Eating Before Exercise…Specific Foods!

Last time I wrote about the importance of eating before exercise. Without fuel to burn, the body will go straight to the muscles for energy, and you will run out of steam faster than if you ate something! The best way to burn body fat is to eat something small 30 minutes before you exercise, so you will have enough stamina for your workout.

If you are doing cardio only, try eating a “fast” carbohydrate like fruit before your workout. Apple sauce, an apple, a banana, or some small piece of fruit will do the trick. If you are hypoglycemic, diabetic or have blood sugar issues, try eating a complex carbohydrate with a small amount of fat like 1/2 or 1 piece of Whole Grain toast or a rice cake w/ 1 TBS nut butter.

It doesn’t need to be a lot of food – just enough to get you through a heart-pumping, high-energy workout!

If you are about to pump some iron, try eating a little protein with a carbohydrate. You could eat an egg or an egg white with a 1/2 piece of whole grain toast or a 1/2 rice cake. You could also choose to have a 1/2 of a protein shake with an apple. You get the picture.

Credits:
Fruit plate: alasam/flickr
Toast with peanut butter: kurafire/flickr