How Much Should You Eat Before Exercise?

Dear Health Enthusiast,

We’ve all done it…the bike, the swim…only to be derailed by a side-stitch or muscle cramp that stops the day’s exercise routine in its tracks.

Eating too much too soon before you exercise can have distressing results.  Unlike water, which moves passively from your intestines to your bloodstream, food must undergo both chemical and mechanical digestive processes before it is broken down into particles which are small enough to pass from your intestines into your bloodstream.

This process necessitates a significant energy commitment in the form of oxygen-rich blood.  If you exercise on a full stomach, your working skeletal muscles must compete with your working intestines for a limited supply of oxygenated blood.  And guess what:  skeletal muscle takes priority over digestion.

By following the simple dietary guidelines listed below, most people will avoid the stomach upset,  nausea and/or vomiting which can come from eating too much too soon prior to physical exertion.  Remember, everyone is different.  You may have to experiment to find your own unique comfort zone.

• Wait 3-4 hours before exercise after a 1000 calorie meal.
• Wait 2-3 hours before exercise after a 600-1000 calorie meal.
• Wait 1-2 hours before exercise after a 300-600 calorie meal.
• Wait 30 minutes to an hour before exercise after a 200-300 calorie meal.
• For snacks under 200 calories, you probably won’t have to wait before exercising.

I hope these tips will be useful to you in the coming year in achieving your fitness goals.

Yours for better health,

Chris Lydon, MD

Contributor and Editor

The Healthy Herald