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Writer's pictureGemma Pearce

When & What Should I Eat Before Exercise?

Updated: Aug 31, 2021



When and what you eat before a class can be massively important for how you feel when you exercise.

Personally, when I don’t eat much before teaching a class, it’s more difficult to find enough energy but if I eat too close to starting the class, I get a stomach ache or feel sick.

Why is this? If you eat too much or too close to working out, you won’t have digested the food before you start moving and the blood that was being used for digestion is diverted to the muscles you’re using to exercise.


So, for morning or evening exercise, I always finish meals at least an hour before class.

However, try not to work out too long after a meal - your body needs fuel to perform at high intensity. If you haven’t eaten anything, your workout won’t be as intense as if you’d fuelled up beforehand.

Definitely aim to eat breakfast before morning exercise as your blood sugar levels will be low and may drop further during the first half of the class, meaning that you might start to feel tired, dizzy or faint.

If you really don’t have time for breakfast or need a quick pick-me-up before an evening workout, grab a snack 20–40 minutes before exercising – something like a granola bar, smoothie, banana or yoghurt.

And finally don’t forget to stay hydrated – drink plenty of water before, during and after exercising!


For plenty more tips on exercise and to find the right workout for you, go to www.gemmapearcefitness.co.uk.


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