Close
  • Podcasts
    • Grammar Girl
    • Curious State
    • Get-Fit Guy
    • Money Girl
    • Project Parenthood
    • Relationship Doctor
    • Modern Mentor
    • Nutrition Diva
    • Savvy Psychologist
    • Who Knew?
    • Unknown History
    • Ask Science
  • Books
  • Categories
    • Health & Fitness
    • House & Home
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Pets
    • Education
    • Tech
    • Productivity
    • Business & Career
    • Money & Finance
  • Offers
  • About QDT
What's Hot

How to prepare for potential layoffs

August 9, 2022

Insurance, Budget, and Long-Term Storage: What to Consider Before Committing to a Loft Conversion

August 9, 2022

Jessie Stephens takes us to the Beginning of the End

August 9, 2022
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Quick and Dirty Tips ™
  • Podcasts
    • Grammar Girl
    • Curious State
    • Get-Fit Guy
    • Money Girl
    • Project Parenthood
    • Relationship Doctor
    • Modern Mentor
    • Nutrition Diva
    • Savvy Psychologist
    • Who Knew?
    • Unknown History
    • Ask Science
  • Books
  • Categories
    • Health & Fitness
    • House & Home
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Pets
    • Education
    • Tech
    • Productivity
    • Business & Career
    • Money & Finance
  • Offers
  • About QDT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
Quick and Dirty Tips ™
You are at:Home » What to Eat Before, During, and After Your Workout
Get-Fit Guy

What to Eat Before, During, and After Your Workout

Food is the fuel that allows you to perform during workouts and recover from them afterwards. Get-Fit Guy, Dr. Jonathan Su, provides simple and straightforward advice based on the latest research on how to best fuel for your workouts.

By Dr. Jonathan Su, DPT, CSCS, TSAC-F, C-IAYTSeptember 15, 2021No Comments5 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
 Apple Podcast Page  Spotify Podcast Page  Google Podcast Page  Sticher Podcast Page
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Email

Total daily nutrient intake has become more important than the timing of intake for athletes and active individuals alike. That said, there are still situations where nutrient timing may be important:

  • If you work out first thing in the morning or before dinner at the end of a work day, a light pre-workout snack will give you energy without weighing you down.
  • If you plan on exercising for more than 70 minutes, try to fuel with small snacks every 15 to 20 minutes.
  • To enhance your recovery, eat a post-workout snack or post-workout meal containing carbohydrates and protein within two hours.

I’ve mentioned in a previous episode that fitness is like baking a cake. The essential ingredients for this cake are movement, nutrition, recovery, and mindset. But as any baker knows, timing is crucial. When it comes to nutrition, questions about what to eat before, during, and after workouts frequently come up.

These are important questions because the nutrition you derive from food is the fuel that allows you to perform during workouts and recover from them afterward. If you’re fueling your body right, this back and forth between performance and recovery progressively leads to a leaner, stronger, and healthier body.

Nutrition scientists are realizing that when you eat doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference for most people when real changes such as performance gains are measured over longer periods of time.

In this episode, I’m going to provide you with simple and straightforward advice based on the latest research on how to best fuel for your workouts. I’m also going to share with you some of my favorite recipes for meals that are delicious and nutritious that you can quickly put together, all available from our colleagues at Cookstr. 

The importance of total daily nutrient intake 

Before we delve into recommendations about what to eat before, during, and after your workouts, it’s important to note that scientific knowledge about exercise nutrition has deepened over the last decade. As more research has become available, total daily nutrient intake has become more important than the timing of intake for athletes and active individuals alike.

In other words, the question of whether your total energy needs are being met should be prioritized over questions of timing. Nutrition scientists are realizing that when you eat doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference for most people when real changes such as performance gains are measured over longer periods of time. 

That’s not to say that nutrient timing is dead. Nutrient timing is helpful if you’re a weight class athlete, serious endurance athlete, professional bodybuilder, or if you train twice a day. 

If you’re like me, and your goal is to get healthier and more fit, nutrient timing may not be that helpful and can add layers of unnecessary complexity. That said, there are still situations where nutrient timing may be important. 

What to eat before your workout

If you workout while you’re starved, you simply won’t have the energy for your body to perform and this may hinder your fitness gains.The best time to work out is three to four hours after eating, depending on how large a meal you’ve eaten. 

If you work out first thing in the morning, a pre-workout snack of fresh fruit or a glass of juice will give you energy without weighing you down. If you exercise before dinner at the end of a work day, a pre-workout snack of instant oatmeal, yogurt, and/or fruit 30 minutes before your workout are great options. 

What to eat during your workout

If you exercise for a long time without eating, you’ll feel fatigue and limit your ability to maintain your workout intensity. If you plan on exercising for less than 70 minutes, you don’t need to eat; just make sure you hydrate with small, frequent sips of water during your workout. 

But if you’re doing something like a long run or bike ride, or maybe a couple of back-to-back fitness classes, try to fuel with small snacks every 15 to 20 minutes, preferably from a quick carbohydrate source that is easy to carry, like a ziplock bag of raisins, bananas, or white bread with honey. 

