Sunday, April 22, 2012

To eat or not to eat, before working out

Hey, have you heard - we are nearing summer (lol!).  You know what it means...BATHING SUITS!  So, it's time to get your workout on!!!  Food is your fuel, not your enemy (even though you are thinking about that bathing suit).  I found this quick article on how to get the most out of your fuel before that killer workout...

Pre-Workout Eating
By Steve Edwards
 
How much you should eat before your workout depends on the type of workout that you plan on doing: high, moderate, or low intensity. If you're going to do a low-intensity workout, don't eat before your workout because it will just make you feel sluggish. On the other hand, for moderate to high-intensity workouts, you'll want to have some reserve carbs in your system to perform the best.

Here are some caloric guidelines:
·         If it's 3 or 4 hours before your exercise, eating a large meal is OK (600 calories or more).
·         If it's 2 or 3 hours beforehand, a smaller meal is better (400 to 500 calories).
·         If it's 1 or 2 hours before, a liquid meal is a good choice (300 to 400 calories).
If it's an hour beforehand, a small snack will do (200 to 300 calories).

Try not to eat during the last hour before you begin a workout because it floods your system with too much blood sugar during those initial stages of your workout.



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