The Basics of Eating Before, During and After a Workout
When it comes to performance, timing matters. Consuming the right fuel at the right time is a crucial part of performing your best as an athlete or active individual. Without proper fueling strategies, athletes are at risk for poor performance, injury, nutritional deficiency and extreme fatigue.

Figuring out what works best for you takes trial and error. While it’s recommended that athletes work with a sports dietitian to fine-tune what is best for their sport and individual body, there are fundamental guidelines everyone can follow.

Eating before a workout is critical because it supplies your body with energy, prevents dehydration, delays or prevents fatigue and even enhances mental focus. Optimally, you should consume a meal 3–4 hours prior to training. Of course, this isn’t always possible.

The longer you have between eating and training, the larger and more complex your meal can be — as there is more time for digestion. This meal should be higher in easy-to-digest carbohydrates so as to not stress the GI system while also providing easy-to-use energy. This meal should also contain small amounts of protein and fat to provide satiety. However, you should avoid fibrous foods to lessen the risk of having an upset stomach while training. Too much fiber, fat and protein delay the rate at which carbohydrates can be digested and utilized for energy, which is not great when you need energy to perform.

Then, just before training or racing, top off your energy stores with a quick-burning carbohydrate snack like a banana, sports drink or sports gel. To prevent dehydration while training, sip water (in some cases a sports beverage) frequently prior to starting your workout session.

What to consume while working out largely depends on how long and how intense your training is. Carbohydrates are the macronutrient used most for fast energy and should be consumed almost exclusively during workouts. Fats and protein can aid in satiety, recovery and mental focus during endurance training.

For short sessions lasting less than 90 minutes, it may not be necessary to take in additional fuel. To get a slight edge for shorter, more intense workouts, try adding a small bit of sports drink, sports drink rinse or gel to top off energy supplies. For longer workouts more than 90 minutes, aim to consume 30–90 grams of carbohydrates per hour. This large range of carbohydrate intake depends on your gut tolerance and type of training.