Fuelling your training: what to eat before and after exercise

GUEST POST

By Holly Charlton, accredited practising dietitian, nutritionist and sports dietitian.

Before you begin exercising - whether it's running, surfing, spinning or lifting weights - what you eat and when you eat can significantly impact your performance and recovery.

As a dietitian, I'm here to guide you through the essentials of pre-exercise nutrition to help you make the best choices for your training goals.

Pre-exercise meal 

Timing your pre-exercise meal 

As a general rule, eating 2 to 4 hours before exercising is thought to be best.

However, nutrition is highly individual, so it's essential to experiment with this timeframe to determine what best suits your body and lifestyle. 

Choosing your pre-exercise meal

When selecting your pre-exercise meal, prioritise carbohydrates. This nutrient is the body's first choice for energy, helping you maintain stamina and to fuel an exercise session.

From there, include moderate amounts of protein to kickstart the recovery process early.

Don’t forget about fat and fibre - but keep these in low to moderate amounts as too much can slow digestion and cause an upset stomach. 

Experimentation is key

Nutrition is individual, meaning the type and amount of food that works for one person might not work for another.

It’s best to experiment with different meals, snacks and portion sizes to find what feels right for your body. 

Example meals: 2 – 4 hours before exercise 

• Whole grain toast, scrambled eggs, tomato, mushrooms and avocado.

• Fruit salad, natural Greek yogurt, oats, nuts and seeds.

• High protein porridge with yogurt, nuts and seeds.

• Egg, cheese and salad sandwich.

• Tuna and rice with an Asian salad.

• Falafel, hummus, natural Greek yogurt, roasted vegetables and tahini.

• Tuna, tomato, lettuce, corn and avocado wrap.

• Leftover dinner (e.g. spaghetti Bolognese and salad).

So, now that you’ve eaten your pre-exercise meal, if you feel like you need it you can have a high-carbohydrate snack 30 to 60 minutes before exercising. This can help support your glycogen (energy) stores.

You only need to have this snack if your exercise is particularly strenuous or lengthy (e.g. adventure race, powerlifting).

Quick snacks: 30 – 60 minutes before exercise

• Banana

• Muesli bar (e.g. Carman's Fruit & Nut)

• Raisin toast and butter

• Sourdough bread, butter and jam

• Apple and peanut butter

• Dried fruit

Early morning workouts

If you're exercising first thing in the morning, try eating a high-carbohydrate snack 15 to 60 minutes before you begin. Please, do not wake up at 2 am or 4 am to eat a meal - sleep is important too!

During-exercise nutrition

Eating during exercise isn't necessary for every person, especially if the session is less than 60 minutes.

However, for longer and higher-intensity sessions, some might benefit from a fuelling snack.

Choose foods that are high in carbohydrates with minimal protein, fat and fibre (e.g. dried fruit).

General guide for carbohydrate intake during exercise:

• Exercise lasting 1-2 hours: 30 - 60g of carbohydrates per hour

• Exercise lasting 2-4 hours: 40 - 90g of carbohydrates per hour

• Exercise lasting 4+ hours: 40 - 110g of carbohydrates per hour

Post-exercise nutrition

After exercising, your energy, protein and water stores need replenishing.

While you can get specific about it - replenishing energy stores with 0.8 - 1.2g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight, and 0.4 - 0.6g of protein per kilogram - you can just ensure your snack or meal contains a generous amount of carbohydrates and protein.

Adding fibre for general health, such as vegetables and fruit, is also beneficial.

Timing your post-exercise meal

While the train of thought used to be to eat and drink 30 – 60 minutes after finishing exercise, recent research supports eating and drinking within 3 - 5 hours post-exercise.

You might time your recovery food with your next main meal if it fits within this timeframe. If not, have a snack and then your main meal later.

Hydration

Don't forget to drink water! Checking your urine colour is a good way to assess your hydration status, although some supplements can alter urine colour.

Example snacks:

• High protein natural Greek yogurt, oats, fruit, nuts, seeds, honey.

• Banana smoothie using high protein ingredients.

• Rice cakes, cream cheese, tomato, boiled eggs, pumpkin seeds.

• Banana, peanut butter.

• Multigrain crackers, mayonnaise, tinned tuna, cucumber.

Example meals:

• Homemade chicken burrito with vegetables and beans

• Spaghetti Bolognese with salad

• Beef stir-fry with vegetables and rice

• Baked fish with vegetables and potatoes

By following these guidelines and experimenting to find what works best for you, you can optimise your performance and recovery, making the most out of every workout.