There is much debate about when and what to eat before and after training – some opinions favour loading up with carbs, others rave about training when fasted.  So how do you choose the best option for you?

First, lets consider why we fuel before exercise.

In order to train well and perform at our best we require our energy stores to be full or as close to full as possible.  The main energy store we access when cycling or running is called glycogen and the biggest stores are in our muscles.  Depending on the intensity of exercise, muscle glycogen can provide up to approximately 90 minutes of fuel.

The goal is to start exercising with high levels of glycogen stores.  Two main factors dictate these starting levels: timing of food and timing of exercise.

When is the best time to fuel up?

Most studies do agree that the best time to eat is either within 15-20 minutes of the start of exercise or 3-4 hours before the start.  One of the reasons for not fuelling between these times is because your body will be directing resources and energy towards digestion and dealing with the release of glucose rush from your food.

Eating longer than 20 minutes before exercise can have a negative impact on training as although the release of glucose can increase your energy temporarily it may be followed by a steep drop in glucose levels as insulin works hard to safely store the glucose away as muscle glycogen with any excess converted and stored as fat.  This can leave you low in energy and your performance is likely to suffer.

If you intend on training early morning it will be important to top up your energy stores shortly before setting off – ideally within 15/20 minutes. This will allow the glucose to be available in your blood stream which will be utilised by your muscles as they start working.

If your training lasts for less than 90 minutes this should be sufficient.

What should I be eating?

Ideally, aim to eat a good breakfast containing quality protein, carbohydrates and a variety of brightly coloured vegetables or fruit shortly after returning and no longer than 2 hours afterwards.  If your training lasts for more than 90 minutes then you may want to make up an energy drink or use a ready made energy drink.

If you are training at other times of the day a good rule of thumb is to leave approximately 4 hours after a meal and top up with a snack eg a banana, rice cake 15/20 minutes before setting off.  If less than 4 hours you risk developing digestive discomfort as your body does not have time to complete the digestive process, leaving food particles to ferment, causing bloating and pain.

Some people find it very difficult to eat anything before training – if this is you, don’t stress too much.  You can consider using a homemade energy drink every 40 minutes during exercise to provide a supply of energy without putting pressure on your digestive system.

Some good choices for pre-exercise snacks include a banana, smoothie, energy ball, flapjack, 4 dried apricots.

Below is a recipe for a homemade energy drink which can be made up the night before and kept in the fridge until needed.

  • 3 cups unsweetened cranberry juice – can use freshly squeezed orange juice or cherry juice
  • 5 cups warm water
  • 1/2 tsp of Himalayan salt
  • 2 tbs maple syrup

With lots of focus on what to eat don’t forget to keep hydrated! Dehydration impacts performance and can slow down recovery post exercise so don’t underestimate the power of water.

Please contact me using Fiona@nourishfromwithin.co.uk or call me on 07734111347 if you would like to find out more about how you could improve your performance by optimising your sports nutrition.

photo: Karolina Grabowska