Eating And Working Out

Not only is it important to engage in some type of regular exercise, it’s also important to pay attention to your diet and the foods you eat, both before and after you exercise, and how you eat if you want to tone and lose weight.

Food is fuel and your body needs fuel to “go.” However, you don’t want to eat a heavy meal before you work out or all your energy will be directed at digesting your meal, making your workout a lot more strenuous for you. On the other hand, you don’t want to exercise on an empty stomach or you simply won’t have the fuel you need to get through the workout.

Some rules of thumb regarding pre- and post-workout eating:

Before your workout:

• Eating a low-glycemic index meal before exercise reduces blood sugar level spikes and burns twice as much fat as a high-glycemic index meal, according to one UK study conducted at the University of Nottingham. Low-glycemic index foods include muesli, yogurt, whole grains and soy.

• Drink plenty of fluids; continue to drink fluids during your workout to remain well-hydrated. Once you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

• Don’t eat a high-fat meal or snack – it takes longer to digest.

• Some suggested pre-workout meals include whole grain cereal with fruit and fat-free milk, banana and yogurt, fresh fruit (oranges, bananas) or a multigrain bagel with jelly.

• The time you wait between eating and working out depends largely on what you eat. Thirty minutes to one hour is good for a light meal, while three to as many as six hours may be necessary after eating a heavier meal.

After your workout:

• Replenish fluids lost to sweating during exercise; rehydrate until urine is clear or pale yellow and you are urinating frequently.

• It is important to replenish depleted carbohydrate stores (glycogen), which are stored in your muscles, after a workout. Carbohydrates combined with small amounts of protein work best (i.e., bagel with peanut butter, fruit with cheese, cereal with milk).

• Replace potassium lost through sweating by eating bananas, yogurt, and raisins or by drinking orange or grapefruit juice.

Keep in mind that your workout diet is supposed to support your exercise, weight loss and/or body-toning goals. Please feel free to ask us for our recommendations when you come in for your next chiropractic adjustment.