How long to eat before training?

Knowing how long to eat before training can certainly improve your performance and increase your results. However, there's no hard-and-fast rule for pre-workout meal timing.

Carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates like oats, sweet potatoes, and brown rice, will gradually provide energy during your workout. Proteins, such as meat, dairy, or some protein powders, are essential for muscle repair and building, preventing muscle breakdown during training.

Small amounts of healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, peanut butter, or olive oil, are welcome pre-workout. However, consuming too much fat during this period can delay the absorption of other nutrients and potentially cause gastrointestinal discomfort during exercise.

Avoid very large meals before training

Avoiding large meals before training is recommended because digesting large amounts of food can overload your digestive system and make you feel sick.

When you eat a large meal, blood flow is concentrated in the stomach and intestines to aid digestion. During exercise, the body also needs increased blood flow to the working muscles.

This competition for blood flow can lead to problems such as nausea, bloating, cramps, and even indigestion. Even if this doesn't pose any health risks, the perception of symptoms can interfere with the quality of your workout.

Finally, very large meals tend to be more difficult and take longer to digest, which can result in a feeling of lethargy during exercise.

3 examples of pre-workout meals

Here are three examples of pre-workout meals that contain around 30-40g of carbs and 20-25g of protein, providing a balanced amount of the nutrients you need most during your workout:

1 – Fruit smoothie with protein powderIngredients: 1 medium banana (22g of carbohydrates), 100g of chopped papaya (10-11g of carbohydrates) and 30g of protein powder (whey concentrate or another type of protein that provides 20g of protein per 30g dose).How to make: Place all ingredients in a blender with 300-500ml of water or milk. Blend until smooth.2 – Sandwich with shredded chickenIngredients: 2 slices of whole wheat bread (about 20g of carbohydrates), 100g of shredded chicken (20g of protein).How to make: Season the shredded chicken to taste and make a sandwich with whole-grain bread. You can eat a banana with it to supplement the carbohydrate intake.3 – Sweet potato with grilled chickenIngredients: 200g cooked sweet potato (40g carbs) and 100g raw heavy grilled chicken (20-25g protein).How to make: Cook the sweet potato in water until you can easily pierce it with a fork and make the grilled chicken in a non-stick frying pan seasoned to taste.
What foods to avoid before training?

Before training, it's important to avoid foods that can cause gastrointestinal discomfort or otherwise decrease your energy. As mentioned above, it's important to avoid large meals, which means avoiding meals large enough to make you feel full and lethargic.

Additionally, it's recommended to avoid high-fiber foods like cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower) and whole grains, which can lead to bloating and gas. Saturated fats and fried foods are difficult to digest and can cause a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, as well as slowing digestion.

Can I train on an empty stomach?

Fasted training means lifting weights without eating for 8 to 12 hours. This practice can be useful for those who practice intermittent fasting and train first thing in the morning, but it's especially recommended for those aiming for weight loss.

When glucose and insulin levels are low, the body can more readily tap into fat stores for energy. This can be beneficial for weight loss, but it's not the best approach for those looking to gain muscle mass.

Additionally, training in a fasted state isn't suitable for everyone and can have some drawbacks. Depending on your caloric intake the day before, the lack of available glucose can result in lower energy levels, which can compromise performance, especially in heavy compound exercises.

Finally, some people don't feel comfortable training on an empty stomach and may experience unwanted symptoms such as dizziness and low blood pressure.