Wondering What To Eat Before Working Out?
As I’ve pointed out numerous times, there are a lot of myths and downright falsities surrounding the health and fitness world. Everything from how to measure one’s maximum heart rate, to cleanses, to supplements, and so on. One of the biggest gray areas people muddle through on their workout journey is the age old question of what to eat before working out.
Like everything else, there is no blanket answer. There is no sweeping statement that should clarify the question of what to eat before working out. Goals have a lot to do with answer, as does genetics. If you are training to lose body fat, you don’t want to be loading up on a big pancake breakfast before working out. If you do, you would be lucky to burn through the calories and sugars enough so that you would break even calorically. Conversely, if you are trying to get bigger and stronger, you wouldn’t want to show up for your workout on an empty stomach as you would not have anywhere near the amount of energy required to lift the weights necessary to support your goal.
The what to eat before working question has many answers, as I’ve pointed out above. One thing a lot of people don’t consider, or they don’t realize, is that calories aren’t all the same, and if you are trying to lose weight, it’s imperative that you know the proper times to eat, and not just the proper food choices to make. For example, using the aforementioned example of someone looking to lose some weight, they would be needing to do a lot of cardiovascular exercise, and on as close to an empty stomach as possible. If they were to load up on a big breakfast, for example, and then hit the gym, they would be burning the food they ate for fuel, as opposed to using the body’s fat stores and oxygen, thus promoting true weight loss.
What to eat before working out is a different question for those of us who are trying to get bigger and stronger, as I mentioned previously. These folks need some anaerobic fuel for their workouts, as they will be doing non cardiovascular exercise, for the most part, and that involves lifting heavier weights. The body needs fuel for such activities, and your body fat will only take you so far with that, in a non cardiovascular way. These people will need to have an ample supply of good carbohydrates as well as some good fats, and some protein before they workout.
For those folks who are going to the gym in order to just stay active, etc the question of what to eat before working out is likely the simplest of any group’s. Common sense dictates that they wouldn’t want to feel faint from a lack of energy, nor would they want to load up on too much food beforehand and feel bogged down, or even nauseous. A little bit of carbohydrates, a little protein, and these people should be ready to go.
Genetics play a big factor in the what to eat before working out dilemma, as well. If you have a fast metabolic rate, you may consider eating a little more, if it’s appropriate to your goals, than someone with a more dormant metabolic rate. One’s metabolic rate is largely dictated by their genetics. Yes, you can make adjustments to it through diet and exercise, to a certain extent, but that would be minimal.It does, however, go without saying that those with a faster metabolic rate, no matter their goals, should plan on having food at the ready for when their workouts are completed. The anabolic window is a consideration, but so also is the fact of depleted muscles and energy reserves causes faintness and a lethargic feeling. Plan accordingly for your goals as well as your genetics. Remember, it’s not just what you eat that’s important, but when you eat it as well.
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Andy
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