To Eat or Not to Eat Before a Workout

Having enough energy prior to exercising is the key to a great workout.  Often times, people skip meals before their workouts because they simply don’t know what to eat and when to eat it.  As a rule of thumb, eat 45 minutes to an hour
prior to exercising to allow for proper digestion. The larger the meal, the longer you should wait before engaging in exercise.

Here are a few pre-workout meal ideas:

A.M. Workouts:  Oatmeal with fruit is an effective combination of simple carbohydrates (fruit) that will quickly be converted to energy, and complex carbohydrates (oatmeal) that wll provide energy over an extended period of time.

Lunch-time Workouts:  A grilled cheese sandwich (whole wheat bread
and low-fat cheese) is a good source of complex carbohydrates and protein.

Evening Workouts:  Brown rice and grilled chicken, once again a good complex carb/protein combo that will not sit heavy in your stomach. 

Also, a fruit-based protein shake will help you stay energized during your workout with the same carb/protein formula.

NOTE: This post was written by EAC traincer Lori Sarne.