Before a workout, that is. A common belief is that you shouldn't eat before a workout so that you'll burn fat reserves instead of the food in your stomach. This is not true. A recent study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (that's a mouthful) found that people who ate before they exercised experienced a bigger boost in metabolism. In other words, they burned more fat. The study theorized that your body uses more oxygen when you eat before exercising, and that results in a metabolism spike and an improvement in fat burning.
All I can say is WOOHOO. Another excuse to eat.
So, what is a good snack? Preferably, you should eat something with a little protein, carbohydrate and fat about a half hour before you workout. Experiment with different things to see what works best for you. If I'm exercising indoors, I usually have yogurt with Kashi Go Lean. If I'm going for a run outside, that combo seems to get my digestive track moving and it becomes a problem about four miles into my run (that's probably TMI). A little peanut butter on toast seems to work better. Also, if you are exercising for more than 90 minutes, you should eat (or drink) some carbohydrates during the actual workout. Again, experiment with what works for you. Nothing like a little food to motivate a good workout.
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