Eating well before exercising is essential. And what you eat matters. For breakfast, choose low glycaemic index foods to burn calories, especially fats. At meal times, eat a lot of starches and a moderate amount of protein to be in good shape while exercising. Most of all, wait 2 to 3 hours after eating before starting to exercise!
Your body needs energy and the resources that will keep you going during a work out! Eating well helps your body make the most of exercise.
A study by American researchers showed that eating low glycaemic index foods before exercising would burn the same number of calories as a high glycaemic index meal, but much more fat! So before heading into the gym in the morning, make sure to avoid sports drinks, energy bars, bread and butter and snacks of all kinds. Instead, choose foods with a low glycaemic index, like yoghurt + fruit + unsweetened muesli and other dried fruits for breakfast.
The best way to be in great shape is to eat a diet with plenty of starches, a moderate amount of protein and limited fats.
Bad fats and saturated fatty acids tend to clog your arteries, which need a high degree of "elasticity" while you are exercising to supply enough oxygenated blood to your muscles. The fats in cheeses, creams, butter and pizza make you gain weight. So avoid them before exercising!
SUGARY FOODS
Even if you closely watch your diet and you're on your way to your favourite fitness class, you should avoid eating sugary snacks for energy before exercising. Why? Because all of these sugary snacks make your blood sugar levels skyrocket. The result: you often hit a slump while exercising, the result of hypoglycaemia.
FATTY FOODS
Before exercising, make sure to avoid fatty foods! Why? Because your body will have a hard time digesting them while you're working out, especially if you eat a lot of them.
It's better to give your body time to digest. To keep your digestion from getting in the way of your workout, we recommend waiting 2 to 3 hours after eating before you exercise. Your body needs time to process nutrients before you put it to the test.
After exercising, it is essential to make time for recovery. You need to recharge your batteries. You've been sweating, losing water, minerals and nutrients. Your body is waiting for a pick-me-up! It needs nutrients to nourish and reenergize your muscles. The solution is to eat a varied diet, including carbohydrates, protein and a moderate amount of fats to fill up on energy. Think about your body after exercising!
And don't forget to stay hydrated before, during and after exercise!