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Eating Before Exercise
By WLR Dietitian
Q: I have my evening meal at around 6pm and then go for a
run at 8pm. I usually feel hungry when I get back in but just
drink water and go to bed. Am I leaving enough time between
eating and exercising?
A: This sounds fine and if it fits in with your lifestyle, I
don’t see any benefit in changing your routine. Most fitness
experts recommend having a healthy meal around two hours before
exercising, or if this isn’t possible, a carb-rich snack such as
a banana or bowl of high-fibre cereal with semi-skimmed milk
about one hour before. If you leave too long between eating and
exercising, your blood sugar levels are likely to be low and
this can may make you feel dizzy, weak or faint, as well as
leaving you low on energy so that you don’t get the most out of
your workout. In contrast, if you eat anything too close to the
time you exercise, you may well feel uncomfortable, with the
result that your performance is affected.
When you get back from your run, you might want to have a
carb-rich snack to restore blood sugar levels and to help
prevent the hunger you are currently experiencing. Again, a
banana or a slice of wholemeal toast with honey are good
choices. If this sounds like a sensible option, I suggest you
save around 100 calories during the day to have when you get
back from your run.
Finally, remember to keep hydrated – it’s great that you’re
drinking water when you get home, but you should also be having
plenty of fluid before and during exercise, too. |
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