After getting your workout program in place, the very next thing you must consider is what to eat before you head to the gym for your session.
Nutrition is a crucial factor not only in determining whether you’ll gain muscle or lose body fat, but also in how well you perform during your workout.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that skipping food immediately before their workout will help them burn body fat faster, but this is a misconception.
While it’s true that you won’t have as much energy to burn if you don’t eat, the real issue is that not eating could severely hinder how hard you can work during your session, ultimately affecting your overall calorie burn.
Since the total number of calories you consume throughout the day plays a much larger role in your progress, focusing on that should be your priority.
Here’s a brief overview of what you should know about eating before your workout.
Key Factors for Pre-Workout Nutrition
Assess the Exercise Variety
The first thing to consider when determining what to eat before your workout is the type of exercise you plan to do. If you’re going for a light, 30-minute cardio session, there’s no need for special nutrition beforehand. As long as you’ve had a meal within the past four hours, you should be fine to complete the session without any issues.
However, if you’re planning a weightlifting workout or sprint training session, it’s a different story.
For these types of exercises, you’ll want to eat both carbohydrates and protein beforehand. This will provide your muscles with the glucose needed to fuel muscle contractions and the amino acids necessary to kickstart the repair and recovery process.
Trying to perform either of these exercises without eating would likely result in a workout failure, as your body would struggle to continue beyond just a few minutes.
Choose Your Calorie Intake Appropriately
Next, consider how many calories you’ll consume before your workout. This will largely depend on your current fitness goals.
If you’re aiming to build lean muscle mass, you’ll want a higher calorie intake, so adding more calories pre-workout is a smart choice.
If you’re aiming for fat loss, you still need to eat, but you should keep the meal lighter.
Most people will do well with about 300–400 calories if they’re aiming to build muscle and 200–250 calories if they’re looking to lose fat.
Time the Meal Correctly
Timing your meal is another important consideration. This can vary from person to person, as some individuals tolerate food differently before exercise.
If you’re fine eating beforehand and don’t experience cramping, aim to eat your pre-workout meal about 30 minutes before your session.
If you’re prone to cramping or indigestion, try to eat 60–90 minutes before hitting the gym.
However, don’t let it go longer than 90 minutes, or you may find that it doesn’t carry you through your workout effectively.
Get Your Food Choices in Order
Lastly, let’s talk about the specific foods you should choose.
For protein, many people prefer consuming whey protein powder because it’s fast, convenient, and delivers amino acids to the muscles quickly.
If you’d rather eat something solid, go for egg whites, white fish, or chicken. These are all lean protein sources that will provide high-quality amino acids to your muscles when you need them most.
When it comes to carbohydrates, choose something that burns slightly slower in the body to avoid a spike in blood sugar followed by an energy crash. This would quickly drain your energy.
Opt for foods like brown rice, oatmeal, or whole wheat pasta. These options provide high-quality, sustained energy to enhance your performance.
Finally, keep fat intake low in your pre-workout meals, as fats slow digestion and can detract from your performance goals.
So there you have it—by planning your pre-workout meal properly, you can ensure peak performance and get one step closer to reaching your fitness goals.
