What to Eat Before and After Exercise: Nutrition and Hydration Made Simple
- Dr. Rachelle Reed
- Apr 21
- 5 min read
Nutrition and exercise often go hand-in-hand; we know that consuming the right nutrients not only improves our overall health, but it also helps us perform well during workouts and see the training adaptations we’re after. Still, sorting through nutrition advice can feel overwhelming, especially with so many dieting trends and a wealth of misinformation online.
In this blog post, we’ll explore accessible, evidence-based recommendations for pre- and post-workout fuel and hydration, based on public health guidelines. Let’s dive in.
Why Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition Matters
Whether you’re exercising to improve your quality of life as you age, or to training for an upcoming marathon, nutrition plays a big role in your workout experience and recovery. What you eat and drink (or, what you skip) before a workout can impact your stamina and energy, while your choices post-workout may impact training adaptations, soreness, sleep, and recovery ahead of your next session.
Pre-Workout Nutrition: Pre-workout guidelines recommend consuming a snack or meal that has mainly carbohydrates and some protein within an hour or two of your workout. Here’s why: for most moderate and vigorous intensity workouts (think a 4 out of 10 on an effort scale, or higher), glucose from carbohydrates is your body’s preferred fuel source. Think of carbohydrates as the energy needed to drive skeletal muscle contractions and help you push through your E20 training sessions without significant fatigue (1). Further, protein, sometimes called the building blocks of life, is needed for muscle growth and repair. If you’re using a mobile application or tracking software for self-monitoring, aim for a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate:protein pre-workout.
Some examples of pre-workout snacks or meals that have a mix of both carbohydrates and protein include: Greek yogurt with berries, an apple or banana with peanut butter, a latte, or oatmeal with a low fat milk and fruit. If you’re an early morning exerciser, opting for quick digesting carbohydrate-only based options - like an applesauce pouch - without protein (which takes longer to digest) may be your best bet.
Post-Workout Nutrition: Refueling post-workout is central to the body’s natural recovery processes; a mismatch between too much training and inadequate nutrition-based recovery can lead to overtraining, injury, poor performance during workouts or competitions, and lack of adaptations (i.e. not seeing the gains in fitness you’re working so hard for). Experts generally agree that consuming a meal higher in protein, that also contains carbohydrates and healthy fats, within a few hours post-workout can support muscle repair, replenish glycogen stores, and promote recovery (2).
Examples of post-workout meals may be: 1) a lean protein source, steamed rice, and a hearty salad; 2) a smoothie made with a blend of fruits, vegetables, low fat milk, and potentially a scoop of protein powder; or 3) a grilled chicken and veggie wrap with greek yogurt dressing and a baked sweet potato.
How Hydration Comes into Play
The human body is approximately 60% water (3). In addition to supporting biological functions like delivering nutrients to our cells and helping us regulate core body temperature, water also plays a key role in helping us perform well and recover efficiently from exercise (4). For example, evidence suggests that being only 2-3% dehydrated, the time point at which you start to feel thirsty, can negatively impact our performance in a workout (4).
The National Athletic Training Association (NATA) explains that the exact amount of fluids we should consume varies person to person, based on factors like our age, size, the weather (i.e. humidity and temperature), the type(s) and volume of exercise we’re performing, and health conditions (4). Generally speaking, though, NATA recommends starting your workout in a hydrated state by consuming about 16-24 ounces of fluids within 2 hours of your workout. Take sips of water every 10-20 minutes or so during your workout to help avoid dehydration, and replenish fluid and electrolytes post-workout will aid in your recovery (4). While they recommend prioritizing water alone, longer or very intense workouts may warrant a rehydration beverage, which typically contains some carbohydrates and electrolytes (which we do lose in sweat).
Three Actionable Fueling Tips for E20 Training Members
With any regular exercise routine, dialing in your nutrition habits can make a big difference in how you perform, recover, and adapt to your training.
Stay Hydrated Before, During, and After Your Workout: Dehydration can negatively impact exercise performance and recovery (4). Symptoms of dehydration include headaches, the sensation of thirst, muscle cramps, and even dizziness or weakness. To stay hydrated and get the most out of your workout, aim to consume 16-24 ounces of fluids about 2 hours prior to your scheduled E20 Training session, and bring your favorite water bottle with you to the studio to hydrate during and after exercise. Don’t forget that many foods are high in water concentration too, including: watermelon, soups, smoothies, and even coffee; all food and beverages you consume can help you meet your hydration goals.
Avoid Skipping Meals Post-Workout: In order to see the adaptations to training that most of us are after, replenishing both carbohydrates (glucose - your body’s preferred fuel source during exercise) and protein post-workout is key. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends eating high quality protein within the first 2 hours after a workout (5). Think of this post-workout protein burst as part of your whole day protein strategy - which should include spacing protein throughout the day in all of your meals and high quality snacks (consume 20-40 grams of protein every 3 to 4 hours) (5). As far as carbohydrates go, ISSN recommends consuming carbohydrates within 4 hours post-workout, at a rate of about 0.4 grams per pound of body weight (5).
Make post-workout nutrition simple and convenient by trying a nutrient dense meal from our partner, Nutrition 4 Longevity. With balanced micronutrient composition (i.e. a science-backed mix of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats), and a ‘whole foods first’ approach, this meal delivery service is focused on improving your healthspan, without sacrificing flavor or ingredients.
Work with a Registered Dietitian for Personalized Fueling Prescriptions: To really dial in your nutrition, ask your primary care doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian near you. Often covered by insurance plans, working with a registered dietitian can help tailor your eating behaviors to account for any health conditions or medical diagnoses you may have. For example, if you are on a prescription medication, a registered dietitian works as part of your healthcare team to help you understand how any supplements may interact with that medication, provide specific caloric prescriptions, and more.
Key Takeaways
Once you’ve started consistently showing up for your exercise routine, dialing in your nutrition pre- and post-workout may help you get more out of each E20 Training session and recover better between sessions.
Show up hydrated to your workout, aiming to consume 16-24 ounces of fluids a few hours pre-workout. And, make sure to replenish fluids plus electrolytes after your session.
Consider adding a pre-workout snack or meal that has both carbohydrates and protein, to help you maintain energy levels throughout your workout.
Spacing protein consumption throughout your day - by prioritizing 20-40 grams of protein at each major meal or snack - is key for building strength and adapting to the stress of exercise.
For tailored nutrition prescriptions, including calorie estimations or help with managing chronic conditions, schedule time with a registered dietitian.
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