How to Exercise with
Proper Nutrition

Many don’t think that learning how to exercise means eating right. But what you eat before and after exercise affects both how you feel and how you perform, according to Tammy Lakatos Shames and Elysse Lakatos, registered dieticians specializing in exercise nutrition.

How Your Body Gets Its Exercise Energy

Your body uses glycogen during exercise. It is a carbohydrate stored in muscle and the liver. If you are hungry when starting exercise, you will quickly deplete the glycogen stores and fatigue more quickly. It generally takes 90 minutes of vigorous exercise to deplete your stores, so even if you go in properly fed, you should bring a protein/carb bar or sport drink with you.

What to Eat Before and During Exercise

Protein and carbohydrates together makes a slower burning energy source. If you eat within an hour of your workout, a hard boiled egg (protein) plus 1/2 bagel (carbs) is good.

If you eat more than on hour before exercise, a more substantial food such as a peanut butter sandwich or a turkey wrap with lettuce and tomato is good. Just remember to mix the protein with the carbs.

Remember the carb loading pasta dinner the night before? If you do eat a large carb dinner and exercise the first thing in the morning, you will be ok without eating before you head out.

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What to Eat After Exercise

How to Exercise and Eat to Lose Weight

Your body continues to burn calories at a higher rate for about one hour after exercise, so plan to eat within this time frame to take advantage of this burst.

Protein

Muscle repair and muscle growth are optimized within 30-60 minutes after exercise through your eating 15-20 grams of lean protein. For example, 2 oz. of chicken contains 12g of protein, and an egg contains 6g.

Add a Complex Carbohydrate

Just as with protein, muscle cells quickly absorb carbs within an hour after exercise, helping to restore glycogen levels. The best ratio is a 4:1 carb to protein ratio. A turkey sandwich and a nonfat fruit yogurt attains this at 75g carbs:18g protein.

Beat Free Radicals with Fruit

The antioxdants in fruit reduce damaging free radicals produced during and after exercise, and their sugars help restore glycogen levels.

Replace Your Water Weight

It is best to weigh yourself before and after exercise. If you lose one pound during your workout, replace the water weight first, before eating. Water weighs 8.34 lbs/gallon, so you would drink 1/8 gallon of water, or 16 oz. per pound lost.

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