Fueling Before And After Workouts

It's pretty individual, depending on both the person and the activity. You may need to experiment?

Normally, I'm fine if I just keep up a schedule of meals/snacks that add up to reasonable nutrition and appropriate calories.

If I'm getting ready for a workout and feel a little draggy, I might have some quick carbs, like fruit, dried fruit, or even candy. Same for post-workout: I might have some carbs if I feel low, or have some protein after a challenging workout if there's no meal coming up relatively soon.

For a period of time, I took back-to-back group fitness classes, such as spin class followed by kettlebell. I did better if I had a quick snack between, even something as small as one of those no-sugar-added applesauce packets or something similar I could keep in my gym bag without spoilage. If I was highly organized, I'd put one of those little shelf-stable chocolate milks in a tiny lunchbox-sized cooler with a reusable freezer block (blue ice), and throw that in my gym bag to drink between classes.

In hot summer, I take a couple of snacks (one with more carbs, the other with more salt) on bike rides, and eat one, both, or neither depending on how I feel (during a ride of a couple hours or so). I found (by experimenting) that I needed more carbs before on-water rowing than before spin class, so varied my breakfast accordingly, generally by eating my peanut butter on an Ezekiel pita as opposed to a large cracker-like thing called a Coco Lite Pop Cake.

If you want some carbs in your protein shake, blending in a banana or some other fruit would be an option.

I'm betting you can figure this out. Getting faint or dizzy after a non-long (less than an hour) workout, especially if it's not super intense, could be some kind of blood sugar regulation as well. Eating something that will provide more level energy beforehand could be good - like complex carbs (something starchy with fiber, grain or similar) vs. quick carbs like sugars. I don't think there are "one size fits all" answers.

Best wishes!

I avoid fasted workouts, because they feel terrible to me (and I underperform) but some people say they do better when they work out fasted.

lisakatz2 wrote: »

I agree with you about the fasted workout thing. I do terrible on it. Should have blended a banana into my protein shake, maybe even a tablespoon of PB. I'm still (mentally) getting used to the increase in calories after years and years of restrictive dieting.

I had a couple of fig bars after my workout, 20 gummy bears, and a huge apple followed by a lunch of roast chicken breast, steamed asparagus, and green salad with two tablespoons of Italian dressing I reached my calorie goal for the day, in spite of it all.

You're right, I'll figure it out. I just needed reassurance.

You're doing fine. :flowerforyou;

PB = peanut butter? That has calories, but not many carbs (in the no-sugar-added type, anyway) . If PB = one of the peanut butter powders, they may be a little more carb-rich, but not much.

That makes sense!

Could also be a too big calorie deficit. How many calories are you eating? Is it enough to get through the day and fuel your exercise on top?

lisakatz2 wrote: »

I agree with you about the fasted workout thing. I do terrible on it. Should have blended a banana into my protein shake, maybe even a tablespoon of PB.

Yes, that would be ideal. Fasted workouts or not fasted are irrelevant for weight loss, but if they impact your ability to work out well then you're worse off.

Also note the "anabolic window" is a myth.

I have some carbs and typically a coffee a couple of hours before lifting. Basically, on lifting days I adjust my coffee schedule to have one of them pre-workout.