I've been training since I was a kid, I played volleyball up to Serie B, and even now I rarely skip more than a couple of days in a row. In twenty-five years I've asked myself "what should I eat before training" thousands of times, and I got the answer wrong plenty of times before finding the one that works for me. Here's what I've learned, with an honest premise: I'm not a nutritionist, so what you'll find here is my experience, not a prescription.
Why your daily habits matter more than one meal
The first thing I understood, and it took a lot of anxiety off me, is that the single pre workout meal matters far less than we think. What really makes the difference is how you eat across the day and the week. If you get to training after eating decently in the hours before, the pre workout becomes a finishing touch, not the thing that decides the session.
For years I chased the perfect meal to have thirty minutes before, as if there were a magic formula. There isn't. There's the consistency of your habits, and on top you add a small adjustment based on what you have to do that day. Since I started thinking this way, I train better and stress about it less.
What I eat before a workout
In practice I keep it simple. If I have time and the session is demanding, I go for something that gives lasting energy, so a source of carbohydrates that isn't too heavy along with a little else. A light plate of pasta a couple of hours before, or some bread with something simple on top, work great for me.
If instead I'm short on time and there are thirty or forty minutes to go, I have something small and easy to digest: a piece of fruit, a yogurt, a slice of bread. Something that gives me a lift without sitting in my stomach. The rule I follow is that the closer the workout, the lighter and smaller what I eat should be. It's common sense more than science, but on me it's proven reliable for years.
How long before I eat
Timing, for me, is the most important variable of all, more than what I eat specifically. My mental scheme is this: a normal meal I want at least a couple of hours before, so I've digested and arrive light. A small snack I can have even close to the start, half an hour before, no problem.
What I've learned to avoid is the middle ground: eating a lot too close to the workout. That's where I end up heavy, still digesting while I try to push, and it's the worst feeling. If I know I'll be short on time, I'd rather eat less and simpler than squeeze in a full meal at the last minute.
Mistakes I made and don't repeat
I've collected plenty of mistakes. The classic one is training completely on an empty stomach thinking you'll be lighter, and then crashing halfway through with no energy. I did it many times when I was young, and it leads nowhere except to a worse session.
The opposite mistake is eating too much or too heavy out of fear of running out of fuel, and then struggling with digestion instead of with the effort. And then there's the trap of trying new things on the wrong day: a food different from your usual right before an important session or a game is a pointless risk. I test new things on a quiet day, never when it counts.
How Cookit makes the choice easier
In the end, even with experience, the thought "what do I eat before training today" is still a micro-decision to make almost every day. And it's exactly the kind of choice I want out of my head. That's why inside Cookit we care that Ada takes this into account too: you tell it you're training soon and what you have at home, and it suggests something suited to the moment, without you having to reason it out every time.
It's not magic and it doesn't replace your body, which is still the best sensor you have. It's just a way not to start from zero every day with the same question. And after twenty-five years of asking it, I can tell you that's a relief.
This article shares my personal experience as an athlete and is not personalized nutritional advice. For specific needs, consult a nutritionist or a doctor.
