LUNCH WITH A PUNCH
Get savvy in the kitchen to both save time and boost your energy before a lunchtime workout
“A lot of people rush to eat something after a workout, but unless you’re planning to train again later that day, you needn’t panic”
Eating lunch too early can leave you low on energy for your workout, but devouring a heavy meal 10 minutes before you train is guaranteed to make you feel sick. Nutritionist Will Girling recommends a two-pronged approach.
“Have a breakfast of oats with honey, or chopped banana on toast, about four hours before your session. These are low-GI carbs [which cause a slow rise/fall in blood sugar] to prepare for your lunchtime workout. Then between 5 and 30 minutes before your workout, eat something low in fibre – which is easy to digest – but high GI to give you energy, like fruit, bread and jam or medjool dates.”
Don’t worry if you don’t feel like eating straight after your workout. “A lot of people rush to eat something after a workout, but unless you’re planning to train again later that day, you needn’t panic. We only need protein every three to four hours so there is no hurry. When you’re ready to eat, you can have a smoothie with frozen fruit, whey protein and oats, a pint of milk, or a high-protein yoghurt.”
For a more substantial post-ride lunch, plan ahead with some smart time-saving options. “I am big on cooking extra for dinner and having leftovers for lunch,” says Girling. “You can blend leftover Sunday veg into a soup and take it into work in
a flask. Or you can turn a 500g pack of turkey mince into five healthy 100g burger patties. Or you can cook a frittata for breakfast and save half of it for lunch. Tinned tuna, prawns, or pan-fried sea bass with microwavable rice and frozen broccoli are also quick and healthy lunch break options.”