Should You Eat Before a Workout?

People have varying ideas when it comes to pre-workout diet strategies. However, when you research the subject, experts are basically in agreement on when you should eat and what you should eat before striking out to perform your fitness routine.

What Experts Say

The biggest myth which needs to be debunked about eating and exercise is that it is more beneficial to completely abstain from food before workouts (especially morning sessions) because it will help to burn more fat. Although true to an extent, the drawbacks of this strategy significantly outweigh the benefits.

The Australian Government confirms that a small amount of fat storage can be eliminated after going without food for around 8 hours during the night, but that you can burn even more fuel if you eat because you will have more energy to work out longer and harder. Columbia University experts chime in by comparing food abstaining workouts to a car running on fumes. They say that if you put a small amount of fuel in the vehicle before heading out, you will get farther than if you strike out on an empty tank.

Besides providing the necessary energy, eating the right nutritional foods before a workout will also help to speed recovery, prevent fatigue and better prepare your body for the next exercise session.

Different Strategies for Different Workout Times

Eating plans, however, are not universally the same across the board. Experts say that what and when you eat before exercise should vary according to the time of day you choose to tackle your workout session. The length and intensity of the workout is another important factor.

The commonly accepted rule of thumb for eating before exercise of normal duration is to consume a small portion of high carb, low fat foods (i.e. whole grain bread, bagels, pasta, or crackers) an hour or two beforehand. These types of food will digest before the workout and provide you with sufficient energy to complete it.

However, if you don’t have that amount of time to eat prior to your exercise program (such as in the morning), choose fruits that provide quick energy and have a high water content like apples, oranges, watermelon, grapes, or peaches.

If you are planning an extended workout, experts advise eating carbohydrate foods about 30 minutes before that take longer to break down and give more lengthy supplies of energy such as a banana or yogurt.

Using Pre-Workout Supplements

One of the best choices for pre-workout meals is supplementation. Such pre-workout supplements are specifically designed to provide your body with what it needs to get fit and shredded and they are easily mixed into shakes or smoothies for power-packed, pre-workout nutrition. Experts agree that liquid nutrition is especially good as pre-workout meals because it digests easily and quickly and can be taken 30-60 minutes prior to exercise.

You can select from varying high quality products which either build bulging muscle size and mass, or turn you into a lean, mean fitness machine. For instance, C4 Extreme by Cellucor provides explosive workout energy and fine-tuned mental focus. Cellucor’s M5 Extreme is a 2-in-1 formula that helps you create bulging muscle mass by allowing you to control your energy and endurance levels. You may even choose N0 Extreme which relies on Nitrate technology to give you explosive energy without creatine or sugar.

Be sure to allow for proper fueling of your body at the suggested intervals before tackling your workout sessions. Add the right foods and the high quality pre-workout supplements by Cellucor to your exercise diet and you’ll have the energy, stamina and mental focus needed to get the most from your exercise program.