Guidelines surrounding pre-workout nutrition very much depends on your training goals, exercise/training type, training intensity and the level of your training e.g. elite athlete vs everyday gym goer. Consuming food and fluid before exercise should be seen as an opportunity to fine-tune carbohydrate and fluid levels and to ensure you feel comfortable and confident, and to support athletic performance and output.

The basic principles for eating before training depends on the length of the session. Here are some basic guidelines according to training duration:

  • Less than 1.5 hours – needs only a small snack or nothing (some individuals will feel fine to train on empty).
  • More than 1.5 hours – individuals will benefit from eating before training.
  • Training longer than 1.5 should also consider fueling during the training session as well.
  • Sessions longer than 3 hours typically needs 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour.

Why is it important to fuel before a workout?

It’s important to look at foods and liquids as fuel for the body. A smart analogy is that of a car. You need the right amount of fuel to go the full distance you plan, as well as the right type of fuel in order for the car to run properly. The food you eat and drink before training or your workout provides a chance to:

  • Fuel and hydrate your body for the exercise session ahead.
  • Get the most out of your training session – sustain quality and intensity for longer.
  • Avoid gut upset or unwanted dashes to the toilet block.
  • Help you hit your body composition goals.
  • Avoid unwelcome and distracting hunger pangs during the session.

Which traps do people commonly fall into when it comes to pre-workout nutrition? 

Common mistakes I see people making when it comes to pre-training nutrition are:

  • Poor timing of food intake – Eating too soon before a workout may affect performance if the food has not been digested properly. This can leave you feeling full, heavy, nauseous, bloated or crampy.
  • Poor food choices – Examples include high fat foods, fructose-containing foods and beverages, sugary foods and beverages. These foods all have different effects on the gastrointestinal tract, which can all lead to bloating, gas, cramping, diarrhoea.
  • Eating too much – Training on a full stomach and eating too much just before a workout has many outcomes. The ones that affect performance include; feeling full and heavy, which leads to lethargy and altered movement, gastrointestinal upset, development of a stitch during aerobic activity.
  • Eating too little or nothing at all – This specifically relates to people undergoing high intensity or long endurance training. As mentioned above, some individuals may get by in a fasting state without any trouble. Some individuals who have not fueled themselves appropriately ‘hit a wall’, resulting in their body not being able to perform to the level they would like forcing them to cease their work out.

Foods and liquids that should be avoided before a workout

Getting your nutrition wrong before a training session usually means that you don’t optimise your potential during exercise. Failing to fuel or hydrate properly before exercise can result in:

  • Earlier onset of fatigue
  • Reduced speed, especially during repeat efforts
  • Reduced endurance
  • Poor concentration, reaction time and decision making
  • Skill errors
  • Gut upset
  • Sub-optimal body composition

The types of foods and beverages that people should avoid include:

  • High fat foods – fat is digested more slowly than carbohydrates. Therefore, avoid fatty foods, which can make you feel sluggish, full and may cause you to cramp more easily.
  • Foods and fluids high in fructose – fructose is the major naturally occurring sugar (carbohydrate) found in fruit. A high fructose loading before a workout may cause gastrointestinal upset for some people. It generally has a greater effect on people who are doing a lot of movement during their training e.g. runners, swimmers etc.
  • Highly processed foods and drinks – although these foods and drinks contain simple sugars that are absorbed quickly for energy, the spike in blood glucose levels may lead to a slump soon after, affecting your training performance. The additional additives, colours and preservatives that are usually in these types of foods, especially confectionery, may also cause fatigue, lethargy, stomach upset and altered concentration in some individuals.

Foods and liquids that should be consumed before a workout out and optimal timing of intake

Everyone is different in what they like to eat (and what sits comfortably in their stomach) before exercise but in general, your pre-exercise meal or snack should be:

  • Rich in carbohydrate to prime your fuel stores.
  • Low in fibre, especially if you have issues with gut upset or feel anxious.
  • Easy to digest.
  • Familiar – when you find foods and fluids that suit you and your digestion, stick with them.

There’s no one “best” pre-exercise meal or snack option and it will depend on what your individual goals and requirements are. However, in general, meal and snacks should be consumed 1-4 hours prior to training for optimal utilisation.

Certain foods (predominantly carbohydrate based) are better consumed further out from training compared to others. Also, if your workout is not going to be high in intensity or long in duration, then you may get by without the need to snack prior and just focus of fluid intake for hydration. Some examples of meals and snacks (depending on the type of exercise) might be:

The following foods are suitable to eat 3-4 hours before exercise:

  • scrambled eggs and mushrooms on wholemeal toast
  • lean meat and vegetable stir fry with brown rice or quinoa
  • baked beans on wholemeal toast
  • wholemeal roll/wrap with lean meat, cottage cheese and salad vegetables
  • pasta, quinoa or brown rice with a sauce based on low-fat ingredients (e.g. tomato, vegetables, lean meat)
  • baked potato + cottage cheese and diced vegetable filling

The following snacks are suitable to eat 1-2 hours before exercise:

  • protein shake or fruit smoothie
  • rice cakes with nut spread
  • wholemeal breakfast cereal with milk or choice
  • natural or Greek yoghurt + fruit
  • fruit e.g. banana
  • oats made with skim milk or milk alternative e.g. almond milk