Fluids and Food: The How and When During Exercise

Most athletes know the importance of eating before exercise: Complex carbohydrates combined with protein within 60 minutes prior to exercising builds adequate glycogen storage for continued and energy enhanced training. 

The post-exercise meal can be just as important; it is critical to recovery and improves your ability to train consistently.  The first priority is to replace fluid loss. 
Two ways to approach this:

1: Don't drink much water during your training in order to see how much weight you lost during your training.  Then, estimate drinking 20-24 fl oz of water for every 1 lb of weight lost during your exercise.  This approach you will only need to do once, and then you can have an accurate number of ounces your body will need to maximize training.  Wonder why the guys walk around with a gallon jug of water?  Maybe they just workout really hard.. ha-ha.

2.  Continue to sip water throughout your workout. You can't go wrong sipping water continuously through training.  Don't wait until you are thirsty.  Thirst is your body telling you that you need to drink water.  Your workouts will finish stronger when your body has a continuous flow of water during exercise.

Post workout meals need to contain carbohydrates. Have some low glycemic fruit within 15 minutes of exercising to restore glycogen loss.  After a strenuous Surreal Body Solutions exercise routine, generally a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates and protein is your best way to refuel.  While solid foods work just as well as a sports drink, a drink will be easier to digest making it easier to reach the right ratio and meet the 30-45 minute window of time to consume the post workout meal.

Zeke Samples, IFA, CSN, CPR, IDEA

Surreal Body Solutions, LLC

803.322.7649

www.SurrealBodySolutions.com 

& contributing health and exercise author