Pre-workout Nutrition: What to Eat Before You Train?

Fuelling your body correctly before you train will help you perform better & recover quickly. Ideally, you want to have energy during your workout without feeling too full. Here’s how to achieve that ideal balance, whether you train first thing in the morning, mid-day, or in the evening.

If you have time: eat two to three hours before training

A good rule of thumb is to eat a balanced meal about two to three hours before working out.

Protein: Any good quality source of protein is fine & be sure to combine it with lots of veggies & some good fats. Try eggs with sauteed veggies, avocado, & fruit or maybe oatmeal with sliced banana & nuts. Herbed chicken with rice & veggies is another great option!

Carbohydrates: Carbs give you fuel during your training - even short-duration, high-intensity workouts -- & help with recovery while preserving muscle & liver glycogen.

Fats: Consuming some fats before exercise help slow digestion & maintain blood glucose & insulin levels.

If you’re eating around two to three hours before exercising, you can save your protein shake for afterwards. Post-workout protein can help you maintain or increase muscle size, helps your muscles recover faster, & floods your bloodstream with amino acids. We typically have our protein drinks at night but try out what works best for you!

Early morning training nutrition: an hour to 30 minutes before working out

For those who train first thing in the morning, there’s certainly no reason to wake up two to three hours early just to eat!

Many people find they don’t need to eat anything at all, especially if the workout will last less than an hour. If you wake up about an hour before you exercise, you could eat a small meal that contains mostly carbs & a bit of protein. A piece of fruit or yoghurt is a great choice.

Try this & see how you feel. Do you have more energy during the workout? Are you recovering better? If not, you may need to adjust the type & quantity of food to find what works best for you.

Late afternoon or early evening: a pre-workout snack

If you’re training before dinner & you’ve eaten a healthy breakfast & lunch, all you may need is a small pre-workout snack about an hour or two before training. This is when a pre-workout shake like ATP Science Infrared, might be a good idea because you don’t want a heavy meal sitting in your stomach. This supplement is clean energy, non-stimulant & packed full of electrolytes for hydration.

Or try a small snack like nuts & fruit. Some people prefer to exercise on an empty stomach - in that case, don’t eat anything after lunch. As always, be sure to eat high-quality, unprocessed food, and avoid added sugar whenever possible.

See you in the gym!