Should you do empty stomach workouts or eat a good amount of carbs before exercise to maintain your energy levels? Nutritionists reveal what kind of diet to follow before workout

Many people believe that working out in the morning on an empty stomach is a quick and efficient way to lose weight and in the current scenario, working out may sometimes lead to injury as the misconceptions about exercise or exercising ways and routine may be keeping you and your family from getting the best and safest workout hence, it is important to ensure that your workouts are safe and effective by learning to distinguish fitness facts from many that are myths or really fiction. Health experts insist that optimal nutrition intake before exercising, helps maximise performance and minimise the risk of muscle damage by fuelling your body with the right mix of nutrients and providing you the energy you need to keep you going throughout your session.

Contrary to popular belief, health and fitness experts assert that after training on an empty stomach, you may feel weak and dizzy as the body needs fuel to build muscle and burn calories hence, be sure to have a snack or a fruit 30–45 minutes before working out. They stress that the right carbs are vital to get the most from your workout sessions as carbs can increase glycogen stores which serve as a form of energy storage and your muscles use the glycogen from carbs for fuel and is your muscles’ primary source of energy for high-intensity workouts.

However, in an interview with HT Lifestyle, Yoga and Nutrition Expert Neha Premjee advised, “What to eat before a workout entirely depends on your body type and it depends on what workout you are doing. Some people prefer working out on an empty stomach, so they should listen to their body and not eat anything. In case of a rigorous cardiovascular workout, you should stay light, so maybe having a cup of coffee or a fruit or something light that is not going to take some heavy digestion would work.”

She added, “Something with fat or protein might be too heavy before a cardio workout, especially a high-intensity one. With weight training after your workout, you should refuel with a good source of protein to help your muscles rebuild and recover from the workout. Before your workout, it entirely depends on your hunger levels – you can have a handful of nuts, a small snack, a pre-workout shake, a cup of yoghurt, or some fruit. The key is to listen to your body and also sync it up with the kind of workouts you are doing.”

According to Certified Nutritionist and Coach Garima Goyal, “There are a few people who do empty stomach workouts. So, they can take black coffee, BCAA or pre-workout caffeine as pre-workout drink. If somebody wants to eat a good amount of carbs, I will suggest they eat one fruit; they can eat an apple, a banana with milk or without milk, some dry fruits for pre-workout. If somebody doesn’t like to eat, they can hydrate themselves with electrolytes, Glucon-D, glucose or any electrolytes in their water and drink it while workout or pre-workout.”

She further recommended, “If anyone wants to do workouts in evening or if they are comfortable, they can take whey protein pre-workout. They can have good carbs, bread, pre-workout eggs, egg-whites or whole eggs or paneer. Good protein and fat helps in recovering muscle and help the client to be in anabolic stage rather than catabolic stage.”