Nutrition and sports: what do you eat before and after exercise?

We’ve probably all made the following mistake at some point: it’s Saturday afternoon, and with high hopes, you put on your sports outfit – today, we’re going to crush it! When you open the fridge to quickly finish the leftovers from last night, you soon find yourself in for a rude awakening: a horde of mold means your once-delicious meal is heading straight for the trash. Oh well, you’ll eat after your workout. Upon arriving at the gym, you quickly regret your decision… your training could easily feature in a YouTube video titled: 25 Funniest Fails In Sport History. The moral of the story: it’s essential to get the right nutrition before and after a workout. In this blog, we’ll give you tips on what to eat around your training sessions, the best timing for this, and we’ve lined up our favorite recipes for you.

What do you eat before exercising?

A phrase we often come across is: "fuel your body." Your body needs fuel, just like a car, to function. Have you ever tried to drive your car when it was out of gas? No? So why would you go exercising without any form of fuel in your body? The nutrition you consume before a workout is very important, as it plays a key role in how you feel and how you perform.

Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy, and they are essential during exercise (especially during prolonged and/or intense efforts). Do you have a heavy workout planned? Always make sure that what you eat is high enough in carbohydrates to successfully get through your training.

The amount of carbohydrates you need per day depends on your intensity; with a moderate training schedule of about 1 hour per day, you should aim for about 5-7 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. When you train for about 1 to 3 hours per day, you can expect to need 6-10 grams. It's, of course, best to distribute your required macros throughout the day. Using the guidelines above, you can also calculate how many carbohydrates you need to consume before your training. In our blog "Determining Energy Needs and Calculating Macros: Here's How!" we delve deeper into this topic.

The most important thing is that you consume a nutritious meal before training; so don’t just focus on carbohydrates. Later in this blog, we have compiled the tastiest recipes for pre-workout meals for you.

How long before exercising should you eat?

We briefly mentioned it already, but having a large meal just before your workout is a bad idea. Your body needs a constant blood supply to digest your food. When you exercise, your muscles demand oxygen-rich blood. Your muscles will always take priority, causing your food to digest more slowly—resulting in a full stomach while exercising. To avoid these kinds of issues, it’s best to adhere to the following timeframes between eating and exercising:

2-3 Hours Before Exercise

When you have an intensive training session planned, it’s always important to consume a sufficient amount of food well in advance of your workout. Aim to have a good meal about 2 to 3 hours before exercising, and drink about half a liter of water (500 ml). This gives your body ample time to process the meal, resulting in enough energy and hydration during your workout.

It is especially important for endurance athletes (those who train for longer than 1.5 hours) to consume enough carbohydrates 2 to 3 hours before exercising. We recommend that endurance athletes incorporate at least 70 grams of carbohydrates into their meals to ensure sufficient energy during their efforts.

Focus on slow carbohydrates (foods that your body takes longer to convert into energy) in the 2-3 hours leading up to your training.

Here are some examples of slow carbohydrates:

• Brown rice
• Fiber
• Oatmeal
• Whole grain bread
• Whole grain pasta
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Yogurt

30-60 Minutes Before Working Out

No matter how tight your schedule is, sometimes you suddenly find yourself overwhelmed by hunger just before your workout, as if you haven't eaten in days. Going into your workout with a growling stomach is a bad idea, but fortunately, this can easily be solved with quick carbohydrates (carbohydrates that are rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream, causing spikes in your blood sugar).

These products are best consumed right before your workout session:

• Banana
• Protein bar
• Breakfast cake
• A slice of white bread with sweet toppings (such as syrup or sprinkles)
• Croissant
• Yogurt drink
• Fruit juice

Recipes to eat before exercise

So working yourself into a sweat without something in your stomach is a definite no-go. We've listed the tastiest recipes for you to eat before your workout:

Banana protein with strawberry sauce

• Carbohydrates: 100 g
• Fats: 11 g
• Proteins: 34 g

The most delicious banana pancake made from protein powder, banana slices, and our own strawberry-light sauce. The recipe is quick and easy to make and is packed with good nutrients!

