Should I eat lunch before or after biking?
Asked by 74bronco302 on Aug 23, 2009
in Fitness
Is it ok to eat lunch, wait 30 min, then bike an hour - or should I switch to biking first, then eating? I read your answer about eating within 30 minutes of exercise and I think I may have been doing it backwards (i.e. eating first, waiting 30, then exercising). Is my body still able to take advantage of the protein and carbohydrates I ate before biking, or do I need to switch and bike before lunch?
Answer
You should wait more than 30 minutes after eating a large lunch before you do serious exercise. Your body needs time to digest, absorb and utilize the nutrients in your lunch. During digestion, your blood supply is diverted to your stomach instead of to your limbs and that makes working out difficult. For the best performance and nutrient utilization, eat breakfast 3 - 4 hours before your lunchtime ride, drink water freely through the morning, and then about 30 minutes before your ride, have an easily digested high carbohydrate snack like juice. Complete your 60-minute ride and then follow it with a full balanced lunch. Read about eating and exercise at About.com.
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