Are you pushing hard towards your health and fitness goals but not seeing the desired results? Your pre-workout nutrition might be the missing piece. The snacks you consume before exercise not only fuel your muscles and combat early fatigue but also impact your digestion, hunger levels, focus, and motivation during your workout. Whether you’re a casual exerciser or a dedicated athlete, thoughtful planning of your pre-workout snack can significantly enhance your endurance, performance, and the outcomes you strive to achieve.
The first thing to consider is when to eat your snack. You want to feel energized before exercising but not heavy and sluggish, so you need to find a balance between feeling hungry and feeling too full. If you’ve had a main meal within the last 3-4 hours, you probably won’t need any extra fuel. Any longer than that and you might need to throw in a carbohydrate-rich snack with a hint of protein 1-2 hours before you exercise. This means that you’ll need a small snack if you’re heading out for a lunchtime run and you haven’t eaten since breakfast.
Carbohydrates should be the focus of your pre-workout snack. Carbs break down into simple sugars such as glucose which is then used by our working muscles or stored for later if there’s no immediate demand. Before you load up on pasta and pizza, we should note that the quality of the carbs you eat matters too – low-fat, wholegrain varieties will provide you with longer-lasting energy for your workout without the heavy feeling in your stomach. The exact amount of carbohydrate you need also depends on the intensity, duration and type of activity you do, but for the average Joe who is exercising for general health and wellbeing a piece of wholegrain toast, a piece of fruit, small bowl of cereal with chopped fruit and yoghurt or small bowl of pasta should do the trick.
Whilst most people tend to think protein is only important after exercising, giving your body a hit of protein around the time of exercise (i.e. before or after) will assist with muscle repair and growth. There is no need to choose expensive protein powders either, as you can get enough protein from natural foods like low fat dairy, nuts, beans and eggs as well as the lean meats (which you could add to your main meal prior working out).
As dietitians, we’re always encouraging people to eat more fibre for a happy digestive system, as well as choose healthy fats for sound heart function and to aid the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Whilst these are important nutrients for our bodies to function efficiently, filling up on rich sources of fibre or healthy fats before a workout isn’t the best idea because they slow down digestion and may lead to stomach discomfort – so leave these foods for other meals in your day.
Last but not least, remember that hydration is key! That said, unless you’re a competitive athlete, it’s best to steer clear of the sport drinks and vitamin waters, as these pack in more added sugars than the electrolytes that they boast. Most adults require 2-2.5 litres of fluid per day, the majority of which should be water. We recommend carrying a water bottle with you and sipping on it over the day to ensure you’re always hydrated. This is especially important when you’re working out, as exercising whilst being dehydrated affects your performance.
Note that these are just guidelines and finding what works best for you is important! We’d love to know what your favourite pre-workout snacks are – if you’d like to share with us, please comment below.
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