This is a topic I get a lot of questions about. Should I eat before working out? What should I eat before a workout? How long should I wait after eating to exercise?

This is a really important part in getting the results you want. If you aren’t properly fueling your body, you won’t have the energy to burn it off.

A common misconception is that, if you workout before you eat (i.e. first thing in the morning), you will burn more fat and lose more weight. You may be burning some fat, however, you are also going to drain your blood sugar levels, which can take up to 48 hours to rebalance, leaving you feeling weaker and more irritable than you should. This can also off-set the rest of your workouts and work against you overall. Instead, have a small meal an hour to an hour and a half before so that you are already jump starting your metabolism and giving yourself energy for your workout.

Think of it this way: by eating an extra 100 calories, you could have energy to burn 300 more than you would if you didn’t!

So, the next question is what to eat. When looking at a good pre-workout snack or meal, you want to make sure you are getting some complex carbohydrates (whole grains, brown rice, oatmeal, muesli) with a small amount of protein. The carbs will give you energy, and the protein will help stabilize your blood sugar. Eating too much protein before a workout will take your body a longer time to process, so have just enough to give you that satisfied feeling.

Some good suggestions are:

- a piece of whole grain toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter

- ¾ cup of oatmeal with a small glass of almond milk

- a smoothie with a scoop of protein powder

- one egg scrambled with a piece of toast

- an apple, a slice of turkey and a couple of almonds

- tuna (mixed with salsa) on a rice cracker


The best way to keep your metabolism high and keep your body energized all day is to eat 5-6 small meals and snacks through your day. So, keep on fueling; and you’ll keep on burning!