Fueling Your Workout

Stephanie MacNeill, Registered Dietitian and Sport Dietitian, Physio Sport Med of Oakville

This year, I had the pleasure of attending the Oakville Aquatic Club’s (OAK) Speaker Series, which was sponsored by Physio Sport Med of Oakville. The speaker at this event was my colleague, Registered Dietitian and Sport Dietitian Ben Sit. Athletes, including swimmers, runners, gymnasts and their parents gathered to hear Ben discuss nutrition considerations for young athletes.
 
Here are some of my key take-aways from the presentation:

Pre-Exercise
Young athletes should consume their last solid meal approximately 3-4 hours prior to a workout. The contents of this meal should be high in slow digestion carbohydrates, moderate in protein and relatively low in fat.
 
To top up energy levels, athletes should consume a snack roughly 45-90 minutes before the workout begins. This snack should emphasize quickly digesting carbohydrates like bananas, dried fruit, instant oatmeal and certain energy bars.

During Exercise
For a workout lasting an hour or less, water is sufficient.
 
For exercise lasting over an hour, it’s important that athletes take in some carbohydrates, as well as fluids to maintain hydration.
 
A sports drink is a great option as it contains both carbohydrates and fluid to help keep the athlete hydrated.
 
Post-Exercise
Exercise sensitizes muscle tissue to certain hormones and nutrients, meaning that muscle is most receptive to nutrient intake during the first 20-45 minutes post-exercise.

Two nutrients are key in the post-exercise period, protein and carbohydrate. Protein is important to repair, maintain and build new muscles. Carbohydrate rich foods will help to replenish a young athlete’s carbohydrate stores, also know as glycogen, in the muscle and liver. Foods that are a great combination of both protein and carbohydrate are milk, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese.
 
Hydration
Young athlete’s should monitor their hydration across the day, both before and after an exercise session. The color of an athlete’s urine can provide a good indicator of hydration. Ideally, urine should be pale yellow, corresponding with a state of hydration. The darker the colour, the more dehydrated the athlete.
 
Working with a Sports Dietitian
Fueling properly before, during and after exercise is highly individual and will also depend on the type and timing of the workout. A sports dietitian can help young athlete’s understand these guidelines by translating the science of meal timing into practical examples of what, when, and how much food and fluid to consume at any given time. Consider working with a sports dietitian to help fuel your young athlete to their next personal best!

Check out the full article on our Learn Page, or Download the PDF.

Stephanie works out of Physio Sport Med as a Dietitian / Nutritionist, in association with Ben Sit and Evolved Sport and Nutrition.