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Fuel for Fitness: How to Nourish Your Body for Exercise

When the way you fuel your body aligns with how you move it, you’re at your best. Correctly fueling your body can make the difference between the extra mile, minute, or push that brings your goals closer into view.

Nutrition can be one of the most effective tools for improving your performance. If you nourish your body to meet your training demands, you will set yourself up to overcome that next challenge. You wouldn’t expect your car to run without gas, a working engine, and a charged battery. Likewise, you can’t expect your body to perform without the proper nutrients!

How do you properly fuel your body to bring your performance to the next level? While your specific needs depend on your body, gender, and lifestyle, here are a few general tips to help you fuel for fitness!

Pre-workout fuel

Pre-workout snacks can be an effective source of energy, but they are not always needed. A substantial meal 3–4 hours before you exercise should be enough to power your workout!

If you are unable to eat a meal before you exercise, try eating something with about 30 grams of carbohydrates and small amounts of protein and fat. Toast, fruit juice, granola bars, sports drinks, and bananas are all great options.

Sometimes, you need a little more than motivation to start your workout. Pre-workout powders are a popular option for boosting your energy. iFit Nutrition BCAA+ has optional caffeine to energize your workout, electrolytes to improve your hydration, and BCAAs to kickstart your recovery.

In-workout fuel

If your workout is less than 60 minutes, an in-workout snack is not necessary. Just make sure you’re staying hydrated, no matter how long you exercise!

For workouts between 60–90 minutes, a sports drink with carbohydrates will maintain energy while providing electrolytes for hydration. This is also recommended for high-intensity sessions that produce a lot of sweat.

If your workout lasts longer than 90 minutes, it’s a good idea to refuel your muscles and power through your session with an in-workout snack that has about 30 grams of carbohydrates.

Post-workout fuel

Your recovery is essential to your progress. A post-workout snack will replenish your energy stores and give your body the nutrients it uses to repair your muscles. If you’re planning to eat a meal 1–2 hours after your workout, you don’t necessarily need a post-workout snack. Always listen to your body—if you’re ravenous, then go for it!

After a cardio session, try a peanut butter sandwich, fruit smoothie, or Greek yogurt for a post-workout snack that will help you bounce back. A good rule of thumb for refueling after cardio is to have a snack with a carb-to-protein ratio of 3:1.

Are your goals centered around building muscle and strength training? If so, a post-workout snack is most definitely in order! Refuel with carbohydrates and protein, so the workout doesn’t leave you feeling drained. The optimal carb-to-protein ratio of a strength training post-workout snack is 2:1.

Protein

Protein requirements vary from person to person. While many factors influence how much protein you need, here is a general breakdown of the amount you should aim for each day:

In some cases, your performance goals may require even more protein. However, you should not exceed about 1 gram per pound of body weight, especially in the long term.

If you struggle with getting enough protein from food alone, supplementation is a great option. iFit Nutrition Protein is a high-quality solution that comes in whey and plant-based formulas.

Hydration

Aim to drink 2 cups of water before and throughout your exercise. For exercise exceeding 60 minutes, reinforce your hydration with a beverage containing electrolytes. iFit Nutrition BCAA+ has added electrolytes to replenish your hydration during long, intense workouts.

While hydration is important, it is possible to overdo it. To prevent overhydration, limit your water intake to 34 ounces per hour of exercise.

Meals

Now that you know how to structure your food intake around your workouts, one question remains. What about the rest of your day? The answer depends on your body and lifestyle. However, it’s crucial that you eat enough calories and nutrients to support your exercise and whatever else the day brings!

Make sure you’re eating a balanced, varied diet so that you get all of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Here is a general guide for meal structures*:

*Adjust portion size as needed to match your hunger levels, but aim for the ratios outlined!

With a little experimentation and time, you will create synergy between your nutrition and fitness, building momentum that brings your goals within reach. Optimize your nutrition to give yourself all of the tools you need to hit that target!

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Apple Rose Pie

Ingredients For the pie crust ½ cup all purpose flour ¾ cup whole wheat flour 1 tablespoons sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 2 Tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons ice water For the filling 3 Pink lady apples 3 Granny Smith apples 1 tablespoon lemon juice ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg Directions Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Mix in the Greek yogurt and vegetable oil. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and combine with a fork until the mixture can form a ball. Lightly flour some plastic wrap, then place the dough on top. Flatten out dough. Cover with plastic wrap, then place in the fridge for 20 minutes. While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 425°F. Remove dough from fridge. Roll out on a floured surface to ⅛ thickness. Place dough in a 9-inch pie pan, then trim the edges. While oven is preheating cut the apples into thin semi-circle shapes leaving the skin on. Toss the apples in a large pot with the lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Heat on medium high heat just until the apples are soft enough to bend without breaking about ten minutes. And remember to save the juice. Carefully arrange the apple slices around the apple pie crust starting with the outside and making your way to the center of the pie. Once you get to the center of the pie take small pieces and bend them around each other to create the center of the rose. Try to make the apples as compact as possible and go back and fill in any spots as necessary. You should be able to get all six apples in it. Drizzle the leftover juice over the apples and bake for 30-45 minutes. Cut into 8 equal slices and enjoy! NUTRITIONAL INFO PER SERVING Calories 240 (50 from fat) Total fat 6g Saturated fat 2g Cholesterol 10mg Sodium 75mg Carbohydrate 45g (5g dietary fiber, 26g sugar) Protein 3g WARNING: This post is not intended to replace the advice of a medical professional. The above information should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet, sleep methods, daily activity, or fitness routine. iFit assumes no responsibility for any personal injury or damage sustained by any recommendations, opinions, or advice given in this article.