Feta toast with bbq sauce

Salmon burrito

• Carbohydrates: 15 g
• Fats: 20 g
• Proteins: 47 g

A filled wrap or burrito is always an easy and good lunch. Moreover, you can fill it with just about anything. In this recipe, we used the ready-made salmon from XXL Nutrition. Just like the chicken, it’s super convenient and ready to use, but with the added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids! With some extra vegetables and a mixture of Greek yogurt and cilantro, you can whip up a delicious salmon burrito in no time. Besides being a perfect lunch, this meal is also ideal as a post-workout meal or just for dinner!

Egg white omelet with roast beef

• Carbohydrates: 3 g
• Fats: 6 g
• Proteins: 39 g

An omelet is always a great choice for a protein-rich lunch, especially when you add roast beef to it. Not only is this recipe packed with protein (a whopping 39 grams!), but it's also incredibly delicious. Just think about the fact that you'll only consume 3 grams of carbohydrates and 6 grams of fats for the entire recipe. In just 10 minutes, you can have this low-calorie protein omelet on the table.

Greek yogurt with red fruit granola

What to Eat After Working Out?

After you've worked up a sweat, your body needs high-quality nutrients and energy more than ever. This is especially important when you’re doing strength training, as post-workout nutrition is crucial. So, what should you eat after exercising for muscle building? During a strength session, your muscles become slightly damaged, and the small tears that occur need to be ‘filled’ again. To help your muscles recover (or grow) as quickly as possible, your body needs (among other things) proteins. Proteins contribute to muscle mass growth. The sooner you consume them after your workout, the better!

After exercising, we recommend eating or drinking 20 to 40 grams of protein within 2 hours post-exertion. This can be done by drinking a protein shake, for example. Curious about your daily protein needs? In our blog "Proteins: How Much Do You Need Per Day?" we delve deeper into this.

During exercise, your muscles deplete your body’s glycogen stores: the readily available carbohydrates. To ensure that your muscles can perform normally as quickly as possible, it’s important to replenish this supply as soon as possible. You can choose to eat quick carbohydrates, such as a protein bar, or drink something, but a main meal is certainly sufficient as well. By this, we mean a complete breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

How long after exercising should you eat?

Just as it’s important to think carefully about what and when you eat before exercising, the same applies after your workout. After an intense training session, your muscles are exhausted and your body needs nutrients to recover and rebuild. It’s essential to eat something within a certain time after exercising to fully benefit from your efforts.

Within 30 minutes after exercising

Immediately after working out, your muscles are most receptive to nutrients. This is the time to provide them with what they need to recover. Try to consume a light snack that includes both protein and quick carbohydrates within 30 minutes after your workout. This helps your muscles recover faster and replenishes your glycogen stores. Think of a smoothie with protein powder, a banana with a handful of nuts, or a slice of whole-grain bread with lean toppings.

1-2 hours after exercising

After that first snack, it’s time to plan a full meal. Ideally, you should eat a well-balanced meal rich in proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates 1 to 2 hours after your workout. This combination not only aids in muscle recovery but also ensures your body has enough fuel to keep you energetic for the rest of the day. Make sure your meal also includes sufficient fluids, for example, by drinking a glass of water or a rehydration drink.

For this meal, you might consider:

• Grilled chicken with quinoa and vegetables
• Sweet potato with salmon and spinach
• Protein-rich omelet with whole-grain bread and avocado
• Yogurt with berries, nuts, and honey

By eating timely and mindfully after exercising, you give your body exactly what it needs to become stronger and fitter.

Recipes for After Working Out

You’ve pushed yourself to the limit during your training, and now you want to ensure you’re getting the right nutrients. When you think of post-workout meals, you probably envision a plate of rice, chicken, and broccoli. Fortunately, there are many more options! We’ve compiled a list of the most delicious and nutritious recipes for after your workout:

Fresh salad with chicken and avocado dressing

• Carbohydrates: 6 g
• Fats: 28 g
• Proteins: 35 g

You can whip up this delicious, refreshing chicken salad in no time. It's a healthy mix of beans, cucumber, chicken, avocado, and lettuce.

Vietnamese beef with sesame seeds

• Carbohydrates: 4 g
• Fats: 16 g
• Proteins: 34 g

Another delicious and surprising recipe packed with protein: Vietnamese beef with sesame seeds. Feel like you're in Asia with these delightful pieces of beef that almost melt in your mouth.

Surf and turf taco bowl