"You may not want to hit the gym on a full stomach, but having even a small snack before your workout can help power you through a challenging session. You'll have more energy, which can help you achieve a greater calorie burn. Wondering what to eat and when? Tracy Olgeaty Gensler, M.S., R.D., Best Life nutritionist, tells you what bites will serve you best pre-workout and offers some meal and snack ideas to help you recover afterwards. Listen in or read her comments below.


Question: Should I eat before or after my workout?



Olgeaty Gensler: It's important that you properly fuel your body for exercise. The key to weight loss is to get your body burning more calories than you eat. The focus of exercise is on calorie-burning—not just fat-burning. Your goal should be to have a good, effective workout, so go into your workout fully fueled. It's much better to be topped off and ready to go.

A good guideline is to eat 300 to 400 calories one to two hours before exercise. If this is your breakfast meal, be sure to get adequate calories, and get a mixture of carbohydrate- and protein-rich foods. If your timing is tighter and you're one of those people who cannot stomach eating before you work out, try cutting back on the portion size. Have a snack of about 15 grams of carbohydrates; this is about one medium apple or banana, or just one slice of whole-wheat bread. And this can be part of your breakfast that you eat before exercise, saving the rest for afterwards. This also applies to workouts any other time of the day. For example, if you are low on energy in the afternoon before working out, you will need to eat a snack to fuel the workout. Again, a good mixture of protein and carbohydrates is the best choice, but eating just carbohydrates is fine, too.

And for the best recovery, eat a snack of 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates, from combination of carbohydrates and protein within 30 to 60 minutes of completing a challenging workout. Some snack ideas include one slice of whole-wheat bread spread with a tablespoon each of peanut butter and jelly and a cup of fat-free milk; six ounces of plain low-fat yogurt with a tablespoon of raisins and six walnut halves.

Always try to schedule a full meal within two to four hours. Have eight to 16 ounces of water before you exercise, or a half a cup every 15 minutes during exercise. The hotter the temperature and the harder the effort, the more fluids you'll need."