Pre-workout nutrition: what to eat before training

Estela Barbera

Graduada en Nutrición Humana y Dietética, Universidad de Valencia. Certificación ISAK nivel 1, The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry.

“5 essential foods for CrossFit”, “The perfect breakfast for a triathlete”, “10 foods before a run”, “3 pre-workout meals to improve gym performance”… These could be headlines in any magazine. Nutrition is more individual than that: metabolism, stress, schedule, training, goals, preferences, intolerances, cooking skills and how you feel all matter. A sports nutritionist can help put these together.

We cannot prescribe exactly what, how, when and how much you should eat before every session without knowing you. Instead, this post gathers general information to help you make informed choices before training or competition.

First, two important points:

• Pre-workout nutrition is a continuous process. One “perfect” meal cannot compensate for an unsuitable everyday diet. All the meals around training contribute. A sensible pre-workout choice can give your body a little extra rhythm and the fuel it needs, while avoiding foods that cause you problems.

• Race day is not experiment day. Practise your fuelling during training, observing what suits you, the amount and timing. If you have not tested a suggested option, stick with familiar foods on competition day.

Pre-workout choices depend on the session’s type and duration

Before a demanding strength or CrossFit session, many athletes prefer a carbohydrate-containing meal with moderate protein and relatively little fat. Portion, fibre and timing should suit the session and individual tolerance.

Why?

Carbohydrate and fat are important exercise fuels, alongside phosphocreatine for brief intense efforts. Their relative contributions depend on intensity, duration and training status, rather than heart rate alone.

Brief, intense strength efforts rely heavily on phosphocreatine and carbohydrate-based pathways, with the balance changing across sets and recovery.

We use several pathways at once, with one contributing more than another at a given moment. The original 80% carbohydrate and 20% fat example is not a universal split for HIIT or CrossFit, and heavy breathing does not simply mean there is no oxygen available.

Why?

Fat oxidation requires oxygen and supplies energy more slowly than some carbohydrate pathways. Lower-to-moderate-intensity work, such as an easy 45-minute run or a gentle two-hour ride, can use a greater relative share of fat. The actual mix varies, and carbohydrate may still be important over longer sessions.

Movement and body position also affect comfort. Food may feel different when cycling seated, running, jumping or swimming horizontally.

Consider digestion time

Digestion varies between people, meals and circumstances. The aim is to start comfortably fuelled rather than necessarily with an entirely empty stomach.

• Digestion and exercise both influence blood-flow distribution. Large meals close to hard exercise can cause discomfort, but it is too simplistic to assume eating always diverts enough blood from muscles to lower performance.

• During a hard session or a charity 10 km run, the body prioritises working muscles and temperature regulation. Digestion can be altered, contributing to symptoms. It is not literally a switch that turns digestion off because the body thinks a predator is chasing you.

Which foods digest more easily?

Foods provide energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats; alcohol also supplies energy but is not useful training fuel. The meal’s composition, portion and texture affect gastric emptying and comfort.

– Fat tends to slow gastric emptying, so large amounts close to training may cause discomfort.

– Protein contributes to meeting daily recovery needs. A small amount from eggs or dairy may fit a pre-workout meal, depending on timing. Liquid, smooth or softer foods can feel easier for some people, but texture does not determine digestion speed on its own.

– Carbohydrates help maintain blood glucose and glycogen availability, especially for demanding sessions. With less than an hour before exercise, some people prefer lower-fibre foods, adjusting wholegrains, vegetable and fruit-skin portions to their tolerance.

Simple or complex carbohydrates?

“Simple” describes sugars and “complex” includes starches, but the labels do not reliably predict speed of digestion. Cooking, processing, fibre and the complete meal all matter.

Honey, raisins, bananas, jam and dates contain sugars, yet their glycaemic indices vary. They should not all be classified automatically as high-GI foods.

