Eating a big portion of food just before a workout can result in cramping, bloating and other digestive problems. It can also make you feel very sluggish during yor workout. There are a lot of factors which decide how much and what should you eat prior to working out. Eating a light snack like fruit, yogurt or a small sandwich will provide you with the desired energy for your workout.
The gap between meal and exercise depends on these following factors :-
- Type of food you’re eating
- Quantity of food you’re consuming
- Type of workout you indulge in
- Intensity of your workout
- Duration of your worout
Don’t workout empty stomach
When you workout your body burns energy at a heightened rate as compared to normal. If you’re empty stomach your body doesn’t have the energy which you need for your workout. Working out empty will make feel uncomfortable during your workout.
- You will feel sluggish during workout
- If you push through the workout, post workout you might develop cramps
- It is not advisable to workout empty stomach specially if you’re a beginner
What to eat 20-35 minutes before workout?
- Seasonal fruits (banana is a excellent choice)
- 1-2 dates
- 5-6 soaked almonds
- Coconut water
- Green smoothie
What to eat 1-1.5 hours before workout?
- Snacks which are not heavy on the stomach
- Small bowl of poha
- Small bowl of oatmeal
- One basen chilla
- Handful of sprouts
- Homemade granola bar
- Small homemade peanut butter sandwich
- Banana sandwich
- Small bowl of daliya
- Homemade protein smoothie
Eating prior to workout in terms of calories
20-40 minutes before workout:100 calorie meal
1-1.5 hours before workout:150-180 calorie meal
3-4 hours before workout:300 and above calorie meal
Green tea or black coffee just before workout is a good option
Banana is the other snack which is extremely good pre or during workout as it provides instant energy and replenishes the fluid loss in your body
Yoga
- Try and do yoga empty stomach
- You do not require a pre workout snack for yoga
- Try and keep a gap of 3-4 hours between eating and doing yoga
- Drinking water just before a yoga session is also not recommended
Side effects of not eating the right food or not keeping sufficient gap
- May lead to indigestion
- Cramps in the stomach
- Restlessness
- Feeling of nausea
- General feeling of discomfort
- Mild but persistent headache
- Acid reflux
Drinking water while running
- Drink up to 750 ml of water 2-3 hours before your workout
- Drink about 200 ml water for every 15 minutes you run. You may need more depending on the intensity of run and your body type
- Drink about 500 ml of water for every 500 grams of weight loss during the run
- For longer run, sports drink is a better choice. It helps you maintain your electrolyte balance
Food is the fuel for your workout. But it is important to know and maintain the right gap in eating and going out for your workout. Eating a large meal just prior to workout may lead to digestive problems. Try and maintain a three hours gap between a high intensity workout and heavy meal. Instead, eating a light snack like fruit, yogurt and small peanut butter sandwich will give you enough energy to sustain your workout. Once you’re finished with your workout, replenish your body with a light meal or protein shake again depending on your workout regime and body type.