Athletes and fitness enthusiasts are always looking for ways to improve their performance and achieve their goals.
Good nutrition can help your body function better and recover faster after each workout.
Optimal nutrient intake before exercise will not only help you optimize your performance, but also minimize muscle damage (1).
Here's everything you need to know about pre-workout nutrition.
Table of contents
Knowing what to eat is important
Fueling your body with the right nutrients before exercise will give you the energy and strength you need to improve your performance.
Each macronutrient has a specific role before a workout. However, the ratio in which you should consume them varies depending on the individual and the type of exercise (2).
Below is an overview of the role of each macronutrient.
Carbohydrates
Your muscles use glucose from carbohydrates for fuel.
Glycogen is how the body processes and stores glucose, primarily in the liver and muscles.
For short or high intensity exercises, your glycogen stores are the main source of energy for your muscles (3).
But for longer exercises, the degree to which you use carbohydrates depends on several factors. These include intensity, type of training, and your overall regimen (3).
Your muscles' glycogen stores are limited. As these reserves become depleted, your production and intensity decrease (4, 5, 6).
Studies have consistently shown that carbohydrates can increase glycogen stores and utilization while stimulating carbohydrate oxidation during exercise (6, 7, 8).
Carb loading, which involves consuming a high-carb diet for 1 to 7 days, is a well-known method for maximizing glycogen stores (7, 8).
Protein
Numerous studies have documented the potential of pre-workout protein consumption to improve athletic performance.
Consuming protein (alone or with carbohydrates) before exercise has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis (9, 10, 11).
One study showed a positive anabolic response after participants consumed 20 grams of whey protein before exercise (9).
Other benefits of consuming protein before exercising include
- Better anabolic response, or muscle growth (11, 12)
- Improved muscle recovery (12)
- Increased strength and lean mass (13)
- Increased muscle performance (11, 12, 13)
Grease
Although glycogen is used during short- or high-intensity exercise, fat is the energy source for longer duration, moderate-to-low-intensity exercise (14).
Some studies have investigated the effects of fat consumption on athletic performance. However, these studies looked at high-fat diets over a long period of time, rather than before exercise (15, 16).
For example, one study showed how a four-week diet consisting of 40% fat increased endurance duration in healthy, trained runners (15).
Summary Carbs help maximize glycogen stores for high-intensity exercise, while fats help fuel your body for longer, less intense workouts. Meanwhile, protein improves muscle protein synthesis and aids recovery.
Timing Your Pre-Workout Meal is Key
Timing your meals is also an important aspect of pre-exercise nutrition.
To maximize the results of your workout, try to eat a full meal containing carbohydrates, protein and fat 2 to 3 hours before exercising.
However, in some cases, you may not be able to eat a full meal 2 to 3 hours before exercising.
In this case, you can always eat a good meal before training. However, keep in mind that the earlier you eat before training, the smaller and simpler the meal should be.
If you eat between 45 and 60 minutes before your workout, choose foods that are easy to digest and contain mainly carbohydrates and proteins.
This will help prevent any stomach discomfort during exercise.
Summary It is recommended to consume a full meal 2 to 3 hours before your workout. For meals closer to your workout, choose simpler carbs and protein.
Some examples of pre-workout meals
What foods and how much to eat depends on the type, duration and intensity of training.
A good rule is to eat a mixture of carbohydrates and proteins before exercising.
If you eat fat with your pre-workout meal, you should consume it at least a few hours before your workout (2).
Here are some examples of balanced pre-workout meals:
If your workout starts within 2-3 hours or more
- Sandwich on whole grain bread, lean protein and salad
- Egg omelette and whole grain toast topped with avocado and a cup of fruit
- Lean protein, brown rice and grilled vegetables
If your workout starts within 2 hours
- Protein smoothie made with milk, protein powder, banana and mixed berries
- Cereals and whole milk
- A cup of oatmeal topped with banana and sliced almonds
- Natural almond butter and fruit sandwich on wholemeal bread
If your workout starts within an hour or less
- Greek yogurt and fruit
- Nutrition bar with protein and healthy ingredients
- A fruit, such as a banana, orange or apple
Remember that you don't need to eat many pre-workout meals at different times. Just choose one of them.
