Many athletes put a lot of emphasis on the pre-event meal believing it is the key element to performance. It is important to remember that food eaten throughout the training week and food and fluid consumed during the event is also important. The meal eaten before exercise should be seen as an opportunity to fine-tune carbohydrate and fluid levels and to ensure you feel comfortable and confident.
When should I eat?
Food consumed before exercise is only useful once it has been digested and absorbed. This means you need to time your food intake so that the fuel becomes available during the exercise period. The time required for digestion depends on the type and quantity of food consumed. Generally, foods higher in fat, protein and fibre tend to take longer to digest than other foods, and may increase the risk of stomach discomfort during exercise. Large quantities of foods take longer to digest than smaller quantities. You need to experiment to find the timing that best suits your individual needs. Generally, tolerance is better during lower intensity activities, or sports where the body is supported (e.g. swimming, cycling) than sports such as running where the gut is jostled about during exercise. A general guide is to have a meal about 3-4 hours before exercise or a lighter snack about 1-2 hours before exercise.
What should I eat?
Food eaten before exercise should provide carbohydrate. It should also be low in fat and moderate in fibre to aid digestion and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort or upsets. On occasions, it may be important to place emphasis pre-event on intake of carbohydrate and fluid. However, it is also useful to continue to consider other nutritional goals when choosing a pre-exercise meal. This means opting for meals that provide a wide variety of nutrients including protein, vitamins and minerals.
The following foods are suitable to eat 3-4 hours before exercise:
baked potato + cottage cheese filling + glass of milk
breakfast cereal with milk
bread roll with cheese/meat filling + banana
fruit salad with fruit-flavoured yoghurt
pasta or rice with a sauce based on low-fat ingredients (e.g. tomato, vegetables, lean meat)
The following snacks are suitable to eat 1-2 hours before exercise:
liquid meal supplement
milk shake or fruit smoothie
sports bars (check labels for carbohydrate and protein content)
breakfast cereal with milk
cereal bars
fruit-flavoured yogurt
fruit
The following foods are suitable to eat if there is less than 1 hour before exercise*:
sports drink
carbohydrate gel
sports bars
jelly lollies
What if I exercise early in the morning?
It is not always practical to eat a meal 3-4 hours before exercise. If you train early in the morning you should opt for a light snack about an hour before exercise. For example, some fruit or a cereal bar on the way to training along with some fluid such as sports drink. Make up for your smaller carbohydrate intake by consuming carbohydrate during the event or training session.
What if I am too nervous to eat?
You will perform better when you are well-fuelled and well hydrated, and the pre-event meal may play an important role in achieving these goals. Experiment to find a routine that works, and foods that are safe and familiar to you. Liquid meal supplements such as PowerBar Protein Plus powder provide an alternative for anyone who has difficulty tolerating solid foods pre-exercise. You may also find that foods such as cereal bars and sports bars can be eaten if you nibble them slowly over the hours leading up to your competition.
Should I avoid eating before exercise if I am trying to lose weight?Exercising in a fasted state (8 hours since the last meal) results in a greater proportion of fat being used as the exercise fuel compared to doing the same workload after a carbohydrate-containing meal or snack. However, it is possible that you will be able to exercise harder and for a longer period if you consume carbohydrate before exercise. Overall, this will result in greater energy use, and a better contribution to the negative energy balance that is needed to cause fat loss. To make a decision about eating before your workout, it is useful to consider the goals of the session. If your primary goal is to improve performance, have something to eat before exercise. If your primary goal is weight loss, and you will do the same amount of exercise regardless of whether you eat or not, save your meal until after the session.
Excerpt from article by Michelle Minehan and the Department of Sports Nutrition, AIS © Australian Sports Commission 2004
