What you eat counts. You can’t shed fat and build lean body mass if you’re sloppy with your diet. What you eat before a workout is important too. Without fueling up before exercise, you won’t be able to give your best performance. But eat too much or eat the wrong foods, and you may end up with tummy issues that make your workout a misery. Here’s what you shouldn’t eat before a workout.
Nothing
Some experts advocate exercising first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to shed body fat. It’s true that your body will burn more fat when your glycogen stores are depleted, but that fat-burning comes at a price. It can limit how hard you’ll able to work.
If you’re exercising at a moderate pace, you’ll probably do fine working out on an empty stomach. But if you plan on increasing the intensity by doing interval training, circuit training or heavy weight lifting, you may end up fatigued. This is because your body burns mostly carbs during high-intensity exercise, and yours are depleted from fasting overnight.
You’ll ultimately get more benefits from higher intensity exercise, so up the intensity and eat a small snack containing carbs and protein before your workout.
High-Fat Foods
Foods that are high in fat move through the digestive tract more slowly. It can take more than 24 hours for food to move completely through your intestinal tract, so it’s a good idea to limit fatty foods in your diet the day before a high-intensity workout.
High-Fiber Foods
High-fiber foods have health benefits, but they can cause intestinal distress if you eat them before a workout. Like fats, they slow down digestion and increase bulk in the colon. This can lead to digestive complaints such as bloating, diarrhea and flatulence. It’s harder to work out when you’re bloated. If you’ve been eating high-fiber foods for a while, you may not have a problem since your intestines have had a chance to adapt.
Caffeinated Beverages
Research shows that caffeine can boost exercise performance, but too much coffee and caffeine can trigger intestinal problems. Both coffee and caffeine boost the production of stomach acid, and they can lead to acid reflux when combined with high-impact exercise. Caffeine also has a laxative-like effect on some people. Even decaffeinated coffee can be a problem. If you drink coffee before a workout, limit it to a cup or two, and choose a darker roast. Dark roasts such as espresso contain an ingredient that reduces acid production. If you have problems, avoid them entirely.
Spicy Foods
That chimichanga with extra hot sauce may give you fuel for your workout, but the hot sauce can trigger digestive issues like acid stomach and gas. Lighten up on the hot sauce and spices before exercise, and stick with bland foods, especially if you’re prone to digestive issues.
A Large Meal
The time to overindulge isn’t right before a workout. When you work out, blood is diverted to your hard-working muscles and away from your digestive tract. That means your digestive tract will have more problem processing a large meal. Eat light before a workout. Good choices are low-fat yogurt, a lower fiber cereal or a smoothie.
The Bottom Line?
Eat something small before a workout that contains protein and carbohydrates, but avoid these foods that can make your workout more unpleasant.
References:
Science Daily. “Brewing Up a Gentler Java: Dark-Roasted Coffee Contains Stomach-Friendly Ingredient”
