Welcome to Volume 6 of F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series, where we take common wellness, food and fitness claims and explore what they mean in real life. With insight from registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd, each edition is designed to help you better understand your body, fuel your training and make more informed choices throughout Challenge.
In this edition, we’re looking at the connection between sleep and nutrition, why bloating can be normal but may sometimes need closer attention, and why eating before strength training can help support performance.
Let’s look past the simple answers and unpack what your body might really be telling you.
“Sleep doesn’t matter much when it comes to nutrition”
Fiction!
Sleep (or lack thereof) can directly affect our food and nutrition choices. This is because sleep deprivation disrupts our hormones, particularly leptin & ghrelin, which regulate our hunger and fullness. As a result, we may feel hungrier than usual, less satisfied after eating, and craving foods higher in sugar. When we’re tired or consistently have disrupted sleep, our hunger/fullness cues aren’t as easy to interpret and we’re more likely to impulsively eat vs. eating mindfully.
Likewise, what we eat can also have a significant impact on our quality of sleep. Certain foods and beverages like caffeine and alcohol can disrupt sleep-wake cycles: resulting in difficulty falling asleep, and frequent wake-ups during the night. There is a strong relationship between nutrition and sleep, and some studies have also shown eating a larger meal (especially higher in fat), or a snack higher in sugar close to bedtime can make it difficult to fall (and stay) asleep.
“Feeling bloated is normal”
It’s not that simple!
There could be several factors at play if you’re feeling bloated, so it really depends on the root cause of your bloating. Here are some common reasons for bloating:
- Eating large meals
- Eating high salt foods
- Stress (this is a big one!)
- Very intense exercise
- Eating high volume of cruciferous veggies
- Food sensitivities or allergies
- Increase in fiber consumption
- Inconsistent meal times
- Drinking carbonated beverages
It’s important to note that some bloating is completely normal, especially after some of the factors mentioned above (i.e. having some bloat after you eat a meal is normal and common). If you are experiencing painful, unusual, or uncomfortable bloating, I highly recommend reaching out to your MD and working with a Registered Dietitian. In the meantime, try journaling your food and symptoms to try and identify any patterns with certain foods or lifestyle routines.
“It’s best to eat something before a strength training workout”
Fact!
Ideally, you should eat 1-4 hrs before your workout. Practice experimenting with different time frames to see how your body responds and figuring out what works best for you. If you have a few hours before your workout, aim to have a balanced plate that includes protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
If you only have 30-60 minutes before your workout, have a small snack rich in carbs (you want something easy to digest!). Here’s some examples:
- A piece of fruit
- A slice of toast with small amount of nut butter or butter
- Plain oatmeal with small handful of fruit
- Greek yoghurt with berries
Keep the myth-busting going with Volume 7 of F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series, where registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd answers more common nutrition questions to help you fuel your workouts, support your wellbeing and build sustainable habits during Challenge.
