Fuel Your Fat Burn
What—and when—you eat before you tackle that yoga mat or treadmill can push your calorie-blasting efficiency to a whole new level. Or it could totally set you back. Don't waste a perfectly good workout by downing the wrong nutrients. Check your schedule, then find the foods that can help you scorch calories at peak speed.How Do You Exercise?
Low Intensity: Less than 60 minutes
You don't need to stock up for shorter bouts of low-intensity exercise; they don't deplete your energy supplies as much as more intensive exercise does, says Karen Reznik Dolins, Ed.D., registered sports dietitian at Columbia University. "But be sure you're not dehydrated or hungry, or you'll fatigue faster."
Have:
- A piece of fruit and a bottle of water
Low Intensity: More than 60 minutes
If you're hungry, you have time to digest a low-fat meal, Reznik Dolins says. A mix of low-glycemic foods offer a long charge.
Digestion shouldn't be a problem during low-intensity exercise, but headstands on a full stomach? Not fun. A light snack of whole grains and protein offers extended energy, says registered dietitian Kristine Clark, Ph.D., director of sports nutrition at Penn State in University Park.
To fend off hunger and fatigue once you're past the hour mark, eat a meal beforehand that includes low-GI whole grains, healthy fats and lean protein, Kristine Clark suggests. The three digest at slow but varying rates, so you have more staying power.
Have your choice of:
- 8 ounces low fat yogurt with ? cup granola and a piece of fruit
- 3 slices of turkey on whole-wheat bread with fruit
- A few whole-wheat crackers and 1 string cheese
- A whole-wheat wrap with veggies and eggs
- PB&J on whole-wheat bread
- a Luna bar
High Intensity: Less than 60 minutes
"During high-intensity exercise, blood flow is diverted away from the gut to aid muscles, so digestion slows," Reznik Dolins says. If you have a meal shortly beforehand, sloshing undigested food could cause a stomachache. Haven't eaten recently? Enjoy a small snack with simple carbs for a speedy pick-me-up. Skip whole grains in this situation; they're harder to digest.
"The closer you get to a challenging workout like this one, the more you need simple carbs that can quickly convert to energy," Reznik Dolins says. Reach for something light (100 to 200 calories) to give your muscles pep, pronto.
Have your choice of:
- One slice of white toast with jelly
- A sports drink like Gatorade
- 1 cup dry cereal (not whole-grain) with raisins
- A few regular crackers with jam
High Intensity: More than 60 minutes
Have a meal with low-GI foods to optimize fat burn. When you're huffing and puffing for a long period, carbs are a key source of fuel for muscles, Kristine Clark says. "Have a 400- to 600-calorie meal that contains at least 60 percent low-GI carbs, with the rest protein and healthy fats."
Have your choice of:
- 1 whole-wheat bagel with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream cheese and 2 slices turkey
- 1 cup cooked oatmeal with skim milk and a sliced banana or 1/3 cup raisins