We reckon that regular exercise is one of life’s secret wonder drugs we should all be getting more of.
But the way you fuel your body before and after a workout can really affect how you perform, how your body recovers and how much you’re getting out of that sweat. Let’s work it out.
Fasted exercise
The science seems to show your body will react differently depending on whether you’ve eaten or fasted (like before breakfast) before your workout.
When you exercise on an empty stomach, your body seems to rely more on stored fat as its source of fuel. This makes sense, as you have less carbs (your body’s preferred energy source) floating around in your blood stream from your last meal.
You might be tempted to think that fasted exercise will therefore lead to greater fat loss, if that’s your goal. But there doesn’t seem to be much evidence to support this theory.
What fasted exercise might do, scientists reckon, is improve our body’s ability to maintain optimum blood sugar levels. Which is nothing to be sneezed at.
Non-fasted exercise
So, is eating before exercise ever a good idea? If performance is a goal for you, eating a small meal or snack before exercising may help improve it, especially for longer duration workouts or events.
Like so many things, it likely comes down to listening to your own body. If you feel like you can go that extra mile with a bit of fuel in the belly, eating a little before exercise isn’t going to hurt.
Refuelling after exercise
If you don’t eat before your workout, you should definitely make a point of eating after.
Eating after exercise is important to help your body replenish its glycogen stores and repair damaged (in that good, exercise-induced way) muscles.
We recommend eating a meal that contains both complex carbs and plenty of protein within two hours of your exercise sesh. And make sure you drink plenty of water too!
Post-exercise snack ideas:
- Yoghurt and fruit
- Oaty Nut Bliss Balls
- Protein smoothie
- Raw Nut-Free Museli Bar
- Eggs on toast
- Vegan Apple Bircher