Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, fuelling yourself correctly can make all the difference to your performance and recovery. When you eat and what you choose can affect comfort, digestion and overall execution, and it may impact how much you enjoy your chosen activity too. And though there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, there are some handy guidelines and tips you can follow.
Discover our full range of health benefit guides and check out our guide on what to eat on normal training days and how to fuel your body like an athlete.
When to exercise after eating
Generally speaking, allow at least two hours, and ideally longer, after a main meal. This allows your body time to process and digest your food. It typically takes 2-4 hours to digest a meal, and although you don’t need to wait the full four hours, you should allow sufficient time to avoid digestive discomfort.
A lighter snack is an acceptable choice 30 minutes to an hour before some activities. If you’re setting off on a long hike for example, a banana or a small flapjack may give you a starting boost. That said, the optimal time will depend on your specific circumstances, including how large your meal or snack was, how accustomed you are to the food you’ve chosen, the composition of the meal in terms of protein, fat, carbs and fibre, the activity you will be doing, and your intended objectives (whether you’re looking to burn fat through exercise, for example).
As a general guide, aim to avoid large meals that are rich in protein, fat and fibre shortly before exercise, and if you’re involved in competition, avoid any food that your body is not accustomed to digesting.
Read more about when to eat for specific situations here.
Best foods to eat before exercise
A balanced, varied diet is the starting point for most people, although athletes and sports enthusiasts are likely to have additional dietary needs. The optimal fuel will depend on the activity you intend to do as well as its intensity and duration.
Here are some useful fuelling choices:
Complex carbs
For the lasting energy needed for endurance events, eat complex carbs 3-4 hours before your activity. Choose from:
- Wholegrain bread
- Wholegrain cereal and oats
- Brown rice or pasta
Dairy
Dairy is a popular post-exercise option for electrolyte and hydration support as well as its unique whey/casein and carb combination, but it can be just as useful before an activity too. Choose from:
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Dairy-based fruit smoothie
Snacks
Snacks eaten 30 to 60 minutes before an activity can help prevent hunger. Choose from:
- Banana
- Apple
- Flapjack
- Trail mix
- Smoothie
- Peanut butter on crackers
If your activity is likely to last for more than an hour you may need to include some snacks that release energy more quickly during your exercise. Useful options include:
- Dried fruit
- Fig bars
- Energy gels
Check out our review on the best energy gels for running.
Risks of exercising too soon after eating
Eating a large meal too close to exercise not only can make you feel sluggish and therefore impact performance, it may cause unpleasant digestive side-effects, with the most common ones being:
- Nausea
- Bloating and cramping
- Reflux
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
Those most at risk of these effects are endurance sports people, including runners and cyclists.
Listen to your body
In order to optimise your energy and performance you will need to fuel before exercise. However, the side effects of eating too close to your activity are highly individual and will depend on your own unique circumstances including your digestive system, the sport you intend to do and how used you are to the food you’ve chosen. This means you will need to experiment to find the ideal time period for you and your chosen sport. Generally speaking, aim for 2 hours after a main meal or 30-60 minutes after a lighter snack, and avoid large meals rich in protein, fat and fibre.
Enjoyed this? Read more of our health guides
What should I eat if I exercise in the evening?
What to eat on normal training days
How to get more active
What to eat on heavy training days
How to start exercising
Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a BANT Registered Nutritionist® with a postgraduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food.
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