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EXTRA
Fuel
your workout with food
Q & A with Cara Zaller
Learn how to maximize your workout's effectiveness
by choosing the right foods — and eating at the right
times.
Click on topic below or scroll down to read more.
Q. When should I eat before working out? What should I eat
before I work out?
A. Your main goal before you work out is to give your
body the fuel it needs. This is an especially important issue
if you exercise right after you wake up in the morning or if
you haven't eaten within four hours prior to your workout.
The optimal time to eat your pre-workout snack will depend
largely upon how your individual body responds to food (i.e.
upset stomach or cramping). While some people can eat a snack
30 minutes prior to exercising, others need an hour or more.
If you're exercising within 15-30 minutes of waking
up or are only planning to exercise for 30-45 minutes, then
have a small snack such as 6 ounces of juice, your favorite
sports drink or a piece of fruit.
If you are not able to eat
beforehand, keep your workout to an hour or less to reduce
the risk of muscle damage. This is because your body only stores
enough glycogen ("energy")
for up to an hour of exercise.
However, if you are going to
exercise for more than an hour, you should eat a meal or snack
fairly high in carbohydrates, which is your body's preferred
source of energy. One to two hours before you exercise, eat
foods that have a mix of carbohydrates (to fuel your muscles)
and protein (to help sustain your energy) but with little to
no fat.
When selecting a carbohydrate source, choose a complex
carbohydrate that has a low Glycemic Index. Your body breaks
down these foods more slowly, which provides your muscles with
a longer, sustained source of energy. Some excellent food choices
are yogurt, milk, cheese, whole grain crackers with a little
peanut butter, oatmeal, energy bars with no more than 5 grams
of fat or a fruit smoothie that contains at least 6 to 10 grams
of protein.
Q. If I want to lose weight, should I exercise without eating
first?
A. Exercising on an empty stomach is counterproductive to weight
control. Without fuel, you are more likely to feel exhausted
during your workout. This means that you will not train as
hard and consequently you will burn fewer calories than you
typically would have had you properly fueled your body.
In addition, you will be so hungry after your workout that
you will likely eat a larger than normal meal that contains
more calories than needed, or you may make a poor selection
of food, such as fast food.
Q: When should I eat after exercising? What food should I
eat after exercising?
A. Replenish as soon as possible after exercise. There
is a 30-60 minute window of time after exercising when your
body restores glycogen, or energy, best. This is the time where
the blood flow to the muscles is still very high and the enzymes
that produce glycogen are most active. If you refuel during
this period, you will improve muscle recovery, lessen the risk
of becoming injured or sick and help to better prepare yourself
for your next workout.
If you are not going to eat your next
meal within an hour or two of your workout, you should at least
have a small snack immediately afterwards that contains approximately
150-250 calories, depending upon the length of your workout.
In addition, if your workout was an especially hard or long
one, then you should also have a sports drink as you are finishing
your exercise to start replenishing your glycogen until you
are able to eat a full meal.
Some sports drinks, labeled "recovery
drinks," are
designed specifically to be consumed immediately after your
workout since they have a good carbohydrate-protein ratio.
In the event that you have a Recover Drink, you should eat
a full meal within two hours of that time.
What you eat as
your post-workout meal can depend upon what time of the day
you exercise. Some healthy examples follow.
Morning: Whole grain
cereal with milk, yogurt, egg whites on whole grain toast,
an energy bar or a whole grain bagel with cheese.
Lunch: A
small serving of whole grain pasta with chicken or a turkey
sandwich on whole grain bread.
After work and not close to dinner: Raw vegetables, whole wheat crackers, whole grain bread and
cheese.
Before bed: A carbohydrate-rich drink, such
as chocolate milk. If you fail to eat enough carbohydrate-rich
foods after you exercise, you will notice that you are more
tired and/or weak if you work out the following day. Therefore,
replenish with a high-carbohydrate snack or meal immediately
after your workout and better prepare your body for your next
energizing workout!
Always check with your physician before starting any exercise
regimen or change in diet.
 About Cara L. Zaller
Cara L. Zaller is a CA employee, certified nutrition consultant,
group fitness instructor and personal trainer. For the past
seven years, she has been coaching clients to improve their
health through exercise, diet and lifestyle modifications.
She has also worked with private schools to help them improve
their choices of food for snack time, enhancing children's
ability to learn and behave better during the school day,
as well as eat nutritional snacks.
Cara earned an MBA from
The George Washington University and a BA from Emory University.
She is certified through the American Fitness Professionals & Associates,
as well as through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. Additionally,
she has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years and has competed
in both aerobics and figure competitions. During the past two years, she has
competed in many triathlons.
Have a question for a fitness professional?
E-mail your fitness questions to CAmonthly@ColumbiaAssociation.com.
Please include your full name, village of residence, phone
number and e-mail.
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