after your workout to avoid dehydration.

And remember that eating a low-fat, well-balanced diet the rest of the day will help ensure that your motor is running efficiently both during exercise and at rest.

According to MAYO CLINIC to get the most from your workout, follow these guidelines:

Eat a full breakfast:

Wake up early enough to eat a full breakfast. "Most of the energy you got from dinner last night is used up by morning," says DeBoer. "Your blood sugar is low. If you don't eat, you may feel sluggish or lightheaded while exercising." If you plan to exercise within an hour after breakfast, eat a smaller breakfast or drink something to raise your blood sugar, such as a sports drink.

Time your meals:

Eat large meals at least three to four hours before exercising. If you're having a small meal, eat two to three hours before exercising. Most people can eat snacks right before and during exercise. The key is how you feel. Some people feel lightheaded during the first 10 to 15 minutes of their workout if they eat within the hour before exercise. Do what works best for you.

Don't skip meals:

Skipping meals may cause low blood sugar, which can make you feel weak and lightheaded. If you're short on time before your workout, and your choice is candy or nothing, eat the candy because it can improve your performance, compared with eating nothing. But keep in mind, all candy is high in sugar and low on nutrients, so a snack of yogurt and a banana would be a better choice.

Eat after your workout:

To help your muscles recover and to replace their glycogen stores, eat a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of your exercise session if possible.

Choices will vary per individual:

Stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) problems can be a challenge if you make the wrong choice. For example, you wouldn't eat a cheeseburger and fries for breakfast before your morning run, or a T-bone steak with a baked potato, salad and garlic bread before a tennis match.

The first point to remember is this; you should currently be eating a balanced diet daily, for adequate glycogen stores. Roughly 60% of your calories should come from carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains and breads), 25% from healthy fats (vegetable oils like olive, canola and corn oils) instead of lard, butter and animal fat in meats and 15% from proteins (fish, poultry, beans and lean cuts of meat). This is to ensure the body has sufficient fuel to function daily, at an optimum level.

You can use a quality bar as part of a meal or the whole meal itself. Bars offer the nutrition your body needs without all the fat, sodium, and cholesterol. So, instead of hitting the fast food drive thru, try picking up Met-Rx Big 100 Bar. It contains 360 calories, 27 grams of protein, 51 grams of carbs, and only 5 grams of fat. It offers high protein, 0 grams trans fats, vitamins and minerals, and is the perfect delicious on the go complete food.

References:

www.mayoclinic.com
www.health.msn.com/
www.webmd.com/
and more..

Article:
- Weight Loss,
- Health and Fitness

Comments

i started a low carb diet and

by diana - 2010-02-10 10:40

i started a low carb diet and workedout last night doing cardio dance for 1 hour and 15mins. i felt as though i had no energy.

why do nutritionists tell marathon runners to carb up the night before a race? should i do this the night before my cardio dance workouts? or should i just carb up a few hours before my workout.

please advise.