OH! Magazine - Australian Version February 2018 | Page 13

( Nutrition )
SHOULD YOU EAT
BEFORE GOING
TO THE GYM?
Ashleigh Feltham explains.
e all like results from our workout
efforts, so does eating before
hitting the gym give you better results?
This is a complex question as it all
depends on what you want from your
session and your individual health needs.
W
Firstly, it depends when you are
exercising. If you are an early morning
gym goer, then eating with enough time
for the food to be digested can be a
challenge. Generally, you need two hours
for a meal to be digested and if you are
attending say a 6am class, then waking
up at 4am to eat may not even be an
option. If, however you have a health
condition (e.g., diabetes) where your body
needs the energy and the glucose (which
is the breakdown energy form from
carbohydrates), then eating can be very
important.
If you choose not to eat after a longer
time of fasting (e.g., like after a night’s
sleep), then your body will have used up
most of its glycogen stores. What does
this mean for fat burning? Potentially,
your body switches to its fat stores faster
because it does not have any reserved
glucose stores to use. The downside of
this is when your muscles don’t have
enough stores glycogen they will not work
as efficiently as when they use fat stores.
Therefore, if you are wanting to hit a
personal best in squats you may want to
consider fuelling beforehand to give your
muscles the energy to produce their best
force.
the pros and cons of eating before
exercising what should you eat if you do
choose to eat? Here are some simple
guidelines to help.
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YOU CAN CONTACT ASHLEIGH VIA:
Web: feedyourfuturedietetics.com
Facebook: FeedYourFutureDietetics
Instagram: @feedyourfuturedietetics
Tub of creamed rice with canned
fruit in water.
Tin of sweetcorn.
So what about coffee before exercise?
1. Make it low in fibre and fat, and not too
high in protein as these components are
slow to be digested in your stomach and
fibre promotes your desire to visit the
bathroom. This means you will either feel
sluggish and not want to exercise or need
to rush to the toilet every two seconds.
2. Choose a food or drink which your body
is used to consuming. Now is not the time
to try the new and improved smoothie at
the café around the corner with
ingredients you have never tasted before.
3. Give your body enough carbohydrates
to fuel your muscles.
My favourite go-to pre-exercise meals and
snacks include:
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Now that you have a general picture of
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ASHLEIGH
FELTHAM
Half a cup of oats with chopped fruit
and low or no fat yoghurt.
One to two crumpets with sliced
banana and drizzle of honey.
One cup of pasta with a tomato
based sauce.
Fruit smoothie using low fat milk and
yogurt and half a cup of frozen
berries sweetened with cinnamon.
Sough dough rye toast (this type of
bread is more easily digested than
regular wheat-based bread) with a
banana and a tablespoon of honey.
Raisin toast with jam spread
sparingly.
Personally, coffee is my preferred pick as
a pre-exercise stimulant. Your body only
needs 1mg to 3mg of caffeine per
kilogram of bodyweight (e.g., 70mg to
210mg in a 70kg person), which is
approximately one cup of coffee (espresso
or brewed).
Studies have shown that moderate intake
of caffeine can assist in your ability to
exercise at a higher intensity and reduce
the feeling of fatigue. Be mindful though,
that everyone has a different tolerance to
caffeine and some people with specific
medical conditions should stay away from
caffeine altogether. The downside of
giving your body too much coffee can
include:
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an upset stomach
anxiety
jitters
increased heart rate
make it harder not easier to exercise.
Take home message
Eating before the gym can be beneficial
depending on your individual needs or
goals for the session. It all comes down to
what works best for you. If eating before
exercising helps you exercise more
regularly and feel like you're getting the
best from your efforts, then go for it!
OH! MAGAZINE ( FEBRUARY 2018 )
13