I hear this question all the time. And the answer seems to be different for everyone. Here's a recent note from Michelle Z:
Subject: Question about eating prior to a workout
Hi Cheryl
I have a problem that makes it hard for me to go back the gym. First of all, I am a 28 year old female, 5'8", currently weigh 234 lbs. I've worked out after eating, small or large meal, and i've worked out without having eaten for hours.
My problem is, no matter what I do, something happens halfway through the workout where I'll start to feel extremely sick to my stomach, I'll get shaky and feel like I'm going to throw up. I've tried to eat something an hour before (like a fiber bar and fruit or a small meal like pasta). While it doesn't happen every single time, I would say that it occurs about 80% of the time. I haven't gone back b/c the last time I did, I did get sick and it's embarassing.
What is your advice on eating prior to a workout? How soon should you eat? How much and what foods are the best? I don't do a heavy workout. I use the Elliptical (I have a bad hip so it's easier on my joint), and I like using the weight machines. I don't run (I'm not supposed to due to my hip dysplasia). I appreciate any input you have on the subject. It's something that I have a hard time find the best answer to. Thanks and congratulations on a wonderful show! I watch every week
Michelle
From: Cheryl
HI Michelle
excellent question!
I do not have a degree in exercise physiology or sports nutrition so I forwarded your question to someone with appropriate credentials in The Biggest Loser Club. Here's a reply from Michael Scholtz, personal trainer from BiggestLoserClub.com. Michael Scholtz has an MA in Exercise Physiology and is certified by the American Council on Exercise.
Cheryl Forberg RD
Nutritionist, NBC's The Biggest Loser
Hi Michelle,
Your question is particularly tough because you’ve already tried light meals, big meals, and no meal at all. Plus, you said your intensity is not heavy. If you’re not pushing yourself at all that eliminates the possibility that your symptoms are due to your effort exceeding your fitness level.
Is there any common denominator that you can associate with the 80% of your workouts when this occurs? Or conversely, is there anything you do differently before or during the 20% of workouts when it does not occur? Think about time of day, type of exercise, intensity and content and timing of the pre-exercise snack.
I’d like to hear back from you. But in the meantime, here is some general information on eating for workouts.
One factor to consider is the time of day you exercise, or more specifically how long it’s been since you’re last meal or snack when your exercise starts. If it’s morning the overnight fast makes you particularly vulnerable to being low on fuel. But the same thing can happen if it’s been a long afternoon at work and you’re trying to exercise at 7 pm after eating at 12 noon.
However, there are many people who exercise in the morning without issue. And this shows that it really is a personal decision, at least until workouts become very long (over 2 hours) and/or demanding. For most situations you can let your own feelings of hunger and energy levels be your guide. If you feel like you are hungry before a workout or feel like you don’t have the energy to complete the workout as you would like then some sort of meal, snack or energy drink becomes a necessity.
If you are going to eat something before exercise there are established guidelines: To provide a little context, the recommended range for athletes goes from .5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight 1 hour before exercise all the way to as much as 2 grams of carbohydrate per pound 4 hours before exercise. That’s a very wide range (about 500 – 1900 calories in your case!). But, it’s created with competitive athletes in mind.
For someone who is aiming to lose weight and is doing a more moderate workout a simple guideline is to aim to eat 300 - 400 calories 1 - 2 hours before exercise. Most of those calories should be carbohydrates (whole grains, pasta and fruit are good examples). But the meal can also contain moderate protein and even a little fat (low-fat dairy is a good example, but doesn’t work for everyone).
Experimenting with the total calories and the ratio of carbs, protein and fat will be necessary to zero in on what works.
If your timing is tighter, but you still need something to eat, try cutting back on the portion size and don't worry if the meal is mostly carbs. In fact, an easily digestible snack of about 15 g of carbs is great. And note that 8 oz of many sports drinks (such as Gatorade) contain about this much carbohydrate. Therefore, if whole food is a problem but you still feel like you need calories this may be a good solution for you.
Again, I feel like you may have tried a lot of the timing and combinations mentioned here. If so, it may take working with specific amounts and combinations until you find something that works. Or, despite your feeling that you’re not pushing hard, it could end up being related to how fast you’re trying to progress with your exercise.
Check back with us with your thoughts
.Michael Scholtz, M.A. , BiggestLoserClub.com
NOVO Wellness, LLC
www.novowellness.com.
