A very important concept to keep in mind is where you want your blood sugar to be during your workout. This is very much overlooked and is as important as anything else when it comes to proper nutrition and getting the most out of your workout routine.



Many people have the perception that you should eat before a workout to get proper energy. This is false. When you eat a meal before a workout what happens is you feel sluggish and weaker because your muscles and digestive system are competing for energy resources. You should eat 2-3 hours before starting your workout. This also makes your pre-workout supplements much more effective as it will now be the only substance in your system. Most people will ask, " Won't you be more tired since you have not eaten in hours?" Your body uses energy from food for much longer than that. This is why it is so important to not skip meals.

When the body is short of glycogen it will use two other fuels (amino acids and fats) to produce energy. Bodybuilders are typically trying to retain/spare as much protein as possible, which is why most of them avoid working out on an empty stomach. However, when the primary goal is losing fat, a few studies show that a moderate intensity workout first thing in the morning can help boost a fat burning furnace even if at a price of losing some protein for energy. A workout upon waking up is the best time to train if you are trying to lose body fat. By not eating anything and not messing with your blood sugar levels from your overnight of sleeping, you are now forcing your body to start burning your fat for energy.

The only time for a person to eat before workout would be if they have diabetes. The reason for this is because their blood sugar could get too low and can cause extreme fatigue, dizziness or can cause you to collapse. In this case I would recommend someone eat snacks before, during, and after a workout. If a diabetic wanted to exercise in the morning I would recommend trying to ingest some oatmeal or something first. Getting some carbohydrates are almost necessary if you are a diabetic and want to train after not eating all night long. A protein shake would be beneficial to go with the oatmeal. If you are not a diabetic, you have no reason to eat directly before a workout.

Bodybuilders especially should try to keep blood sugar at the right levels when they are thinking about training, as it is very important when it comes to getting the most out of busting your butt in the gym and most out of the money you spend on bodybuilding supplements.