How to Eat Healthy While Working Out
If you're an athlete or just working out to keep fit, eating the right foods will increase your energy. What you eat will determine how you feel during workouts and for the remainder of the day. Eating the wrong foods will not only zap energy levels, but will make you feel tired all day. Timing what you eat prior to workouts can also keep your blood sugar level, without making you crave the wrong foods.
Things You'll Need
- Whole-grain cereal
- Low-fat milk
- Fruit
- Juice
- Energy bar
- Fruit smoothies
- Sports drink
- Cheese
- Crackers
- Peanut butter
- 4 oz. chicken
- Small salad
Instructions
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Preparation is essential for your body. Get up two hours before morning workouts to eat. Energy levels will deplete from the previous night, making your blood sugar levels low, as indicated by Mayo Clinic. If you skip your morning meal, you won't have energy.
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Consider what's going into your body. Incorporate carbohydrates into your breakfast. Eat a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk. Alternatively, a banana with a glass of orange juice will prepare your body.
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Plan your meals. How much you eat before working out can impact your body. A big meal could cause sluggishness, stomach cramping and diarrhea.
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Avoid hunger. Snack lightly in between meals. An energy bar, fruit smoothie or sports drink will prevent hunger pains.
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Avoid dehydration. Keep hydrated during workouts. Drink before and after workouts, and up to every 20 minutes while working out, suggests Kids Health. Keeping hydrated will replenish fluids lost during workouts.
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Help your body recover. Eat a small meal rich in protein and carbohydrates within two hours after working out. Proteins and carbohydrates will help muscles recover after exercising. Options include crackers and cheese, peanut butter with fruit or 4 oz. chicken with a small salad.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid caffeinated or carbonated drinks.
Avoid spicy foods, broccoli and fatty foods prior to working out. These foods take longer to digest and can result in gas and stomach cramping.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit working out four image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com colorful bed linen on a wooden bed image by ann triling from Fotolia.com banana image by Edvin selimovic from Fotolia.com fruit smoothie image by Shirley Hirst from Fotolia.com Young woman drinking water. Woman With Water Glass. image by Monika 3 Steps Ahead from Fotolia.com cheese and crackers 1 image by Stas from Fotolia.com
