Fueling Your Workouts: What to Eat Before and After Exercise

Let’s review a very important yet often overlooked facet of your fitness: what you consume before and after your workouts. Speaking from experience, finding the right combination of protein, carbs, and fat can make a huge difference in how you feel and how you perform.

Why not make sure your body has the fuel it needs to crush the workout? Let’s spend a minute breaking down the basics of pre- and post-workout nutrition. This will most definitely help you maximize your efforts in the gym. 

Pre-Workout Nutrition: Energy

Pre-workout nutrition is all about giving your body the energy it needs to power through your session. Think of it like filling up your car’s gas tank before a long drive – you don’t want to be on empty halfway to your destination!

Timing: Ideally, you want to eat a balanced meal 2-3 hours before your workout. If that’s not possible, a light snack 30-60 minutes beforehand works as well. The goal is to give your body enough time to digest and convert food into energy.

What to Eat:

• Carbs: These are your body’s main source of energy. Go for complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and veggies.
• Protein: Helps with muscle repair and growth. Think lean meats, yogurt, or plant-based options (Lentils, Chickpeas, and Beans/Legumes).
• Fats: Healthy fats are great but keep intake moderate since they take longer to digest. Avocados, nuts, and seeds are good choices.

Quick Examples:

• A whole grain wrap with chicken and veggies.
• Greek yogurt with berries and a sprinkle of granola.
• A banana and a handful of almonds.

Post-Workout Nutrition: Recovery

Post-workout nutrition is all about recovery. You need to replenish the nutrients that you used during your workout. You also need to supplement the muscle repair process. A post-workout snack does just that. And believe it or not, that post-workout meal will help to stave off muscle soreness. Recover well and you’ll be ready for the next workout.

Timing: You should aim to eat within 30-60 minutes after your workout. During this period, your body is primed to repair and rebuild. It’s ready to efficiently put those nutrients to work!

What to Eat:

• Protein: Crucial for muscle repair and growth. A good quality protein source is essential.
• Carbs: Important for replenishing glycogen stores. Pair them with protein for optimal recovery.
• Hydration: Don’t forget to rehydrate. Water usually does the trick, but if you’ve had a particularly intense session, consider adding electrolytes.

Examples:

• Grilled chicken with quinoa and steamed veggies.
• A smoothie with protein powder, banana, spinach, and almond milk.
• A turkey and avocado sandwich on whole grain bread.

Tips and Tricks

1. Listen to Your Body: We all process food in distinct ways. Pay attention to how your body responds to different food combinations and the proximity of consumption to when you workout. If you’re feeling great and recovering well, stay the course. If you’re sluggish or your muscles are overly sore, make some adjustments. It’ll take a little time to find what works for you.
2. Quality Over Quantity: Stick to unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods rather than processed ones. Grilled chicken on a whole wheat wrap will serve you better than a bag of Lays potato chips.
3. Stay Hydrated: Staying hydrated is of paramount importance before, during, and after your workout. At CrossFit Vertex, we suggest consuming at least 84 ounces of water per day. And it’s OK to stop to take a drink during your workout!

My Personal Take

For me, finding the right pre- and post-workout nutrition has been a game-changer. It’s like a mini science experiment! I’ll tweak and try new things until I find what makes me feel and perform the best.

Right now, my staple pre-workout nutrition: 4.5 ounces baked chicken, 50 grams of blueberries, 20 grams of dry oatmeal (😊), 30 grams of walnuts, and 75 grams of brown rice. I try to eat about two hours before heading to the gym. This mix of carbs, proteins, and fats maintains my energy levels during the workout.

Directly after the workout, I always have a protein shake, some water, and an electrolyte drink (usually a FitAid). Once I’m home, I’ll have a few ounces of chicken and about 50 grams of sweet potatoes. This combination ensures I recover well and that I’m not too sore the next day.

Everyone is different! Don’t be afraid to experiment, supplement, and swap. Once you find the combinations that work for you, try them out for a month. Continually reassess and refine. And if you really want to ratchet up your performance and recovery, check out the CrossFit Vertex Nutrition Program and talk to Coach Kaleena.

As of the publish date on this article, I’ve been practicing CrossFit for thirteen years. I’ve owned this gym since it opened in 2012. I've helped hundreds of folks find the best versions of themselves. I'd love the opportunity to help you as well. Let's meet: Joe's Schedule.

Joe Marcavage

Owner, CrossFit Vertex