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What to eat before your workout

June 25, 2013

Health and fitness go hand-in-hand, which means that what you eat before your workout can have a huge bearing on the success of your session. Eating the wrong type of food can not only make you more sluggish, but it may also cause cramping. While home treadmills like the TRUE Fitness Z5.0 can help you reach your workout goals by using preset programs and TRUE HRC Cruise Controlâ„¢, it turns out that the phrase “you are what you eat” may have more truth to it than you think. To make sure you burn as many calories as possible during your fitness routine, use these easy diet tips:

If you exercise in the morning …
Many morning exercisers make the mistake of heading straight to their elliptical machines without putting any food in their bellies, but an early morning snack can actually increase your energy. You don’t want to load up too much because it can take as much as one to two hours for your body to digest food, so a quick banana with peanut butter will do the trick. You want to make sure that whatever you’re eating is a combination of carbohydrates and protein. If you’re a fan of green juice, that can be another great way to get important vitamins and nutrients into your body before a workout.

If you exercise in the afternoon …
If you prefer to head home on your lunch hour to pound out a few miles on your fitness treadmill, make sure you drink plenty of water while you’re at work in the morning. If you plan on eating your lunch before working out, give yourself at least an hour to digest before you head home. It’s best to keep your meal light, so opt for something like grilled chicken over a salad packed with plenty of fruit and nuts. Heart-healthy oatmeal or dry cereal with low-fat milk can also be great pre-workout snacks.

If you exercise in the evening …
If your busy schedule generally has you hitting your home gym after hours, the main challenge is to ingest a carbohydrate-rich diet without overeating. If you tend to grab whatever you can find the second you get home, consider making a healthy snack in the morning like a sandwich or fruit and nut mix that you can eat while you’re preparing a well-balanced meal. Just remember to give yourself ample time to digest before you work out!