Do You Eat Before You Work Out?

Do you? Can you honestly say you eat a decent snack to fuel your work out? I know that I…DON’T, eat before I work out. Usually I like to work out on an empty stomach. Yeah, I know this is not a good thing, It doesn’t make sense, but yet I drag myselt to the gym and try to work out with no fuel. Your body needs fuel, and when it has no fuel it goes into survival mode, and when it goes into survival mode, it starts to eat away at your muscles. Your body doesn’t care what it looks like it in a bikini, all it cares about is living!

Strength and Conditioning Journal also adds:

“One of the benefits of aerobic exercise is doing it at a higher intensity. If you’re just getting out of bed, slogging through your exercises like a zombie, you won’t be able to get that intensity.”

So true!

If you’re like me when you think “I’m going to work out”, you think sweating, nauseous and the possibility of sickness. I HATE when I’m nauseous during a work out, hence the lack of food before a work out. My thought process is, “If I don’t eat before my work out then I won’t have anything to throw up.”

It’s about timing when you’re going to eat before your work out. Timing is everything! Give yourself 45 minutes, even an hour for larger meals before hitting the gym and having that very unpleasant feeling mid work out.

So now, what to eat!?

Well, Manuel Villacorta from the American Dietetic Association says the best food before a work out is………….a simple bagel and jam! What?! Carbs and sugar? Sign me up! These are considered simple carbs and they burn fast unlike complex carbs like veggies burn like wood so they aren’t the best before a work out. After a work out? Def go to the complex carbs!

YUMMMMMMMMM!

What’s the second best food pre work out?

A protein shake….with added carbs! I’m liking this guy Manuel Villlacorta. Try this recipe:

Add 10 to 20 grams of protein
6-8 ounces of juice or water (milk can cause mucous)
1/4 cup of oats
1/2 a banana or other fruit to provide carbs(I LOVE Trader Joe’s frozen organic blueberries)

So everyone got it?

NO MORE WORKING OUT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH!

That was more for me, than for you. It’s summer and I need to kick my work out into gear.

Who doesn’t? Here’s to eating before your work out…eating carbs that is!