"No sports after eating" – everyone has probably heard this phrase before. If you train a lot, you have probably often asked yourself at what time the food intake might be best suited. Your training success is particularly related to your diet. Many different myths persist, as well as hundreds of facts about this topic on various social networks – but the complete truth does not exist! Is it best to exercise on an empty stomach?
What does the right diet look like before exercising ? How does food relate to your workout? All these questions have different, often individual answers, and we try to answer many of them in this blog post.
How long after eating should you avoid exercise?
For many people, this question has become an essential one. In stressful everyday life, it is often difficult to maintain the right intervals between meals and exercise. But what are the correct distances anyway?
There is no completely correct answer to the question. Science does not quite agree on the timing of eating before exercise. Basically, you should be careful not to eat heavy meals right before exercising. The portion size also makes a difference here.
When the stomach is full, the body needs rest and some time to digest. After large meals, you should definitely wait at least 2 hours before exercising.
If you like to exercise in the morning, you can boost fat burning by going to the gym on an empty stomach. If this is too strenuous for you and you need a small source of energy, we recommend easily digestible carbohydrates. A banana, a cereal bar, or even a small porridge can work wonders!
The best time to eat – before or after exercise?
The best timing for meals is also controversial. Is it better to eat before or after exercise? Your body probably has an individual response that cannot be generalized. And that's a good thing! Depending on your training goal, you need to pay attention to how best to tailor your diet to your needs.
What is definitely important is that you replenish your energy stores and carbohydrate reserves as quickly as possible after an intense workout. The combination of macronutrients is what makes it stand out – easily digestible carbohydrates, protein, and low fat are the key to a healthy diet after exercise. In general, you should focus on that.
How Nutrition Affects Your Workout
How you eat is extremely important for your training success. No matter what goals you pursue, whether it's burning fat, building muscle or just losing weight, nutrition plays an important role. However, it should also be said that sports nutrition should not be complicated. High-quality proteins and complex carbohydrates in whole grains are important components before a workout.
With the right foods, you'll be full of energy and strength that you know you can apply to your workout. Timing is important! Do not eat too close to exercise; otherwise, your stomach will be too full to perform properly.
5 Tips for Eating Before Exercise
It is therefore easier to exercise with a balanced diet. So that you do not have to suffer before your workouts, we have summarized the 5 best tips for eating before exercise for you.
1. Know your basal metabolic rate!
Anyone who has ever dealt with diets and sports has probably heard of the basal metabolic rate. This determines how many calories your body burns in a day without exercise or additional activities. To help you understand how much your basal metabolic rate is per day, we have developed the Verival calorie calculator. This can assist you in losing weight – without requiring a lengthy process!
2. Listen to your body
Due to the many different individual needs that people have, it is not easy to say what the perfect sports nutrition looks like. That is why it is crucial that you listen especially well to your body. Do you like to exercise on an empty stomach? Then you should keep it that way. Feeling nauseous or dizzy? Then it would be better to eat something before training. As is often the case in life, simply do what you think is right!
3. Consume the right foods before exercise
If you choose to eat before your workout, pay attention to what foods you consume. Very protein-rich, small snacks are especially good before training. Cottage cheese, legumes, oatmeal, or whole wheat bread are perfect options for a pre-workout meal.
If you aim to build muscle, you should also pay attention to your insulin levels. If your blood sugar is constantly high, this hinders your success. With an intensive workout, your blood sugar level drops – but to build muscle, you should ensure to consume simple sugars again after your workout.
4. Proper hydration is extremely important!
Fluid is one of the most critical components of your workout. Not only is your food important – proper hydration is essential too. If you sweat a lot during exercise, you need to replenish the lost fluids. This works best with water or isotonic drinks.
The supply of electrolytes plays an essential role in this! If you want fat burning to function well, you should definitely avoid sugary drinks. These are hidden calorie bombs and can briefly spike your blood sugar levels, which should be avoided deliberately.
5. Note the portion sizes
The main problem with eating before exercise is portion sizes. Anyone who consumes a copious meal too closely to exercise will feel weak and tired. Your body is busy with digestion and cannot perform at its best.
If you eat more than 600 calories, you should wait up to 3 to 4 hours before exercising. If you eat a small, high-fiber snack, you can expect to be ready for training after about 45 minutes.
The best breakfast recipes for your exercise program
Especially at breakfast, you can already do a lot to set yourself up right! If you prefer to have breakfast before training, you are in the best position with our Verival products. Our Sport Porridge in many different varieties, as well as our Sport Muesli are perfect to help you achieve 100% performance during training and start the day off healthily. Additionally, we have two delicious cereal recipes as snacks in between, so your cravings can be satisfied more easily:
Muesli Bites
Ingredients
- 200 g sports granola nut and seed coconut
- 1 banana (ripe)
- some bourbon vanilla
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 tbsp oatmeal
- possibly 1-2 tsp wholemeal spelt flour
Preparation
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First, preheat the oven to 180°C circulating air and line one or two baking trays with baking paper.
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Mash the banana finely with a fork so that there are no more pieces. Of course, you can also use a hand blender for this.
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Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
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Heat the honey with the coconut oil and add to the dry ingredients along with the banana puree.
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Mix everything into a smooth mixture and place small piles on the baking trays using 2 teaspoons.
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Press the heaps slightly flat with a moistened teaspoon or with your fingers and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
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Then turn the muesli bites and bake again for 7-10 minutes until golden brown.
Protein Cereal Bar Almond Fig
Ingredients
- 180 g Verival Grain Free Sport Protein Muesli Almond Fig
- 120 g low-fat quark
- 3 tbsp flaxseed crushed, as an egg substitute
- 50 ml hot water
- 15 g almonds
- 30 g dried apricots
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Preparation
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Preheat the oven to 170°C circulating air.
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Line a rectangular baking pan (approx. 32cm x 24cm) with baking paper.
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Prepare the egg substitute: Mix the flax seeds with 50 ml of hot water and let swell for 5 minutes.
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Coarsely chop the almonds and apricots.
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Mix the protein muesli and the low-fat quark together.
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Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix everything together well.
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Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth it out.
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Then bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
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Cut the batter into 15 pieces while still hot and let cool.
FAQ
How long should you wait to eat after exercising?
This depends on the portion size. As a general rule, the last meal should be taken 2 hours before exercise.
How long before sleeping should you avoid exercise?
High-intensity exercise should be completed at least 2 hours before bedtime.
Why shouldn't you eat before exercising?
Your body is busy digesting when you eat too little before exercise, and you can't reach your full potential.
Why shouldn't you exercise right after dinner?
You will feel very full right after eating, and your body is also busy digesting. Therefore, you won't be able to perform at your best.
Can I eat more if I exercise?
Basically: Yes. But it also depends on what goals you want to achieve. To lose weight, it's essential to be around 300-400 calories below your total caloric expenditure to achieve successful weight loss.
How long should you not eat before training?
You should have about a two-hour gap between exercising and your last meal.
Should you eat after or before exercise?
Listen to your body! Generally, there are no strict rules that you must always follow. After exercising, you should replenish your energy stores as quickly as possible; before exercising, you can prepare with protein-rich foods to support good muscle development!
When to eat before exercise?
This largely depends on the portion size. For meals of 600 calories or more, wait 3 to 4 hours before exercising; for small snacks, you can usually think about exercising again after 45 minutes.
