Everyone knows that effective exercise is inseparable from effective "eating". But how, exactly, does one eat effectively? A healthy diet alone is certainly not enough. It's also crucial to know when and how much to eat before and after exercise. There are also differences depending on the type of exercise and the time of day it is performed.
If you choose a morning exercise like running or playing soccer
Principle: Depending on personal preference, you can exercise on an empty stomach, but you should supplement with some sugary, healthy drinks. Eat 30 minutes after exercise.
Options: You can drink beverages like milk, juice, or sweet soy milk to replenish fluids and provide a sense of fullness. Adding a fiber-rich cookie or slice of bread is also a good idea.
Afternoon exercise (It is generally not recommended to exercise around 12 PM. The best time for the body to exercise is between 3-6 PM)
Principle: Finish your lunch 3 hours before exercise. You can supplement with a fruit or a sports drink.
Options: Foods containing carbohydrates, such as rice, can keep you energetic during exercise. If you are doing strength training, you should eat more protein-rich foods, such as seafood or low-fat yogurt, which can help muscle tissue grow.
Evening exercise
Principle: If exercising after a meal, wait at least 1 hour. However, you may feel easily fatigued because muscle activity requires oxygen-rich blood, which is now flowing to the digestive system.
It is better to exercise 3 hours after dinner. You can hydrate moderately after exercise, but avoid consuming large amounts of food to prevent affecting digestion and sleep.
Additionally, it is not advisable to engage in this type of exercise after 10 PM, as overexcited nerves and physical fatigue can make it difficult to fall asleep.
Options: For dinner, choose foods that maintain energy without causing weight gain, such as grains, fruits, and starchy vegetables. However, portion size should be controlled. If you ate very little or nothing for dinner, you can have some raisins, cereal, or a small serving of yogurt and a slice of low-fat bread.
If you choose exercises like yoga or Pilates
Principle: Exercise on an empty stomach, with no more than the equivalent of "two cookies" in your stomach. If you have already eaten, it is best to wait 3 hours before doing yoga.
Options: After yoga, it is not advisable to eat greasy food. If you feel very hungry during yoga, you can eat a banana.
If you choose swimming
Principle: Enter the water on an empty stomach, but you shouldn't feel hungry! Have a small amount of food in your stomach, at most. Swimming on an empty stomach can make you dizzy, while swimming on a full stomach can make you nauseous...
Options: A boiled egg, a banana, a few easily digestible cookies...
Exercise volume and diet...
Exercise duration less than 1 hour — Principle: No need for additional food, but hydration is necessary.
Recommendation: Drink 150-300 ml of water every 15 minutes.
Exercise duration between 1-3 hours — Principle: This is a moderate amount of exercise. It is best to replenish the body with sugar in a timely manner to avoid hypoglycemia.
Recommendation: You can have sugary drinks, such as sports drinks. Or drink plain water, but also have on hand foods that allow for quick sugar absorption, such as jam-filled cookies, dried fruit, cereal bars, or jelly.
Exercise duration over 3 hours — Principle: For longer periods of exercise, you need to prepare a large amount of water and foods that provide slow-release sugars (i.e., sugars that are consumed slowly and release heat gradually).
Recommendation: Replenish 0.5 liters of water per hour, and consume foods with slow-release sugars such as small butter cookies, almond cakes, sweet dairy products, and fresh fruit.