What to Eat Before Boot Camp

So, you’ve decided to dedicate yourself to these fun but intense workouts!

By all means you should eat something before you go, because you need fuel to make it through your workout effectively… especially in the morning when you have not eaten for 7 or more hours.

You need energy to train

It’s as simple as that. When you don’t have enough calories (energy) to sustain your workout, you will not be able to train as hard, you will fatigue more quickly, and you may even feel dizzy. High intensity training without eating is very counterproductive, as your body will burn the most available energy source, muscle rather than fat. Not the best strategy!

You don’t need to eat a lot

something small will do (amount varies per person) and something you can tolerate before working out. It needs to be easy to digest: high carbohydrate, moderate protein and low fat.

If you can handle it, it’s a good idea to have just a small, easily digestible snack 15 minutes to two hours before training (around 100-150 calories). If you’ve got some readily available fuel in your body, you’ll do much better in your workout.

Ideal snacks before your workout

Ideally you want a mix of carbs and protein to maximize your training. Here are some fueling ideas:

– 1 piece of whole wheat toast with a little peanut butter
– 1/2 or 1 whole banana, apple, orange
– 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (not the instant kind that’s full of sugar)
– 6 oz yogurt (this is a combination food – it contains carbs and protein)
– 1 hard boiled egg
– 1/2 protein shake with fruit
– 6 oz milk

Make sure you’re hydrated, too. Water or any favorite calorie-free beverage is good for workouts up to 1 hour like ours. However, if you were going to work out longer than 1 hour, you might benefit from a sports drink or coconut water that contain carbohydrate calories and electrolytes.

So, if you don’t feel like you have enough energy to work out, try having a little snack before class and see how much better you feel.