Ask Mary

If you ate a small meal within 2 – 3 of your workout, you probably don't need anything but water.  The fuel you burn during exercise is already stored in your muscles, liver, and fat cells from past meals.  But if you feel better with a snack, then choose easily-digested carbohydrates, such as juice, fruit, fat-free yogurt or milk, or a sports drink.  After exercise, eat carbohydrate to refuel your muscles and protein to rebuild your muscles within 30 minutes or so.  Read more about eating before exercise at About.com.