Pre-workout nutrition, workout prep—whatever you call it—has changed, and what you consume in the hours before exercise matters. Here’s an expert guide to the best pre-workout food and drink.
Carbs are your friend
When it comes to energy, carbohydrates are where your focus should be. There’s been a big debate about carbs (bread, pasta, bananas, rice, and so on), and they’ve been frequently deamonized, but they’re vital, says Lululemon ambassador Dr. Hazel Wallace, who you may know as @thefoodmedic on Instagram. “There’s some evidence that having protein pre-workout might help with muscle repair, but in terms of fuelling the workout, carbs are king,” she explains. “If you’re a reasonably active gym bunny, carbs and protein in the pre-workout meal are your go-to nutrients.”
Timing is everything
The scheduling of pre-workout meals is another heated discussion. Wallace says all meals are, in a way, your pre-workout nutrition, with protein a part of your diet throughout the day. Two or three hours before your workout, eat a meal with all the key food groups, “You can probably fit a full, balanced meal in–carbohydrates plus some protein, such as chicken or fish,” advises Wallace. “But think about limiting the amount of fat and fiber.”
Careful with fiber
According to Wallace, fat and fiber slow down your digestive process: “If you’ve ever gone for a HIIT workout or a run and started to feel nauseous, that’s because your blood is being directed away from your gut.” Although fat and fiber are incredibly important during other times of the day, they need to be limited before exercise.
In the final run-up to the workout, as you’re turning up the Taylor Swift or Tame Impala on your headphones, keep it simple. “Stick with some fruit or rice cakes,” says Wallace. “A big salad packed with chickpeas and pulses before a run would probably really sit in your stomach and also not give you the energy you need.”
The amount of fat and fiber you can deal with will vary according to whether you’re planning a furious HIIT extravaganza or a more sedate strength session, as the more aerobically intense the workout, the less you want to be weighed down.
You don’t need pre-workout
“The majority of us training don’t need a pre-workout shot. The most effective pre-workout stimulant is caffeine, according to the evidence, and you can get that from coffee,” says Wallace. “If you’re looking for a little boost, have a strong coffee 30 minutes before you exercise—that will be all that you need.” She warns that commercial energy drinks can contain very high doses of caffeine—there’s a danger that failing to include them in your daily calculations could result in jitteriness and insomnia.
The same applies to protein shake—a well-balanced diet should mean you have enough protein. “If you have really high protein requirements because you’re training for a marathon or Hyrox, for example, they can be the cherry on the cake, but they shouldn’t replace whole protein in your diet.”
Running on empty
“I personally am not a fan of fasted training,” says Wallace. “There is no evidence that you perform any better and it does not seem to show improvement in fat loss. In fact, we have seen some people drop off in performance so they don’t use as much energy in the workout.”