Eating before workouts

You need energy to work out right?

The energy you get from working out comes from glycogen, a substance that is stored in the body in muscles and the liver.

It's not a good idea to eat a big, filling meal then workout. After a big feed your body wants to direct blood and energy to the digestion system, not the muscles so you won't feel much like exercising mentally and your body won't either.

If you're really hungry before working out, have a piece of fruit, a glass of juice, or even a baked potato. But if you work out for an hour or less anything you eat right before a workout really doesn't have enough time to get into the form of glycogen. The workout's over by the time the fuel's coming available.

The most important time to eat is after a workout, when the muscles are depleted of fuel and hungriest for nourishment and replenishment.