Your body needs the right nutrition to perform at its best. Putting good energy rich food into your body right before your run, race, workout, or game is important especially if you are going to be working for more than 30 minutes.
You want to fuel your body, not overwhelm your digestive system so choose wisely.
If you perform better on an empty stomach, don’t sweat it. Just make sure you’ve made good choices earlier in the day (or the evening before if you are working out early morning).
If you want to eat, choose based on timing.
Within 30 minutes of your workout or event, keep it light.
- Drink water. Hydrated athletes play better
- Eat a banana, orange, or apple
An hour before:
- Drink water and
- Choose one or two of the following:
- Banana or other fruits
- Yogurt with granola and berries
- Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain bread
- Protein bars (choose one with few ingredients and less than 20g of protein so they are easy to digest)
The “avoid” list is a good list to stay away from most all the time. But, you especially want to avoid them right before working out. Avoid foods high in fat, and protein. They are hard to digest. They sap your energy and make you sluggish. This includes:
- Fast food
- Fried Foods
- Greasy foods
- Pizza
- Ice cream or milk
Also avoid foods that are full of sugar or are highly processed. You will get a quick burst of energy, but end up crashing and feeling like taking a nap instead of working out hard. Stay away from:
- Candy
- Chips
- Soda
- Sports and energy drinks high in sugar
- Most juices