Sports Nutrition #

So what foods should you eat before you work out? Remember: exercise is a powerful stimulus that sends signals to your muscles to work at a certain level. For this stimulus to be effective, you need to feed it accordingly. What you should eat before a workout depends largely on the sport and the intensity of the exercise.

Like most people, you probably consume carbohydrates before exercise to get energy. Have you ever wondered exactly how many carbs you need for, say, a 45-minute run? Will it be different if you plan to go all out for the whole time - and if you’re just jogging with friends? In the latter case, you will get by with very few or no carbohydrates. If you run hard for 45 minutes, your body can maintain a high level of exercise during that time even without carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are stored in our muscles and liver in the form of glycogen, and when the body signals it needs energy, such as during exercise, carbs are converted to glucose and redirected to the working muscles to maintain their current level of activity. In principle, the body could extract energy from fat stores, but the process of turning fat into glucose takes too long, which is unacceptable for high intensity exercise. That’s why it’s important to replenish your body with carbohydrates before a hard workout.

So, what happens when you eat a bowl of oatmeal and go for a light jog with friends right after? Your body continues to use the carbohydrates that came with the porridge because it is the most available source of energy. “So what’s wrong with that?” - you ask. Yes, nothing, actually - unless you’re planning to lose some fat or stick to a ketodiet.

In order for you to use fat as “fuel,” you need to work at a moderate to low intensity. The point is that at a low level of activity, the body has time to get the energy it needs from fat reserves. Consequently, if you want to lose a few pounds or are trying to tighten your body, such a workout can be useful, provided that you workout on an empty stomach or if the last meal you ate did not contain carbohydrates.

Some of my athletes, especially those who participate in endurance sports, prefer the ketodiette. It implies that the body burns fat more efficiently as “fuel” and thereby helps to conserve glycogen stores during prolonged exertion lasting sometimes more than two hours, such as in a marathon, triathlon or bicycle race. So, first of all, you need to ask yourself two main questions:

1. What kind of training is expected: high, medium or low intensity?
2. How long will it last?

The answers to these questions will help you choose the right foods and determine the right portion sizes.

Continue: Balanced Diet