For years, it was believed that we should consume fast-digesting protein and carbohydrates within 30-45 minutes after exercise. New research shows that this window is actually a lot bigger than previously believed.

What to eat after your workout

If you don’t feed your muscles and replenish your energy stores after exercise, you won’t have the necessary building blocks for recovery. For years, it was believed that we should consume fast-digesting protein and carbohydrates within 30-45 minutes after exercise. 

This was known as the post-workout “anabolic window of opportunity” where our bodies could best use the nutrients for optimal recovery. New research shows that this window is actually a lot bigger than previously believed.

After you exercise, your muscles will be hungry for protein and carbohydrates. To enhance your recovery, eat a post-workout snack or post-workout meal containing carbohydrates and protein within two hours. 

Quick and easy recipes for your post-workout meal

I’d like to share with you a few quick and easy recipes for your post-workout meal that’ll provide the nutrients your body needs for optimal recovery. All three of these recipes are available from our colleagues at Cookstr. Cookstr is the world’s best collection of cookbook recipes available online, featuring thousands of recipes from hundreds of the world’s top chefs and cookbook authors. These recipes are trusted and tested for home cooks, and you can find a recipe for just about any craving or need.

Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Tofu and Sweet Potato Curry (vegan, gluten-free)

White Bean “Chicken” Chili (vegan, gluten-free)

I picked these recipes because they provide protein, carbs, and veggies. They’re also easy to prepare and taste delicious.

5-Day Nutrition Challenge

Now it’s time to put this knowledge into motion with our 5-day nutrition challenge. Over the next five days, your challenge is to apply what you just learned and notice how you feel before, during, and after your workouts. Give it a try and let me know how you feel by emailing me at getfitguy@quickanddirtytips.com or leaving me a voicemail at 510-353-3104. Definitely get in touch if you tried one of the recipes!

Disclaimer

All content here is for informational purposes only. This content does not replace the professional judgment of your own health provider. Please consult a licensed health professional for all individual questions and issues.

Dr. Jonathan Su, DPT, CSCS, TSAC-F, C-IAYT
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Dr. Jonathan Su is the host of the Get-Fit Guy podcast. He is a physical therapist and fitness expert whose mission is to make fitness accessible for everyone. Dr. Su is author of the bestsellers Six-Minute Fitness at 60+ and Six-Minute Core Strength. Got a question for Dr. Su? You can email him at getfitguy@quickanddirtytips.com or leave him a message at the Get-Fit Guy voicemail line at (510) 353-3104.

Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Don't Miss

How to prepare for potential layoffs

By Rachel CookeAugust 9, 2022

Hey, it’s Rachel Cooke, your Modern Mentor. And today we’re gonna acknowledge the elephant in…

Insurance, Budget, and Long-Term Storage: What to Consider Before Committing to a Loft Conversion

August 9, 2022

Jessie Stephens takes us to the Beginning of the End

August 9, 2022

Why Don’t People say ‘You’re Welcome’ Anymore?

August 8, 2022
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook 12K
  • Twitter 25.7K
  • Pinterest 18.5K
  • Instagram 123K
  • YouTube 23K
  • Vimeo 11.2K
Our Picks

How to prepare for potential layoffs

By Rachel CookeAugust 9, 2022

Insurance, Budget, and Long-Term Storage: What to Consider Before Committing to a Loft Conversion

By Diane HuttonAugust 9, 2022

Jessie Stephens takes us to the Beginning of the End

By Editor, Relationship DoctorAugust 9, 2022
Demo

Subscribe

 Apple Podcast Page  Spotify Podcast Page  Google Podcast Page  Sticher Podcast Page

Books

Amazon.comBarnesApple iBookstoreIndiBOund
Amazon.comBarnesIndiBOund

Don't miss

Never miss another tip! Join our list to get updates from your favorite hosts delivered straight to your inbox
Sign Up
ABOUT US
logo-img

Whether you want to manage your money better, rock your professional life, stay fit and eat healthy, or discover the keys to better mental health, Quick and Dirty Tips delivers short-form podcasts and articles every week to keep you at the top of your game, usually in ten minutes or less!

Email: contact@quickanddirtytips.com

QUICK LINKS
  • Health & Fitness
  • House & Home
  • Parenting
  • Relationships
  • Pets
  • Education
  • Tech
  • Productivity
  • Business & Career
  • Money & Finance
  • How to listen
  • Privacy notice
  • Ads & Cookies
  • Terms of Use
  • About QDT
  • Our Hosts
OUR PICKS

How to prepare for potential layoffs

August 9, 2022

Insurance, Budget, and Long-Term Storage: What to Consider Before Committing to a Loft Conversion

August 9, 2022

Jessie Stephens takes us to the Beginning of the End

August 9, 2022
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Copyright © 2022 Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC. Quick & Dirty Tips™ and related trademarks appearing on this website are the property of Mignon Fogarty, Inc. and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.