‘Don't exercise after eating’ – we're sure you've heard this saying before. If you train a lot, you've probably often wondered when it would be best to eat. Your training success is particularly linked to your nutrition. Many different myths persist, and there are hundreds of facts on this topic in the various social networks – but there is no absolute truth! Is it best to train on an empty stomach?
What is the right diet before exercise? How is eating related to your training? All these questions have different, often individual answers and we will try to answer many of them in this blog post.
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How long after eating no sport?
For many people, this question has become an essential one. In the stressful pace of everyday life, it is often difficult to maintain the correct intervals between meals and exercise. But what are the correct intervals anyway?
There is no completely correct answer to this question. Scientists do not entirely agree on the timing of eating before exercising. As a general rule, you should avoid eating heavy meals directly before exercising. The size of the portion also makes a difference here.
When the stomach is full, the body needs rest and some time to digest. You should definitely wait two hours after a large meal before exercising.
If you like to exercise in the morning, you can boost your fat burning by going to the gym on an empty stomach. If that's too strenuous for you and you need a small source of energy, we recommend easily digestible carbohydrates. A banana, muesli or even a small porridge can work almost wonders!
The best time to eat – before or after exercise?
The best time for the right meal is also controversial. Is it better to eat before or after exercise? Your body probably has an individual answer to this question that cannot be applied universally. And that's a good thing! Depending on your training goal, you have to pay attention to how you best adjust your diet to your needs.
What is definitely important is that you replenish your energy and carbohydrate stores as quickly as possible after an intensive workout. The combination of macronutrients is what makes it – easily digestible carbohydrates, protein and little fat are the key to a healthy diet after exercise. In general, you should.
How nutrition affects your workout
How you eat is extremely important for your training success. No matter what your goals are, be it fat burning, muscle building or just losing weight, nutrition plays an important role. But it should be said that you shouldn't overcomplicate sports nutrition. High-quality proteins and complex carbohydrates in whole grain products are an important part of a sports unit.
With the right foods, you will have plenty of energy and strength, which you can put to good use in your training. Timing is important! Don't eat too close to your workout, otherwise your stomach will be too full to train properly.
5 tips for eating before exercise
A balanced diet makes it easier to exercise. To make sure you don't suffer before your workout, we have summarised the five best tips for eating before exercising.
1. Know your basal metabolic rate!
Anyone who has ever looked into dieting and sports has probably heard of the basal metabolic rate. This determines how many calories your body burns during the day without exercise or other movement. We have developed the Verival calorie calculator so that you can estimate your basal metabolic rate. This can help you lose weight – without you having to spend a long time on it!
The Verival calorie calculator is the easy way to lose weight – find out more here.
2. Listen to your body
Because of the many different individual needs that people have, it is not so easy to say what the perfect sports nutrition looks like. That's why it's important that you listen to your body very carefully. Do you like to train on an empty stomach? Then you should keep doing it. Do you feel sick or dizzy? Then it would be better to eat something before training. As so often in life, the most important thing is to do exactly what you think is right!
3. Consume the right foods before training
If you decide to eat before your workout, you should pay attention to what foods you eat. High-protein snacks are particularly good before a workout. Cottage cheese, legumes, oats or wholemeal bread are perfect pre-workout meals.
If you want to build muscle, you should also watch your insulin levels. If your blood sugar is consistently high, it will hinder your weight loss success. With intense exercise, your blood sugar levels will drop – but to help you build muscle, you should make sure to eat simple sugars again after your workout.
4. Proper hydration is extremely important!
Fluid is probably one of the most important parts of your workout. Not only do you have to learn how to eat, but you also need to make sure you stay properly hydrated. If you sweat a lot during your workout, you need to replace the fluids you have lost. Water or isotonic drinks work best for this.
The electrolyte supply plays an important role here! If you want your fat burning to work well, you should definitely avoid sugary drinks. These are hidden calorie bombs and also temporarily raise your blood sugar level. This should be avoided at all costs.
5. Note the portion sizes
The main problem with eating before exercising is the portion sizes. If you eat a large meal too close to your workout, you'll feel sluggish and tired. Your body will be busy digesting and won't be able to perform at its best.
If you consume more than 600 calories, you should wait up to 3 to 4 hours before exercising. If you eat a small, high-fibre snack, you can expect to be fully ready for your workout in about 45 minutes.
The best breakfast recipes for your workout
You can do a lot right at breakfast time! If you like to eat breakfast before your workout, our Verival products are perfect for you. Our Sport Porridge, available in many different shapes and colours, and our Sport Muesli are ideal for getting the most out of your workout and starting the day healthily. We also have two delicious muesli recipes for snacks between meals to help satisfy your cravings:
Muesli Bites
Perfect as a small snack before a workout or sports session
Preparation time: 10 mins.
Cooking time: 20 mins.
Total time: 30 mins.
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Keyword: banana, granola, oats, nuts, sports, whole grain, cinnamon
Ingredients
- 200 g Sport Granola nuts, seeds, coconut
- 1 ripe banana
- A little bourbon vanilla
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons of rolled oats
- If necessary, 1-2 teaspoons of wholemeal spelt flour
Preparation
- First, preheat the oven to 180°C (convection) and line one or two baking trays with baking paper.
- Mash the banana finely with a fork so that there are no pieces left. Of course, you can also use a hand blender for this.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Warm the honey with the coconut oil a little and add to the dry ingredients with the banana puree.
- Mix everything together to form a smooth mixture and use two teaspoons to place small heaps on the baking trays.
- Flatten the heaps a little with a damp teaspoon or your fingers and bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
- Then turn the muesli bites over and bake again for another 7-10 minutes until golden brown.
FAQ
How long should you wait to eat after exercising?
That depends on the size of the portion. As a general rule, you should have your last meal two hours before exercising.
How long before going to bed should you not exercise?
High-intensity training should be finished at least two hours before going to bed.
Why shouldn't you eat before exercising?
If you eat too close to your workout, your body will be busy digesting and you won't be able to perform at your best.
Why shouldn't you exercise immediately after eating?
You will be very full immediately after eating and your body will also be busy digesting. So you won't be able to perform at 100% of your best.
Can I eat more when I exercise?
Generally speaking, yes. But it also depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to lose weight, you need to consume around 300-400 calories less than your total calorie intake to lose weight successfully.
How long before a workout should you not eat?
You should have a break of around two hours between your last meal and your workout.
Should you eat before or after a workout?
Listen to your body! There are no actual rules that you always have to follow. After exercise, you should replenish your energy stores as quickly as possible. Before exercise, you can eat protein-rich foods to ensure good muscle growth!
When to eat before exercise?
This largely depends on the portion size. For meals with 600 calories or more, you should wait 3 to 4 hours before exercising; for snacks, you can start exercising again after just 45 minutes.
