Eating
just the right thing before
lifting weights or jumping on
the elliptical trainer can keep
you energized until the end.
What you eat "depends on how
hard and how long you're
exercising," says Elizabeth
Somer, RD, author of
Nutrition for Women. Here
are her surprisingly easy ways
to fuel your muscles before
different workouts and--pant,
pant--help you recover after
you've worked your butt off.
A solid aerobics
session--30-60 minutes
BEFORE
"A small
liquid snack 5 minutes before a
run, step session, or power yoga
class turns into fuel almost
immediately," says Somer. Let
these rules be your guide:
1.
Keep it light (under 200
calories) for faster digestion.
2.
The less time you have to eat
before exercising, the less you
eat. You don't want stuff
sloshing about in your tummy as
you move.
3.
Skip juice blends or energy
drinks that list high-fructose
corn syrup or glucose gels on
the label. Both heavy-hitter
sweeteners can make blood sugar
levels plummet mid-workout.
A few
200-calorie-and-under
suggestions:
- A
make-it-yourself 8 ounce
fruit and low-fat yogurt
smoothie or one of Dannon's
Light & Fit ready-to-drink
fruit smoothies
-
Carnation No Sugar Added
Instant Breakfast drink made
with a cup of skim milk or
light soymilk
- A 6
oz. glass of OJ and 2 graham
crackers
AFTER
To
re-hydrate and keep your blood
sugar stable, have some water
and:
- A
low-fat granola or energy
bar
- A cup
of low-sodium chicken noodle
soup
- A
piece of fruit or a small
bunch of grapes
Hit-the-wall aerobics--60
minutes or more
BEFORE
You want a
snack that keeps muscles
supplied with a steady flow of
glucose. "Just as a car sputters
to a stop when it runs out of
gas, you 'hit the wall' or
'bonk' if your glucose supplies
are drained. Once that happens,
no snack will fuel you fast
enough to finish the workout,"
warns Somer. Before you go all
out, have some:
1.
Water to ward off dehydration,
especially when it's hot.
2.
Easy-to-digest, high-quality
carbs that leave your GI track
quickly and supply enough
glucose to fuel a long workout.
3.
Protein from yogurt, milk,
soymilk, or nuts to offset a
rapid drop in blood sugar from
eating those carbs.
4.
Foods that are light (again, 200
calories) and low-fat to avoid
digestive problems. If your
energy dips or your legs become
shaky, eat more the next time
until you hit on the right
amount.
Good carb-protein
combos:
- Half
a 4 oz. whole-wheat bagel
with 1 tbsp. low-fat cream
cheese
- A
small slice of last night's
vegetarian pizza or 2/3 cup
leftover spaghetti with
marinara sauce
- 1
stick of low-fat string
cheese, 1 medium pear, and 3
whole-grain crackers
AFTER
Recover
with more water and a 100
calorie, all-carb snack, such
as:
- 50
pretzel sticks
- 1/2
cup Breyer's Double Churn
Fat-Free Caramel Swirl ice
cream
- Half
a baked potato topped with 2
tbsp. salsa
Up to 60 minutes of gentle
yoga, stretching, or tai chi
BEFORE
A
pre-workout snack isn't
essential for low-sweat
activities--say, an hour of yin
yoga or a stretch class. But if
you're hungry, try a banana for
potassium and 2 graham crackers
for carbs. Wash it down with
some water.
AFTER
All you'll
need is more water.
Semi-tough strength
training--30-45 minutes
BEFORE
Carbs with
a dash of protein is your fuel
of choice. Only serious body
builders and weight lifters who
pump for more than 45 minutes at
least three days a week need
extra protein--"most people get
plenty," says Somer.
If you're
borderline hard-core, try these
200 to 250 calorie protein-laced
snacks:
- Half
a turkey sandwich on whole
grain bread and a piece of
fruit
- A
handful of trail mix (nuts,
dried fruit, and seeds)
- 3
whole-grain crackers with 1
Tbsp. peanut butter and 6
oz. of V8 juice
AFTER
Re-hydrate
with water and have the other
half of that turkey
sandwich--the protein helps
repair and build muscles.
For the
average gym rat who does 30
minutes of weight training two
or three times a week, just have
a high-carb snack 10 minutes or
so before you start:
-
Plain, nonfat yogurt mixed
with berries or applesauce
- 1
tbsp. nut butter and a
sliced 1/2 banana on a 10"
whole-wheat tortilla, all
rolledup burrito-style
- 1
small (2 oz.) carrot-raisin
muffin and a 6 oz. glass of
OJ
An all-day hike,
cross-country ski or snowshoe
trek
BEFORE
To build
your glycogen stores, plan
ahead.
1. For a day or
two prior to your outing, eat
high-carb meals of whole-wheat
pasta or brown rice dishes.
2. Drink ample
fluids, too--at least 10 cups a
day. Before setting out, have a
substantial high-carb meal of
pancakes or waffles with fruit.
3. In addition
to lunch, pack a couple of
energy bars, dried fruit-and-nut
mix to nibble every 2 hours.
4. Regularly
sip water or sports drinks;
don't wait until you get
thirsty.
AFTER
(Soak in
the hot tub!) And keep drinking
water. Have a high-carb snack
such as a muffin, popcorn,
pretzels, or hot cocoa and a
graham cracker.
***
Not only
will exercising regularly burn
off all those snacks and
more but it can make your Real
Age as much as nine--yes,
nine--years
younger. And your body inches
trimmer.
