Eating to Optimize Workouts

by Thomas Young

In an office frequented by athletes and fitness regulars alike, I am consistently faced with the question “What should I eat before a work-out to maximize my training?” As complex as this question appears at face value, it is really simple to answer. What is eaten in the hours before a training session will do little to improve a work-out. In fact, it is more likely to impede performance than anything. Most of the energy utilized during a workout is actually drawn from the muscle glycogen and lipids stored as a result of meals several hours earlier.

Of paramount importance is the way you support your body’s healing and repair mechanisms following a workout. The critical window for nutrition is actually in the 20-60 minutes following a workout. In the first 20 minutes, very little blood is available to the digestive system to bring nutrients from the gut to the muscles where they are needed. After 60 minutes, muscle repair is less concentrated, as the body mobilizes fuel to the brain, and other parts of the body with greater demand. Inside this window, however; the body is working to repair the muscle micro-trauma resulting from training. This leads to hypertrophy, or growth, of the muscles. To fuel this repair, it is important to take in a quality source of protein and essential fatty acids (EFA’s). While real foods like salmon and cod are the source our bodies are designed to consume, they tend to yield the best results; but a quality egg or whey powder and fish oil supplement can be effective in a time crunch.

The other critical window is actually at night while we sleep. I have talked to many who subscribe to the myth “Don’t eat after 6.” This appears to be common sense, as you are not “active” at night; but once you fall asleep, the body begins a dramatic repair phase while circulation and energy are not devoted to other activities. While eating too late may prevent you from getting to sleep, a small meal consisting of protein and EFA’s 2 hours before bed will optimize repair giving greater results from your workouts.

What you eat throughout the day will definitely have the greatest impact upon the results you get. Focus on a balance of fresh vegetables and fruits with lean meats containing EFA’s to reduce fat storage and build glycogen stores. Minimize processed and refined foods that slow metabolism and increase fat storage, and benefit from the critical windows that will maximize the benefits you can achieve in your workouts. Couple these guidelines with consistent exercise, and watch yourself reshape to the healthy, fit person you strive to become!

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