Pre-Training Nutrition. Yes or No?
What is Pre-Training Nutrition?
Depending on the duration and intensity of the exercise , pre-training nutrition may be beneficial to a person’s training goals by way of increased endurance, strength and performance (1). Whether exercise is a HIIT session, cycling, yoga or running, all these forms require energy. Therefore, fuelling beforehand may be a good option for you depending on what you eat, when you eat, and how much.
Athletes who claim to ‘hit the wall’ during a tough training session, have typically depleted their glycogen stores, meaning they have run out of fuel (glycogen). Athletes or exercisers who train for long sessions in a fasted state (i.e. no food beforehand), the occurrence of energy depletion is higher, and the further drawback for those who do high volumes of training is that they are more likely experience a negative energy balance which can be associated with chronic fatigue and hormonal and immune dysfunction (1,2).
For us Everyday Athletes however, a meal of snack between 1- 4 hours pre-training, that consists of a mix of quality carbohydrate and protein, is usually the best approach to help us to perform during our exercise sessions at maximum potential (4,5).
For those who prefer to train in a fasted state, there is some evidence that during medium-intensity steady-state exercise, our body burns fat generally higher in the overnight-fasted compared with eating a carbohydrate snack beforehand. However, it is also worth noting that as the length and intensity of the exercise increases, there is no significant difference in fat burning between those who have fasted and those that have eating a carbohydrate meal/snack (1,5,6). So, depending on what your training goals are and the longer and tougher your workout is, you will benefit from a pre-training snack so that you can perform at your best in that session.
The Benefits of Eating Before Training
Generally, for those that can tolerate a meal or snack before training or exercise, the pros of fuelling pre-training include:
Increase carbohydrate utilisation on the body
Reduced fatigue associated with intensive training
Better maintenance of mood state associated with intensive training
Prolong time-to fatigue during exercise/competition
Normalisation of muscle glycogen levels (i.e. adequate fuel in your body to train)
Prevention of illness and injury
So What Can I Eat?
To typically increase your energy ahead of a workout, aim to consume meals richer in complex carbohydrates 2–3 hours in advance, and snacks that may contain simple carbohydrates 30–60 minutes in advance of your workout. Some food examples include:
Small bowl cereal/oats with chopped fruit and yoghurt
Crumpets/toast/bagel with sliced banana and drizzle of honey
Small bowl pasta with tomato-based sauce
Fruit smoothie
Apple or banana
Dried fruit
Trail mix
Energy bar
Experiment with foods to decide what works best for you, and always aim to hydrate with water.
Note: This article relates to daily and weekly training routines for general use of everyday athletes. It is not intended for those training for specific endurance and resistance competitions and events. Contact info@execfuel.com.au to discuss a personalised meal plan to support you achieve optimal performance.
References
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7696145/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596471/
3. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2020.1795950
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4042570/
