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Sports Nutrition What to serve before, during, and after exercise
By: Marta Fowler For: Ontario Rockies Baseball Club
Pre-Exercise Nutrition In the three hours before training, serve a combination of protein and carbohydrates to improve health, athletic performance, and recovery. Fats before exercise do not significantly impact sports performance and are less critical than carbohydrates as a pre-workout meal.
Practical recommendations for the pre-exercise period:
Option 1 2-3 hours before exercise Serve a mixed meal and a low-calorie beverage like water. Here are some simple ideas to help parents take the anxiety out of meal planning for their young athletes.
Option 2 0-60 minutes before exercise
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When a full meal 2-3 hours before training is not possible, serve a smoothie, shake, or yogurt because liquids are absorbed faster than solid food. Here is an excellent infographic on how to make delicious super-shakes.
During-Exercise Nutrition During training, food is not required for less than two hours and is only necessary under specific circumstances. During standard training, the focus should be on hydration, and athletes should be sipping water before, during, and after exercise. Eating protein during exercise Again, this is only necessary for athletes doing long, intense training bouts and multiple daily training sessions. Eating carbohydrates during exercise Carbohydrates provide an immediate fuel source, help boost performance and facilitate faster recovery. Still, as with the proteins, they are only beneficial in extended endurance and performance training lasting more than two hours. How many carbs should you serve for training sessions lasting longer than 2 hours? That depends. The maximum amount of carbohydrates that can be digested/absorbed during exercise is 30-40 grams per hour for athletes weighing 100-140 lb, but including protein in the mix can achieve the same performance benefits with only 15-25 grams of carbohydrates per hour. Fats during exercise? Eating a bit of fat before and after exercise can be a great and tasty idea, but avoid serving them during exercise because they are harder to digest and can cause gastrointestinal distress, nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting.
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Exercise nutrition in practice For less than two hours long training, the main focus should be hydration. This is especially true with good pre-and post-training nutrition, so the athlete should have access to plenty of water. Sports drinks should be avoided by athletes under 18 years of age, mainly if the athlete consumed a good pre-exercise meal. However, if training occurs in high heat conditions, serving age-appropriate beverages containing electrolytes may be beneficial to hydration and recovery. The same applies in situations where athletes will be competing or training again in less than eight hours. In cases where training is longer than two hours, age-appropriate beverages can be a huge help and should include a 1:2 protein-carb ratio and electrolytes, especially sodium. Depending on the rest intervals between training bouts, during-exercise nutrition can come in liquids, gels, solid food, electrolytes (especially sodium), protein and carbohydrates. Fats should always be avoided during active training and consumed during off periods, 2-3 hours before training begins or after training is completed for the day.
Post-Exercise Nutrition Post-training nutrition is critical for recovery, rehydration, and improved future performance. An ideal post-workout meal should include some fruit immediately after the training session, followed by a well-balanced mixed meal within 1-2 hours after training. Failing to eat within a two-hour window following intense training sabotages recovery and future performance, so it’s critically important not to skip it. Also, if the pre-training meal was a small one or an athlete ate several hours before training, it’s essential to serve the post-workout meal as soon as possible, ideally within less than an hour following exercise. Alternatively, suppose a normal-sized mixed meal was consumed a couple of hours before training (or a slight shake closer to exercise). In that case, the same recovery benefits will be achieved within up to 2 hours post-training.
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The bottom line To optimize health and performance, all pre-and post-training meals should contain high-quality protein, carbohydrates, and fats to maximize recovery and performance.
More Helpful Tips For Busy Parents: 25 Ways To Eat Healthy On The Go Macronutrients 101
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