Eating and Exercise: Tips and foods for energy and recovery

When it comes to exercise, one of the questions I get asked most often is “what should I be eating right before and after I exercise?” The most important thing to remember is, what you eat can affect how you feel during a workout and how well and quickly your body is able to recover afterwards. Therefore, it is important to provide your body with enough energy and the essential nutrients needed to be physically active and to perform well.

Knowing what to eat before and after exercise might be confusing and difficult at first, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are three strategies to follow to ensure proper timing of meals before exercising:

1. If you eat a large meal wait at least 3-4 hours before exercising
2. If you eat a small meal wait at least 2-3 hours before exercising
3. If you eat a snack you only have to wait 1 hour before exercising

Here are some general guidelines about meals or snacks before exercising:

• Meals and snacks should be low in fat and fiber
• Complex carbohydrates and lean protein should be moderate
• Liquids, liquids, liquids! – water is best if exercising for less and 1 hour
• Consume foods you are familiar with and tolerate well

Here are some pre-exercise snack ideas:

1. Whole wheat English muffin with nut butter and fruit
2. Greek yogurt with nuts and fruit
3. Whole wheat cereal or oatmeal with skim milk and fruit
4. Half a turkey sandwich with low-fat cheese and fruit
5. Low-fat cottage cheese with cucumbers and side of fruit

Directly after a workout, what you need to worry about the most is replenishing liquids and making sure to ingest some protein and carbohydrates. Eating protein and carbohydrates after a workout helps with muscle recovery and will help you be able to continue workouts in the days to come.

The best time to consume protein and carbohydrates is within 15 to 45 minutes after exercise. Here are some post-exercise snack ideas that contain protein and carbohydrates needed for optimal repair:

• 8 oz of low-fat/fat-free chocolate milk
• A smoothie using low-fat/fat-free white or chocolate milk with fruit
• Greek yogurt with fruit and granola
• Nut butter sandwich or lean meat (turkey, ham, chicken) sandwich on whole wheat bread
• Hard-boiled eggs with potatoes and low-fat cheese on a whole wheat tortilla

I hope these gave you some great ideas for fueling your body before and after your workouts! Happy exercising – and fueling J