Rapidly available carbohydrates can be useful around exercise. Some people experience a transient blood glucose drop after eating before training, but this is not universal and does not always impair performance. Trial suitable portions and timing rather than assuming all sweet foods cause a “bonk”.

Why does the rest of the meal matter?

Glycaemic index describes a carbohydrate food’s blood glucose response under standard conditions. Glycaemic load also accounts for the amount of available carbohydrate in a serving; it is not simply the GI of a complete recipe. Adding fat, protein or fibre can change the actual glucose response, without automatically reducing calculated glycaemic load.

After all that simplification, we return to the same point: there is no single best pre-workout meal. Assess, practise and review what works for your body, without sending every physiologist’s heart rate to 190!

Should you have pasta the night before?

The pasta party is a classic before endurance events. Rice can also provide carbohydrates, but it does not universally digest better or guarantee better sleep. Choose familiar foods and portions that match the next session’s demands. Potatoes, bread, quinoa and other foods can all contribute. Carbohydrate need should not be decided solely from body-fat goals or whether you sit at work afterwards.

Pre-workout examples according to time available

30 minutes–1 hour

• Smooth cereal porridge: a soft carbohydrate option when time is short. A baby cereal product is one example from the original article, not an essential sports food.
• Strawberry and banana smoothie with oats and protein powder: provides carbohydrates and protein in a liquid format. The original suggests half an hour before training, but oat-bran fibre, portions and individual tolerance can require more time.

1–2.5 hours

• Oat porridge with banana, protein and a little honey. Cooking hydrates and gelatinises starch, making it more accessible to digestive enzymes.
• Mashed potato with rosemary, light cheese, wholegrain mustard and an omelette. A possible meal a couple of hours before a lunchtime session, with carbohydrate from potato and protein from eggs. Adjust the portion to tolerance.
  
• Toast with 0% fat whipped fresh cheese and jam: a breakfast or snack combining bread, a small amount of jam and some protein. Its digestion and glucose response depend on the bread and portions.

2.5–3 hours

• Rice with a small serving of vegetables (100 g), soy sauce and tuna in spring water. More time before training can allow a fuller meal.
• Cuban-style quinoa with a griddled egg. Couscous, bulgur or rice can replace quinoa.

It depends on the person

Is fasted training a good idea?

Some people dislike eating immediately after waking. For an intense early session, adequate carbohydrate beforehand, including the previous evening, matters. An occasional easy fasted session may suit selected athletes, but it should not become accidental chronic under-fuelling.

Fasted training is sometimes used in endurance sport to alter fuel availability. Greater fat use during a session does not automatically improve performance or body-fat loss. Coordinate any strategy with your coach and nutritionist, considering the season, recovery and weekly training load.

What if nerves make eating difficult?

Choose familiar foods you enjoy, with manageable portions and textures, and practise before training. Relaxation may help. A more substantial dinner can contribute to glycogen stores, but persistent inability to eat or severe anxiety deserves support rather than simply forcing a meal.

Is coffee useful?

Coffee is a popular pre-workout choice. For more detail, see our post on caffeine and performance. Here are a few considerations:

• A dose of 3 mg/kg is 210 mg for a 70 kg person, approximately the source’s rounded 200 mg example. This may fit roughly 2 small coffees, but caffeine content varies widely. Benefits and side effects differ, so do not assume this dose avoids digestive upset, anxiety, insomnia or poor concentration.

• If you drink three coffees daily, caffeine is unlikely to become a magic potion on competition day. Habitual use can influence response, but stopping routinely is not always necessary and withdrawal can cause symptoms.

• Blood levels often rise within 30–45 minutes and peak around 60–90 minutes, depending on the product. Effects can persist for 4 hours or longer and may disturb sleep well after exercise.

To take these recommendations further and adapt them to your goals, training and actual needs, INDYA offers a sports nutritionist to design and adjust a personalised nutrition plan.

If you would also like face-to-face support, INDYA offers a sports nutritionist in Valencia, with planning tailored to your sport, goals and daily life.