How to Eat Before, During and After Exercise

Whether you're an athlete or just starting an exercise routine, it is important to understand nutrition's role. What you eat and drink, and when, can make all of the difference in how you perform, recover and improve.

Nutrition for Energy

Eating a balanced diet and getting the proper amount of calories, nutrients and fluids will give you the energy and stamina you need to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. However, it is important to understand what certain types of foods can and cannot do for you.

Carbohydrates provide our bodies with energy and therefore are needed before, during and after exercise. The best choices are complex carbohydrates like whole grains including brown rice, whole wheat pastas and breads. Fruits, dairy and vegetables will also provide carbohydrates.

While protein is important for muscles, according to the National Institutes of Health and Academy ofNutrition and Dietetics, it is a myth that a high-protein diet promotes muscle growth. Only exercise and resistance training transform muscles.

Be aware, too much protein can:

• Lead to fatigue if replacing necessary carbohydrate;
• Be stored as fat;
• Increase the chance for calcium loss;
• Increase workload for the kidneys.

Hydration

Proper hydration is important for performance as well as preventing dehydration, over-hydration and heat-related issues.

To monitor your hydration status, look at the color of your urine. Dark urine (like apple juice or tea) indicates dehydration. Light, pale yellow urine is a sign of adequate hydration.

Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) provide these recommendations:

• For activity less than 60 minutes at a low to moderate intensity, drink water before, during, and after exercise.
• Sports drinks are good options for moderate to high intensity activity lasting more than 60 minutes.
• If you are a very salty sweater, eat salty foods before activity and replace after with watery foods that contain salt, like soups or vegetable juice.

Before Exercise

Just as you fuel your car before a trip, you must also fuel your body before exercise. Typically eating a meal two to three hours before a workout is sufficient. But if you have gone several hours without eating (like exercising first thing in the morning), eat a snack 30 minutes to one hour before. Some examples include:

• Small serving of oatmeal
• Juice
• Slice of toast with jam or honey
• Fat free milk

Avoid eating foods that are high in fat, protein or fiber before a workout. These slow down the digestion and may cause cramps or leave you feeling sluggish.

During Exercise

If you plan to exercise vigorously for more than an hour, you may need to eat during activity. Eating foods that are mainly composed of carbohydrate should help prevent gastrointestinal issues.

Some examples include:

• Energy bar
• Banana
• Bread with jelly

After Exercise

If your workout was intense and/or lasted for a long period of time, you will likely need to replenish your nutrient and energy stores. Aim to eat within 45 minutes of finishing a workout. In this time period, your blood is still pumping quickly and can rapidly restore electrolytes, replace muscle fuel and repair muscles.

If consuming a meal, make it balanced by including carbohydrate, protein and a small amount of fat. Some example recovery meals suggested by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics are:

• Whole wheat pita bread with turkey, vegetables and a side of pretzels with low-fat milk.
• Brown rice, beans, cheese, salsa and avocado in a whole wheat tortilla.
• Stir fry with lean beef, vegetables and brown rice.

If you aren't very hungry or you don't plan to eat a meal right away, opt for a balanced snack instead:

• Smoothie made with fruit and yogurt.
• Peanut butter and a banana with low fat milk.

Other Considerations

Keep in mind, everyone is different. You may find some suggested foods are helpful, while others may leave you feeling full or heavy, especially before or during exercise. Try different foods at different times to see how your body reacts. Consider keeping a journal so that you can make adjustments to help you reach your peak performance.
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Here's how you can stay slim

Losing weight and maintaining your body requires a lifetime commitment. Dieting, on the other hand, requires you to follow a regimented programme until you get to a certain weight. When you reach that desired number, it isn't unusual to go back to your old habits. Here's a 10-step guide that'll help you maintain that newly acquired svelte body for a lifetime.

Personalise your diet
Do not follow the latest 'size zero' diet that your favourite star is following. Nutritionists say a diet works best when they are customised. It must depend on your body constituency, basal metabolic rate and lifestyle.

