The question of whether or not you should eat prior to working out is a very common one. The dilemma is pretty clear: you need a certain amount of energy to work out. Plus, you don’t want to be distracted by your growling stomach as you do it. You also wouldn’t want your workout to turn your recently eaten meal into unpleasant nausea. So what’s the right way to go about it?
A Few Tips
It seems like the ideal time window for pre-workout eating is somewhere between two to three hours before you start exercising. If you’re unable to manage that, it’s okay to grab a bite to eat up to 30 minutes before your workout, but try to make sure it’s something light and easy to digest.
What to Eat
Well, it depends. If you have enough time (say, a few hours), having a good meal rich in carbs and protein and low on fat is the right way to go. If you don’t have a lot of time left and you still need to squeeze in a meal, try to go a bit easier on the protein and focus on carbs. As far as foods that are good to eat before a workout, those would normally be ones that provide a good combination of carbs and protein. You can make up a great pre-workout meal using everyday foods like bananas, low-fat yogurt, eggs, nuts, and peanut butter.
