• The Importance of Carbs and Proteins
• What to Eat and When

You may not know what to eat before a spin class or even when to eat. Food is fuel. It is important to nourish your body properly before any workout and for this case before a spin class. Often times we don’t know what to eat or what is the best food to eat before a workout. You almost always want to go into a spin class with food in your system. Fasted workouts cause protein breakdown and muscle loss. This will negatively affect your performance and will make your spin class unenjoyable. Eating before a spin class can positively affect your workout and your performance. It is important to eat the proper foods at the proper times to optimize your performance during a spin class. So what to eat before a spin class?

The Importance of Carbs and Proteins

You want to go into a workout with food in your system. Often times we don’t know what to eat before a spin class. If you go into a fasted workout, it leads to breakdown and loss of muscles. Carbohydrates are what the body needs for muscles to perform correctly. Carbs delay fatigue and are an important energy source for your muscles. Carbs are an easily digestible macronutrient that provide energy so you want your food to be rich in this. They are what your body needs to provide fuel to your muscles and will fuel your performance in your spin class.

Proteins are another form of macronutrients that provide energy to the body. It is important to know for a high cardio workout like spin you do not need as much protein as you do carbs. Proteins take a longer time for the body to break down and digest when compared to carbs. Because protein takes a little longer to digest compared to carbs, it helps to balance low blood sugar levels when working out.

You should try to stay away from eating fats right before you work out because fats take the longest for your body to digest. The most important thing is to make sure you are getting enough total fats daily in your diet. Too much fat can give you the feeling of nausea or like you may have to throw up. You want your pre-workout meals or snacks to be high in carbs, moderate in proteins, and low in fat. It is up to you to find the balance and find out what works best for you body. Some people can only stomach a pre-workout energy drink before a workout but it is important to have a solid meal in your system before a spin class.

What to Eat and When

What to eat before a spin class is individualized and there is no right way to eat before. But here are some tips of what you should eat and when you should eat before a spin class.

Two Hours Before Class

Try eating a full balanced meal of carbs, proteins, and fats. Your normal portion size is good. Something like pasta with chicken and olive oil is a good option or pasta with vegetables. Another alternative is whole rice and quinoa if pasta isn’t for you.

One Hour Before Class

Think more of a snack than a meal one hour before a spin class. You want something with carbs and protein. Something like an apple, banana, or berries, toast and peanut butter, or a granola bar that is low in fat. You could even pair any of these with a couple handful of nuts. They all have a good source of carbs and are easy for your body to digest. White toast is generally the easiest for your body to digest before a workout, but if you feel like your body is okay you can try wheat alternatives.

30 Minutes Before Class

With thirty minutes before class you should stick to a small snack and beverages. Carb-only snacks are the best for your body and can be easily digested. Something like a banana, white crackers, white toast, rice cakes, or even a sports drink. White crackers and white toast are a form of simple carbs. Simple carbs are the easiest for your body to digest before a spin class and are a great pre-workout fuel.

It is all about trial and error to figure out what foods work best for you with your spin class and what foods don’t. Carbs and proteins are very important to keep in your diet to fuel your workout. You want to avoid foods that are high in fat, high in fiber, or have refined sugars in them. These take your body much longer to process and break down. They can slow you down and decrease your optimal performance in your spin class.

Don’t Forget Fluids

It is important to stay hydrated throughout the day. If you are not properly hydrated it can negatively affect your workouts. You do not want to overload on water or other fluids right before a spin class. That might cause your more harm than good. You may experience stomach pain or feel weighted down and sluggish. The best way to prepare for a spin class with fluids is to drink fluids throughout the day. Monitor how much you drink throughout the day to make sure you are staying hydrated. Dehydration can negatively affect your performance in a spin class or any workout. Extreme dehydration can cause stress to your heart when working out.

While it is super important to fuel your body before a spin class, including food and fluids, it is all what works best for you. It may take a couple different times to figure out what foods work best for you and when is the best time to eat them. What works for someone else may not work for you. Try a couple different meals or snacks and find out which ones make you feel the best in a spin class and help to optimize your performance. Every body is different but with experimenting and trying a couple different options you will be able to find out what is best for you to eat before a spin class.

Frequently Asked Questions about What to Eat Before a Spin Class