I harp on this on the Knight Fit podcast, on my Instagram and all over the internet, but fueling your body appropriately during training is ESSENTIAL for maximal health, including your hormone health. As someone passionate about female menstrual regularity in athletes, I’m always doing my best to advocate for proper intake BEFORE you train. Depending on when that is, though, what you should and can eat will vary. Some folks prefer the early hours for their sessions while others prefer after work–but both should be fed. Fasted training has been proven to be detrimental for women, especially when replicated over time. Depending on when you’re able to hit the gym, I provided some tips on what to eat before your training!
Morning
If you train in the morning, it’s imperative to eat something before! Women simply do not benefit from fasted training the way some men can. Opt for a high-carb (especially simple carb) snack or meal. If you only have 30-60 minutes, opt for a snack. If you have 1-2+ hours, have a full meal.
Idea: white toast with peanut butter, banana and honey, graham crackers, honey stinger waffle and banana, oatmeal bowl with nut butter and banana, etc.
Midday/Afternoon
If you train over lunch or in the afternoon, opt to have a few meals before you train. Have a hearty breakfast and moderate snack before a lunch session and have a hearty breakfast, snack and full/carb-focused lunch before an afternoon session. If needed, also grab a high-carb snack before the afternoon session. Try to stray from high-fiber, fatty, high-protein foods prior to your training as they can be harder to digest. Carbs are queen!
Evening
If you train in the evening, you have the benefit of having several meals and snacks before you train! Have a hearty breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and/if you train before dinner, potentially opt for another small snack unless satiated. If after dinner, be mindful of how fibrous/heavy your dinner is before training. Be sure to refuel afterwards always!
Don’t overcomplicate it! The big idea is to not train fasted.
