Fueling Your Body for Workouts

Most people benefit from eating one to four hours before a workout.  This can depend on how your body reacts to eating before exercise and also on how long you plan to workout. Read on to learn more about how to fuel your body before workouts. 

CARBOHYDRATES 
Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred source of quick energy. They help to fuel workouts. If workouts are lengthy or intense, eating carbohydrate beforehand is particularly helpful. 

Examples of carbohydrates: fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, pasta, bread 

PROTEIN
Eating protein with a carbohydrate source before exercise will slow digestion of the food and allow for a steady release of energy for the body. Additionally, providing the body with protein pre-workout may reduce muscle breakdown.

Examples of protein: yogurt, chicken, eggs, tofu, nuts and nut butter, seeds and seed butter

Both the intensity and duration of exercise can impact the type of fuel you may need. In particular, longer and more strenuous workouts benefit from including carbohydrates.  Here are some examples depending on your current workout routine: 

Suggestions for workouts less than 90 minutes:
Low to moderate intensity (meaning you can carry on a conversation during the activity):

• Yogurt 
• Protein shake or bar

High intensity (meaning you can only carry on very brief conversations or cannot talk at all during the activity):

• Yogurt with granola
• Handful of whole grain crackers with peanut butter 
• Protein shake or bar with a piece of fruit

Suggestions for workouts more than 90 minutes:
Low to moderate intensity:

• Peanut butter sandwich
• Packet of oatmeal with a handful of nuts

• Protein shake or bar with a piece of fruit

High intensity:

• Between one and two fistfuls of pasta with meat sauce (or plant-based alternative to ground beef)
• Bagel with almond butter
• ​Fistful of rice with beans topped with plain Greek yogurt 

Please note eating higher fiber foods (like nuts and beans) closer to the time of exercise may cause digestive upset for some people. 

REFERENCES:
Eating and Exercise: 5 Tips to Maximize Your Workouts. Mayo Clinic. December 2023. Accessed February 2023. 
Ormsbee M, Bach C, Baur D. (2014). Pre-Exercise Nutrition: The Role of Macronutrients, Modified Starches and Supplements on Metabolism and Endurance Performance. Nutrients. 2014; 6(5): 1782–1808. 
Rothschild JA, Kilding AE, Plews DJ. What Should I Eat before Exercise? Pre-Exercise Nutrition and the Response to Endurance Exercise: Current Prospective and Future Directions. Nutrients. 2020;12(11):3473.

By Celine Delaronde, MS
MGH Dietetic Intern