Wise food choices and workouts go together

Knowing what to eat and drink before, during and after exercise can give your brain a real workout.

Do you reach for carbohydrates or protein? Should you sip a sports drink or stick with water? And what about those energy bars? Can they really rev up your workout?

"There are a number of exercise myths out there right now," says Leslie Bonci, director of sports medicine nutrition for the University of Pittsburgh.

Take the widely held notion that it's best to exercise on an empty stomach. "A lot of people think, 'The food will make me sick or slow me down when I work out,' '' says registered dietitian Nancy Clark, author of "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook" (Human Kinetics). "But just as you put gas in your car before you take a ride, it's good to put food in your body to have stamina and endurance" before you exercise.

Exercising when you're hungry probably won't boost fat burning, another widespread misconception. "When you're hungry, it means that your blood glucose (sugar) levels are starting to get low," notes Jeffrey Potteiger, chairman of exercise science at Miami University in Ohio.

Try to be active when you're running on empty and you undercut your workout. Besides, doing this also can cause fatigue and worse, including dizziness and even fainting. Since you can't exercise as hard when your stomach is crying out for food, you also burn fewer calories. And because your body must marshal resources to keep you fueled, "you may even wind up burning a little muscle too," Bonci notes, undermining your efforts further.

For the best workout results, sports nutritionists say, eat well throughout the day so that your body is well-nourished. Then have a minimeal of about 200 to 300 calories within 60 to 90 minutes before you exercise.

Some easy pre-workout options include a bowl of whole-grain cereal with skim milk; graham crackers and peanut butter; low-fat yogurt and a banana; a granola bar and a decaf latte; or string cheese and an apple. Those snacks cover the nutritional bases by providing lean protein, complex carbohydrates and a little healthy fat.

If you don't have time to eat a minimeal, try to grab a lighter snack about 30 minutes before you exercise. "A small piece of fruit is something very light to give your body a little bit of fuel," Bonci says. And if there's even less time, then have a tablespoon of honey or a little Jell-O. "You want a simple carbohydrate that your body doesn't have to wait to digest," she says. These foods also can fuel those who work out before breakfast.

It's also important to refuel after working out, something a lot of people skip because exercise suppresses appetite briefly. "You've just worked out, you're warm and sweaty and you can't think of eating," Bonci notes. But that's the prime time to help the body begin to recover. "Have some grapes or a Popsicle," Bonci says, noting that either "is easy to get down and very refreshing."

Bonci, who counsels U.S. Olympic athletes on nutrition and is the team dietitian for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Penguins, also advises eating 100 to 200 calories within 15 to 30 minutes after exercising to continue recovery and "seal the deal" of the workout. Some options include a banana, a handful of Cheerios or half a granola bar.

Contrary to popular opinion, there's no need to load up on protein -- even if you're trying to build more muscle or drop a few pounds. A little protein can help, but you don't need much, just 12 to 15 grams, or about the amount found in a cup of low-fat chocolate milk. The point is to focus on carbohydrates. People think that "carbs are fattening," Clark says. "The truth is that excess calories are fattening. Carbs are actually the best fuel for their muscles."

Sports drinks, such as Gatorade or Powerade, are other options. They are designed to replace the sodium, potassium and other electrolytes lost through perspiration, especially for those who exercise intensively for at least 60 minutes or longer. But avoid the urge to drink sports drinks like water because they pack a lot of calories.

"This is always one of the things that I get a chuckle at in the gym," Potteiger notes. "I see people drinking Gatorade or Powerade on the treadmill. They're undermining what they are trying to do."

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