Question: Should I eat before a cardiovascular workout?
When I do my high intensity cardio in the morning should I do it on an empty stomach or should I eat a little bit before to prevent muscle loss?
Beth - About.com User
Answer: To get the most out of a cardiovascular workout, eat lightly about one hour before you exercise. This will give you some time to digest the food, and will give you the energy you need for your workout. Some fruit, vegetables, oatmeal or whole grain cereal with low fat milk would make good choices for a pre-workout meal. Once digested, these foods will supply carbohydrates for energy without a lot of calories. Avoid fat foods, or high protein foods like nuts and legumes this close to a workout, since they take longer to digest. Stay away from high calorie sugary foods like soda and candy, they may add too many calories to your daily diet. If you are hungry at exercise time, choose a piece of fruit or a sports drink.
Alternately, you can eat a larger meal before working out, if you eat earlier in the day. A meal consisting of protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates should be eaten about four hours before you exercise.
