Nutrition Before, During & After Exercise

In a recent online poll, the big ol’ questions were "What should I eat or drink before I workout?"
"What can I drink during my workout?" "What should I eat and drink after my workout?"

All great questions and all very important in getting the most out of your workouts and to sustain you throughout the day as your body recovers.

1. What should I eat or drink before I workout?
   • Fluids: Drink at least 8 ounces of fluid prior to exercise, ideally, water.
   • Food: If you were to have a meal before your workout, allow between 3 – 4 hours prior to exercise. Be sure you meal is rich in complex carbohydrates, so your body can use it as fuel during your workouts.
   • Snack: In a perfect world, consume a snack at least 45 – 90 minutes before exercise (depending on type of workout. For interval training or HIIT workouts, 60-90 mins prior is best). Best to get approx 30 – 60g of complex carbohydrates, plus 5 – 10 gr of protein to provide energy for prolonged stamina and to decrease exercise induced muscle protein breakdown.
2. What can I drink during my workout?
   • Fluids: Drink about 8 ounces of water every 10-20 minutes; sipping a glucose-electrolyte sports drink can extend endurance, although be mindful, as many are filled with artificial sweeteners and useless junk. My vote, stick to water!
3. What should I eat and drink after my workout? And when?
   • Fluids: Drink at least 8 ounces of fluid immediately prior. In addition, consider a cleanly formulated recovery drink like the P90X Results & Recovery Drink or pure Coconut Water.
   • Carbohydrates: Consume about 1.5 grams/body weight (BW) of a higher glycemic index (GI) carb within 30 minutes after exercise and again 2 hours for muscle glycogen resynthesis.
   • Protein: Consume about 0.5 grams/BW of protein with the carbohyrdate to encourage hormonal balance and repair. And NO, I’m not saying go grab a Big Mac from McDonald’s! If you are at the gym, go prepared and throw a protein bar, like the P90X Protein Bar, in your gym bag so you don’t run the risk of “bonking” or grabbing crap.

So there you have it. Whether you are firing up P90X, Turbo Jam, a new circuit training or interval class, be sure you prepare and PLAN AHEAD! Don’t work so hard to only suffer from extreme exhaustion or dehydration.

Your partner in health & fitness,
Nicole

Sources: IDEA Fitness Journal & Taryn Perry