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Fuel Up for Your Next Workout With These Nutrition Tips
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In the endless quest to boost fitness performance, people may turn to expensive supplements, a rigid food routine or elaborate habits. But one of the easiest, cheapest and most accessible ways to get a pre-workout boost is something you’re likely already familiar with.
This simple beverage is a sports dietitian’s go-to drink to support her workouts. And she has some specific instructions for how to enjoy it while getting the most benefits.
Nutrition Tip of the Day: Skip the Supplements and Drink This Before a Workout
For Natalie Rizzo, registered dietitian and TODAY nutrition editor, the best pre-workout drink is a simple cup of coffee.
“Coffee is one of my favorite pre-workout drinks because it’s simple, affordable and backed by science,” Rizzo explains.
Why It Matters
Coffee naturally contains one of the best ingredients to support your workout performance.
“The caffeine in coffee stimulates the central nervous system,” Rizzo explains, “which can increase alertness and reduce perceived exertion, making a tough workout feel a little easier.”
In fact, research suggests caffeine can help improve several aspects of exercise performance, Rizzo says, including your endurance, muscle strength and power.
Caffeine is a common ingredient in pre-workout supplements, but those supplements often come with “a long list of additional ingredients” that you don’t need, Rizzo says. A cup of coffee gives you the boost you need without anything else.
How to Get Started
Just because coffee may give you a little more power in your workout doesn’t mean you should start chugging it in the gym and immediately expect a new PR.
You don’t need a lot to get the boost, Rizzo says, and it pays to plan ahead.
“For the biggest benefit, drink a cup of coffee 30 to 60 minutes before exercise, so that your body has time to absorb the caffeine into the bloodstream,” she explains. “An 8-ounce cup of coffee provides about 100 milligrams of caffeine, which is enough to reap the benefits.”
Of course, not everyone responds to caffeine the same way.
“If it causes jitters, stomach discomfort or interferes with sleep, it may be better to skip it or choose a lower-caffeine option,” Rizzo notes.
TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Dayseries is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.
