Eating Before and After Classes

Do you know what you should be eating before and after a cardio class like BODYATTACK™, BODYPUMP™, BODYCOMBAT™, BODYSTEP™, or RPM™?

We all know that nutrition and exercise go hand in hand in achieving our health and fitness goals.
With the right nutrition you can look, feel and perform at your best.

Before Class:

Have you ever make the mistake of eating too soon before taking a cardio class? If so, you probably felt short of breath, lethargic during warm up, and had a hard time getting moving, right? The very first rule is to not eat anything for at least one hour before any class, and two hours before a moderate to high-impact cardio class like BODYATTACK™, BODYPUMP™, BODYCOMBAT™, BODYSTEP™, or RPM™. Just before or during a class, if you feel that your glucose levels are low or you haven’t had enough carbohydrates, then choose a sports drink instead of food. However, two hours before class you should be eating a low Glycemic Index (GI) meal such as cereal based on oats, barley and bran, breads with wholegrains, sour dough, pasta, noodles, salad, reduce amount of potatoes you eat. . . but enjoy all other types of fruits and vegetables. The GI is a ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels. For most people, a low Gl meal before endurance exercise improves performance because the effects last longer, giving a more steady, sustained source of energy. Also. . . fat, fiber, and protein all slow down digestion and the emptying of the stomach, so choose low fat foods with moderate fiber and protein. (For more information on a Low Glycemic Index Diet, visit www.glycemicindex.com)

After Class:

What and when you eat after class depends on four main factors:

1. The longer the exercise session, the more you need to plan adequate recovery.
2. The more intense the exercise, the more recovery and replenishment of nutrients you need.
3. Different types of exercise create different needs: after a hard cardio workout like BODYATTACK™, BODYCOMBAT™, BODYSTEP™, or RPM™ your focus will be on replenishment of glycogen stores. After BODYPUMP™, you need amino acids for your muscles to support repair and strengthening.
4. If you’re going to be exercising again in less than eight hours, you need a very active recovery period.

In general, after a workout we need to restock our fuel tanks (ie: our glycogen stores) and give our muscles the raw materials to repair and strengthen themselves - amino acids. So the ideal post-workout meal has both carbohydrate and protein. Re-fueling should be done within a two-hour post-exercise window.

What about rehydration?

Water is usually the best drink - certainly prior to exercise and during exercise of less than 90 minutes’ duration. There is an exception . . . If you are the one with a puddle around the RPM™ bike by the end of the class, then you might want something more than water. Sports drinks contain sodium, which allows faster absorption and decreases urine output - two factors that encourage better rehydration than water alone.

Feeling chronically fatigued?

Chronic fatigue could be a result of one or more of the following: Low iron level, inadequate carbohydrates, and/or overtraining. (Always check with your doctor if you are concerned.)