Ditch the scale
Your weight depends on your water intake, bone density and muscle mass. Although you may look slimmer, the weighing scale may show a number higher than what you anticipate. It's wiser to pay attention to how your clothes are fitting you, or measure the midpoint of your waist, and your bra size and track how the inches have reduced or increased over time.

Stay motivated
Losing weight increases your self-confidence and makes you feel better about yourself. It's easy to stay motivated while your pants are feeling loose. But what happens when the weight hits a plateau? By focusing on how your health is improving you stay committed to healthier habits. Don't be shy about giving yourself regular pep talks. Occasionally, write 'I am entitled to better health' on sticky notes and paste them on your desk.

Form a support group
Losing weight is a lonely journey. It is your battle and you're fighting your own eating habits. A good idea is to get a support group. Don't hesitate to reach out to your family doctor, nutritionist, gym buddies, mentors, friends, and family to egg you on, especially if you eat for emotional reasons.

Smarten up the kitchen
If you open the fridge and can't find healthy options, you're more likely to call for a pizza or grab a box of cookies. Always stack it with healthy staples like vegetables, pre-measured chicken breasts, beans, olive oil, eggs, fresh herbs, and some quick-boil whole grains. Arrange shelves so you can see what you have and what's running low.

Pre-plan meals
Eating out can be quite challenging when you're trying to lose weight. You tend to make habitual choices without considering calories or added sugar and salt. So, the next time you are making a plan to eat out, go online to view the menu and decide what you want, instead of making your folks wait on your order, endlessly.

Snack smart
A well-timed snack that is a combination of carbs and proteins keeps your blood sugar steady and can prevent you from binging when you sit down for your next meal. If you're hungry but not ready for a full meal, consider an apple and a handful of nuts, two khakras with boiled sprouts, or a multi-grain toast with a small glass of milk, or a hard-boiled egg.

Don't deprive yourself

The more you deprive yourself of a food item, the more you'll crave it. So don't completely strike off pizza and chocolate cake from the menu, but eat it less frequently and in smaller portions. By that way, you'll avoid gorging on them once you're through with the diet programme.

Manage your metabolism

If you're still not losing weight, despite all your best efforts, your metabolism may be the culprit. If you're having trouble losing weight, your doctor can rule out or confirm a thyroid imbalance or hormonal fluctuations and prescribe appropriate medication. He can establish health measures like blood pressure, cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, waist measurement and pulse. If he rules out serious health problems associated with excess weight, you might be more motivated to commit to regular exercise and a healthier diet.

Keep healthy foods handy
There's nothing worse than getting stuck at a fast-food joint from hell when you're very hungry. Avoid that fate by keeping non-perishable foods like nuts, dried or dehydrated fruit, a packet of peanuts, a fruit or a small box of carrots handy. Be sure to carry a water bottle so you don't confuse thirst with hunger.
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3 Evening Habits For Weight Loss

When you're trying to lose weight, it can seem like there's a never-ending barrage of temptation as you go about your day. And it doesn't stop when you get home—evenings on the couch can ruin a day full of healthy choices if you're employing bad habits. So when it comes to staying on track in the evening, make sure you pay attention to these rules.

Stop after dinner. It can be easy to mindlessly snack away while you relax, so make an effort to stay aware of why you're reaching for your pantry door. If you're doing it out of habit or because you're bored, try spending more time out of the kitchen or drinking peppermint tea instead of snacking. Recognizing these food triggers can also help you learn to stop overeating.

 

Choose your snack wisely. Eating an early dinner can mean you're ravenous before bedtime, so if that's the case, there's nothing wrong with having a healthy snack later in the evening. Just keep things light and make sure that you don't eat something that will disrupt your sleep or undo all your work from the day. Try some of our healthy late-night snack recipes for ideas.

Get ready for (good) sleep. Not only does getting quality sleep ensure that you have enough energy the next day for your workout, but also, studies have shown that people who don't get enough sleep end up eating more than those who do. Start the next day off on the right foot, and you'll be more likely to make healthy decisions that are good for you and your waistline. A nightly bedtime routine—like reading a book or drinking a cup of herbal tea—can help you wind down, so read our tips onwhat to do 20 minutes before bed for better sleep.

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