Is it better to eat simple or complex carbs before a workout?

Author: Carlie Altenwerth DVM  |  Last update: Wednesday, September 3, 2025

The body digests complex carbohydrates more slowly than simple carbohydrates. To increase energy ahead of a workout, a person should consume complex carbohydrates 2–3 hours in advance, and any simple carbohydrates 30–60 minutes in advance.

Should I eat simple or complex carbs before a workout?

Pre-workout fueling

For most big meals leading up to an event or training session, there should be an emphasis on complex carbs so long as the event is not for another 3-4 hours giving your body time to properly digest. This can include options such as oatmeal, bagels, and whole wheat bread with fruit.

What is the best carb load before a workout?

The general recommendation for pre-exercise carb intake to maximise endurance performance is to ingest 1-4g of carbohydrate per kilo of body weight in the 1-4 hours prior to the beginning of exercise (ie 0.45-1.82g of carb per lb of body weight in the 1-4 hours before you begin exercising).

What is the best food to eat before a workout?

Choose something that includes carbohydrates: this could be a banana, or low-fat natural yogurt, crackers with low-fat soft cheese, a smoothie or a glass of low-fat milk. Avoid foods high in fat or fibre, as they take longer to digest and may cause stomach discomfort during exercise.

What is the best type of pre-workout carbohydrate?

Since the primary source of calories consumed prior to a workout is carbohydrates, options should be easily digestible and more complex. Examples include most fruit (except apples), bagels, energy bars, breads, whole grain crackers/cereal, rice, and/or yogurt.

What To Eat Before, During & After Training For Max Muscle Growth

What is the best quick carb before workout?

10 Examples of Fast-Digesting Carbs
  • Honey: Yes, honey is helpful before a workout. ...
  • A piece of fruit: Go for a banana, apple slices, or an orange, Daily suggests. ...
  • A sports drink: Sugary liquids, such as sports drinks, are easy to hydrate with before or during exercise.

What should you not eat before a morning workout?

Avoid foods that are high in fat or fibre because they take longer to digest and may cause stomach discomfort during exercise. As well as supporting your performance a small breakfast taken pre-exercise appears to support mood and help manage appetite later in the day.

How many carbs before a workout?

Consuming a small amount of carbohydrates (15 to 25 grams) can help you train longer and more intensely. It can also help to preserve muscle. The further away your workout is from when you eat, the larger and more “mixed” your meal can be, meaning that it can contain fat and protein in addition to carbohydrates.

What is the easiest carb to digest?

List of Best Fast-Digesting Carbs
  • White rice. : White rice is easily digested and provides quick energy due to its high glycemic index.
  • Potatoes. : Potatoes are starchy vegetables that contain fast-digesting carbohydrates. ...
  • Bananas. ...
  • Instant oatmeal. ...
  • White bread. ...
  • Honey. ...
  • Sports drinks. ...
  • Dried fruits.

What is the best pre-workout snack?

Try These Snacks if You're Eating Less Than 60-Minutes Before Your Workout:
  • Banana with peanut butter.
  • Cereal and milk.
  • Packet of oatmeal made with milk.
  • Chocolate milk and banana.
  • Chocolate milk and granola bar.
  • Half a bagel or frozen waffle.
  • Handful of pretzels.
  • Sports drink.

Should you eat more carbs before or after a workout?

For quick recovery of glycogen stores, simple carbs are the preferred source of energy post-workout. They can also provide quick bursts of energy when you're flagging during exercise. Complex carbs are your best choice for sustained energy two to three hours before a workout.

What are simple carbs to avoid?

These increase your blood sugar quickly and can make it harder to manage your diabetes. Common sources of simple carbs include table sugar, honey, fruit juice, and syrup. These are often major ingredients of highly processed and packaged foods like soda, cookies, cakes, candies, and other foods with added sugars.

Can I eat rice 30 minutes before a workout?

White rice is another great pre-workout food because it's loaded with easily-digestible carbohydrates, and arguably just as healthy as brown rice.

How long until carbs turn to fat?

So how long does it take for excess carbohydrates to turn to body fat? Once a meal is consumed, your body either uses the calories as fuel, or stores the calories in fat cells to be used a later time. Within four to eight hours from the beginning of a meal, your body begins to store consumed calories as fat.

What is the 30 30 30 rule?

That plan is called the 30-30-30 rule. It's a simple but catchy idea that encourages you to eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up and then get 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise. The 30-30-30 rule now has millions of followers on TikTok.

What is best to eat before working out?

Ideally, fuel up two hours before you exercise by:

Eating healthy carbohydrates, such as whole-grain cereals (with low-fat or fat-free milk), whole-wheat toast, low-fat or fat-free yogurt, whole-grain pasta, brown rice and fruits and vegetables. Avoiding saturated fats and proteins, even healthy ones.

Is it better to drink a protein bar or shake after a workout?

Essentially, both protein bars and protein shakes can be equally good for you, depending on the ingredients, or they can be equally bad. Some may have added sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives or other ingredients that can lead to you undoing some of the great work done during your workout.

Why you shouldn't workout first thing in the morning?

Lower energy levels.

Especially if you're not used to a morning exercise routine, you may feel lethargic or have lower energy levels in the morning, making it harder to give your best effort during a workout.

What is the best pre-workout meal?

Pre-Workout Foods
  • Protein Bar. ...
  • Porridge and Oatmeal. ...
  • Fruit Smoothies. ...
  • Wholegrain Bread, Sweet Potato and Brown Rice. ...
  • Apple Wedges and Peanut Butter. ...
  • Omelette. ...
  • Homemade Protein Bars. ...
  • Protein Shakes. Last but not least, protein shakes.

What happens if you lift weights but don't eat enough protein?

Lifting and doing strength training without adequate nutrition, especially without enough protein, can actually lead to loss of muscle tissue. Furthermore, if you aren't eating right you won't have the energy to do the workouts that lead to muscle gain.

Are complex or simple carbs better before a workout?

The body digests complex carbohydrates more slowly than simple carbohydrates. To increase energy ahead of a workout, a person should consume complex carbohydrates 2–3 hours in advance, and any simple carbohydrates 30–60 minutes in advance.

Can I workout on an empty stomach?

Exercising without food and fuel leads to decreased energy levels, making it challenging to give your 100% to the workout. Which may in turn result in shorter or less intense workouts. In some extreme cases, fasted workouts lead to muscle breakdown as the body seeks alternative energy sources.

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