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Dig in, with caution

Puzzled what you can eat and when before exercising? Read on...

Photo: Murali Kumar

Time your food and exercises well

Getting the timing right between when you eat and when you exercise can be tricky, but most people figure out what works for them by trial and error.

We all know not to exercise soon after having a large meal: having your gut and your muscles compete for blood does not make for safe exercise or peaceful digestion.

Do not starve

Exercising when hungry isn't wise either. Muscles need glucose and exerting yourself after the glucose reserves have run out will deprive the brain of glucose.

The light-headedness you feel after exercising on an empty stomach is your brain saying "Are you trying to kill me?" You can have a large meal three to four hours before exercise. Avoid an overdose of fatty foods though: fat tends to stay much longer in the stomach, and it is never comfortable to exercise with a full stomach.

A small meal is okay two to three hours before exercise. Nibbling on food before or during exercise works fine.

Eat the carbs.

Carbohydrate is the most important fuel for an exercising body. Rice, wheat and fruit are good sources of carbohydrate. High fibre foods are essential for a healthy diet, but they can be troublesome for an exercising body.

They take up a lot of gut space for the calories they provide and they are not easily digestible.

Simple carbohydrates like sugar cause wild swings in blood glucose levels. Eating plenty of carbohydrates in the days leading up to an endurance event like a marathon is a proven method of increasing carbohydrate reserves.

High on proteins?

Protein increases muscle bulk and helps in tissue repair, but it isn't very fundamental to exercise. Even bodybuilders and weight trainers require only a couple of hundred grams of protein per day.

Fat is an important part of a healthy diet, and fat is a fuel used during low-intensity aerobic exercise like walking.

Water is the most important nutrient of all. Drinking a large glass water of water for every 15 minutes of exercise is a rough estimate for safe hydration.

During strenuous exercise, drinking fruit juice or an electrolyte solution replenishes the salts lost in sweat and prevents cramps.

RAJIV. M

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