If you work out regularly or are an athlete training for an event, you need to fuel your body if you want to perform well and make progress. Part of your goal is ensuring that your glycogen stores do not get depleted. If this happens, you become sluggish, recover more slowly from your workouts and are more prone to get sick or injured. Pre- and post-workout snacks are an important part of your nutrition regimen.
Significance
Pre- and post-workout snacks help you maintain your glycogen stores. You need to maintain these stores because glycogen is the main fuel source for your muscles, both during bouts of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Low glycogen stores equal slower progress and lower performance, says Brian Mac, performance coach for UK Athletics, the United Kingdom's national governing body for track and field. Carbs become glucose in your body, which is used by your cells for energy. Any glucose not used by cells is converted to glycogen. Glycogen is stored in your muscles as well as your liver.
Time Frame
Timing is important for your pre- and post-workout snacks, say Lilah Al-Masri and Simon Bartlett, authors of "100 Questions and Answers About Sports Nutrition." Eat your pre-workout snack 30 to 60 minutes before you exercise. If you wake early in the morning and are used to working out before eating, you may have to train your body to avoid stomach upset. Start out with a sports drink, move on to juice and then to solid food, such as a banana. Consume your post-workout snack within 30 minutes. This is the optimal time frame for restoring glycogen stores. It also promotes quicker recovery of your muscle tissues.
Features
You need carbs in both your pre-workout snack and your post-workout snack. Overall need for carbs can vary from person to person. "Swim to Win" author Ed Nessel recommends multiplying your body weight by three to get an overall daily estimate of the number of carbohydrate grams you need, then deciding how much to incorporate in your snacks. As a general guide, triathlete Lisa Dorfman, author of "The Vegetarian Sports Nutrition Guide," recommends taking in 60 grams of carbs prior to your workout. That's the amount in a half a bagel, for example. During your post-workout snack, Al-Masri and Bartlett recommend 1.5 grams of carbs per 2.2 pounds of body weight.
Pre-Workout Considerations
Your pre-workout snack should consist of simple carbohydrate. That means choosing a low-fiber and low-fat food. Also limit protein in the pre-workout snack. The idea is that it should be easy to digest to prevent gastrointestinal upset during your workout, notes Dorfman. Expert suggestions range from energy bars made primarily of carbohydrates to two bananas to a glass of grape juice to sports drinks.
Warning
After you work out, your glycogen stores become depleted. Skipping your post-workout snack can cause prolonged soreness as well as premature muscle fatigue. This is caused by incomplete glycogen restoration, according to Al-Masri and Bartlett.
Post-Workout Considerations
Consume carbs that are high on the glycemic index after exercising to speed replenishment of your glycogen stores, says Mac. The quicker and higher a food raises your blood glucose level, the higher it is on the glycemic index. Avoid using concentrated forms of fructose during your post-workout snack, however, because they can upset your gastrointestinal system. A small amount of protein can increase glycogen synthesis when included in a post-workout snack, according to Al-Masri and Bartlett. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, milk and cereal, an energy bar and chocolate milk are all good snacks to have after you work out.
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