For best results, experiment with different durations and nutrient compositions.
Summary A combination of carbohydrates and proteins is recommended for pre-workout meals. Fat can also be beneficial, but it should be consumed at least two hours before exercise.
Supplements May Also Be Helpful Before Exercise
The use of supplements is common in sports. These products can improve performance, improve strength, increase lean body mass and reduce fatigue.
Below are some of the best pre-workout supplements.
Creatine
Creatine is probably the most commonly used sports supplement.
It has been shown to increase muscle mass, muscle fiber size, and muscle strength and power, while delaying fatigue (17, 18).
Although it is beneficial to take creatine before a workout, it appears to be even more effective when taken after a workout (18).
Taking 2 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day is effective.
Caffeine
Among many other benefits, caffeine has been shown to improve performance, increase strength and power, help reduce feelings of fatigue, and stimulate fat burning (17, 19).
Caffeine can be consumed in coffee, tea, and energy drinks, but it is also found in supplements and pre-workout pills.
It doesn't matter how you consume it, because its effects on performance are generally the same.
The peak effects of caffeine are observed 90 minutes after consumption. However, it has been shown to be effective even when ingested 15 to 60 minutes before exercise (20).
Branched amino acids (BCAA)
BCAAs refer to the essential amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine.
Studies have shown that taking BCAAs before training helps reduce muscle damage and increase muscle protein synthesis (10, 21).
A dose of 5 grams or more, at least one hour before exercise, is effective (21).
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that increases your carnosine stores in muscles. It has been shown to be particularly effective for short and high intensity exercises.
It does this by increasing exercise capacity and muscular endurance while reducing fatigue (22, 23, 24).
The recommended daily dose is 2 to 5 grams, of which at least 0,5 grams should be consumed before training (25).
Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements
Some people prefer products that contain a blend of the supplements mentioned above.
The combination of these ingredients can have synergistic effects and improve performance significantly (26).
Caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine, branched-chain amino acids, arginine, and B vitamins are among the most commonly used ingredients in these products (26, 27).
These pre-workout supplements have been shown to increase performance, strength, endurance, anaerobic power, reaction time, focus and alertness (26, 27).
The dose depends on the product, but it is generally recommended to take them about 30 to 45 minutes before exercise.
Summary Creatine, caffeine, BCAAs and beta-alanine are often recommended before a workout. Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements combine many different ingredients for optimal benefits.
Hydration is also crucial
Your body needs water to function.
Good hydration helped maintain or even improve performance, while dehydration was associated with a significant decline in performance (28, 29, 30, 31).
It is recommended to consume water and sodium before exercise. This will improve fluid balance (32, 33).
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends drinking 16 to 20 ounces (0,5 to 0,6 liters) of water at least four hours before exercise and 8 to 12 ounces (0,23 to 0,35. 10 liter) of water 15 to 32 minutes before exercise (XNUMX hours). ).
Additionally, they recommend consuming a beverage containing sodium to help retain fluids (32).
Summary Water is important for performance. It is recommended to drink water and sodium-containing beverages before exercise to promote fluid balance and prevent excessive fluid loss.
Put it all together
To optimize your performance and recovery, it is important to provide your body with the right nutrients before a workout.
Carbohydrates help maximize your body's ability to use glycogen to fuel short- and high-intensity exercise, while fat helps fuel your body for longer exercise sessions.
Eating protein helps improve muscle protein synthesis, prevent muscle damage, and promote recovery.
Proper hydration is also linked to improved performance.
Pre-workout meals can be eaten anywhere from three hours to 30 minutes before a workout. However, choose foods that are easy to digest, especially if your workout starts in an hour or less. This will help you avoid stomach upset.
Additionally, many supplements can aid performance and aid recovery.
At the end of the day, simple pre-workout nutrition practices can help you improve your performance and recover faster.
