There’s a famous saying that goes like an army cannot march on empty stomachs. But what about people who are into sports or exercise routines? Should sportsmen or people who exercise eat breakfast before beginning the exercise session? Won’t they feel faint if they have not stocked up on food that day? There are so many questions that come to our mind while starting exercising. Well, remember, they have fasted throughout the night!
A professional runner’s site The Run Experience dissuades any attempts to refuel before a run. Discouraging against eating much (if you must eat anything at all), it says: “Since this workout will last less than an hour, your body will typically already have all the energy it needs to put in the work. Where does this energy come from? Glycogen is the main fuel source for your body in this case. This is basically a stash of sugar, or glucose, that is stored in your muscles and liver. As you exercise, your body draws on this energy to keep the engine running. ”
“When you exercise, the muscles producing your movements call on your heart for extra blood. At rest, to facilitate this change, your body constricts and dilates your blood vessels. The vessels to the unnecessary systems for exercise such as digestion, urination and reproduction are constricted, limiting the amount of blood to these organs. If you eat right before exercise, your digestive organs and your skeletal muscles fight for blood flow, making exercise more difficult to perform,” said Ms. Daljit Kaur, Head – Dietetics, Fortis Escorts, Okhla, New Delhi.
He said, “Eating right before exercise can also inhibit your body’s ability to use fat for energy during activity. Exercising with minimal food inside your stomach makes for the perfect combination of hormones inside your body. Your body releases adrenaline and suppresses insulin. Insulin is a hormone that prompts your body to store nutrients. Without insulin circulating in your blood, your muscles are readily available to break down and use fatty acids.”
What should you eat before your workout?
– Cereal with Skimmed Milk
– Banana
– Oats
– Nuts
– Fruit Smoothies
– Eggs
– Yogurt with fruits
If you are diabetic don’t do strenuous physical activity empty stomach that can lead to low sugar levels and followed by unconsciousness and uncomfortableness, or low blood pressure.
Type of exercise also depends on intake of food, if young person is doing light physical activity without food it doesn’t harm their body. Strenuous exercise needs more fuel for the body, so two hours before running is the right time to eat before running but heavy meals are not recommended. A good balance diet is necessary to preform good, he added.
Some studies show that people who don’t eat meal burn more calories, as they burn more fat.