Snacking before working out -- need suggestions

Hi All --

 

I work out about 6 days a week (and yet somehow still have the most flabby belly ever...) and I'm not very good about snacking before I go. 

What are things I should eat to curb hunger and boost energy that will last me through about 2 hours at the gym? 

Also,  WHEN is the best time to eat before a workout?  Are there different things/times you should eat before a specific type of workout (weight training vs. cardio, etc.)?

 

Thanks!   

This isn't an educated response, just my own experience. 

I usually work out in the morning. If I have time, I eat a balanced breakfast (usually a scoop of whey protein mixed with a serving of yogurt and a cup of cereal) and then wait between 30-60 minutes to work out. When I'm done, I have a snack like an apple and cheese string (protein and carbs).

If I don't have time to eat breakfast, wait, and then workout, I just eat a banana. The carbs fuel my workout, and I'm just fine until I'm done the workout and can actually eat breakfast.

My workouts are always a combination of weights/resistance training along with cardio, and this food formula is working just fine for me.

Hope that helps a bit!

Kerri

 

I have this problem too--I go to the gym after work, but it's been a long time since I've had lunch so I'm usually too hungry to get a good work out.  What I usually do is for high cardio (running) I eat something that won't make my stomach cramp up, like a banana or juice. If I'm lifting weights or doing some other cardio (like the elliptical) I'll eat heavier things like bread b/c I know that it won't give me a cramp. Try experimenting a bit b/c your body is different than mine and don't feel bad about eating (healthily) before working out.  I find that my work outs are much better and longer if my stomach isn't growling.

From the FAQ up top:  What (and when) to eat before/after a workout? 

I have to be at work at 8:00am so working out in the mornings isn't really an option, plus my gym doesn't have towel service so it'd be annoying.

 

Thanks for the link, melkor!  

Melkor, what kind/brand of protein shakes do you recommend?

Whatever you can stomach, really - there's very little you can do to whey before it ceases to be whey protein. Optimum Nutrition's good - the powder blends well and tastes reasonable. So's GNC's store brand, EAS, Biotest, and several others - really, there's very little difference in protein quality between brands, most of it lies in the flavourings and how easy it is to mix the powder.

 Oh, yes - once upon a time someone gave me a tub of Herbalife stuff to try. It mixed about as well as gravel, tasted like chalk, and sat in the stomach like a lump of concrete - I still have the stuff for emergencies and guests I don't like much, but I don't foresee ever actually using it.

 Another brand I tried with mixed results is Ultimate Nutrition - as a straight protein shake it was pretty terrible, but it made a surprisingly tasty ingredient in protein smoothies. That is, you couldn't taste it over the berry and fruit flavours, which made it tolerable - but it still wasn't all that great in the stomach.

 Some of the cheapest off-brand Walmart bulk powders sell for less per pound than bulk whey costs per ton on the international markets - (Uh, that is, the per-pound price when you buy whey by the ton is more than what it sells for at Walmart) - which probably means that there's far less actual protein in the powder than what it says on the label and God only knows what it's cut with.

 But you can get pretty good deals on name-brand stuff from Costco and Walmart both, even if you stay away from the lowest-priced junk.

Thanks!!!

I work out 5 days a week for an average of an 1-2 hours per visit.

My suggestion is to eat an apple and a 1/4 cup of whole almonds about a half hour before you start your workout. That will give you a boost of natural sugars, just enough to help through your workout.

Bananas are also great for taming hunger before the gym or at anytime of the day. They are one of nature's most perfect foods.

Good luck!

Hi!

I think something quick like a banana or an apple.  A personal favorite of mine are the Fiber One Bars.  All of these will give you the energy and will help curb your appetite until after you're done.  Also, there isn't much preparation time.  I imagine if you're going from work to the gym this would be pretty convenient.  good luck!

I worry that with a protein shake, I'll just "bulk up" or it won't fill me up.  I've tried Designer Whey protein shakes in the past and "full and ready to work out" is definitely not what I'd use to describe myself after drinking it.

Reprinting from the post I linked to:

Nutrient timing is a whole book in itself, but the advice isn't all that different for weight training and short-duration cardio - if you're going to be doing 2+ hours of biking or running you're going to need to load up on energy gels and sports drinks in addition to the standard advice as you'll be burning through your body's glycogen like nobody's business.

 You'd want some protein pre-workout as well, for optimal results - the current recommendation for Best Pratice is to have a solid meal 90-120 minutes before your workout, no later. The protein in your food mostly digests in 3 hours, and the whole point of pre-workout nutrition is to have protein available in your system while working out. Therefore, eating more than 2 hours before your workout potentially leaves you without available amino acids in your blood stream at the end of your workout - not good.

 Alternatively, you have a liquid meal in the form of a protein shake 0-30 minutes before starting your workout - I personally feel this is the better option based on David Barr's research, but either way will work.

 Post-workout, a protein shake with moderately fast-acting whey protein taken within 30 minutes of your workout and containing carbs in a 4:1 carb:protein ratio is supposedly ideal for recovery.

 You'd then go on to eat your regularily scheduled meal within 90 minutes of having the protein shake, as whey protein mostly digests that fast.

 As for specifics: Alan recommends
Pre-workout
Protein = 0.25g/lb Target Body Weight
Carbs = 0.25g/lb TBW
Post-workout
Protein = 0.25g/lb TBW
Carbs = 0.5g/lb TBW

Calculate your individual needs based on either your lean body mass if you know it, or your target bodyweight if you don't.

Transitioning to having a protein shake pre-workout like Bodyscience, Alan, and Dave Barr among others recommend was a bit of a beeyotch to manage - took some time adjusting to how it felt; but once I'd survived the transition period the workouts were much more productive.

I ate almonds before a work out once and it was the worst thing I ever did to myself! My stomach felt too heavy and i don't think i even had an ounce! I don't know what it was...maybe too much fiber?? lol     I do coffee before workouts. Maybe with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Sometimes I'll have a large banana if i don't do the PB. If I have anything though, I try to wait at least 45 minutes after I've had my snack before I do my workout, that way my stomach doesn't feel sloshy.

I tried the diet Myoplex protein shakes for about three months and noticed absolutely no difference. All it did was fill me up and cut into my daily intake.

If I am exercising for 45 minutes or less, I prefer to go in a fasted state. 45 minutes or more and I will eat something light within 2 hours of my workout. Typically a couple pieces of crispbread or high fibre crackers with some low fat cheese and a portion of fruit (e.g., small banana, dark berries) and veg (e.g., cucumber, raw broccoli). If I am feeling really sluggish, I will have a cheeky bit of sugary, low-fat sweets (e.g., licorice).

I think I'll try the high-fiber snack route.  Hopefully it won't make me gassy!  I'd feel bad for the person running next to me.

Have you tried a smoothie? I make one using 140g mixed frozen berries, half a banana, 1 tbsp low fat natural yoghurt and 200ml apple juice before I go to the gym. Tastes great and seems to give me more energy than anything else - I've tried cereals, banana, beans on toast and none are as good as my smoothie

I haven't, since I never go home before I go to the gym (if I did, I'd never make it to the gym!) and I don't really have access to a blender where I work.  I suppose I could make it before I go to work, but eh....

A friend of mine makes a batch up every few days and stores it in the fridge in a large bottle then decants it as she needs it - it will keep for about 3 days so you only need to make it a couple of times per week. I'm lucky I can make mine fresh each morning, but it really does work for me so I think its worth it!