![]() ![]() The earlier you eat, the bigger the meal. How much you eat will depend on the amount of time between your pre-race or pre-workout meal and the start of your effort. How much to eat before racing or working out As I’ll explain below, the composition of your pre-race meal will depend on timing and how your body normally responds to ingesting food. ![]() “Lead with carbohydrate” doesn’t mean “eat only carbohydrate”. Topping up these stores and ensuring adequate blood glucose levels (especially in the morning after sleep) are the main goals of your pre-workout/race meal. You can store about 400-500 grams of carbohydrate in your muscles and liver, enough for 1-3 hours of exercise, depending on intensity. Your carbohydrate tank is pretty limited, though. You are already carrying more than enough fat to provide energy for exercise, and protein is a fuel for recovery and adaptation but does not significantly contribute energy during exercise. The big thing to remember is that carbohydrate is the fuel for high-intensity efforts, so if you’re racing or getting ready for an interval workout, you want to start with high carbohydrate availability. When you get it right, your pre-race meal tops up energy stores and enables a strong start without gastric distress. It’s not just what to eat, but how much to eat and when to eat it. One of the most frequent questions our coaches get is, “What should I eat before my race/workout?” In reality, the answer they’re seeking has additional components. ![]()
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