How To Prevent Low Blood Sugar During and After Exercise

Written By: Kaylie Ricks

Do you often feel shaky, fatigued and/or lightheaded near the end of your workouts? Rest assured, this is not normal. While these concerning feelings may be signs of dehydration, low blood sugar may also be the culprit! The good news is: there are several things you can do before, during and after a workout to keep your blood sugar levels stable!

Before Your Workout

Most people don't eat enough carbs before training! Try to get at least 30g of carbs before a training session, especially if it's moderate to high intensity.

If it's an early morning workout, eating or DRINKING 15-30g of low fiber carbs (even 5 minutes before) can be beneficial! Some ideas include: bananas, applesauce, orange juice, and oatmeal.

If you have more time to eat before an intense or hard training session, aim for around 1g carbs/kg body weight about 1 hour before with 10-20g easily digestible protein. Peanut butter toast with sliced bananas or a smoothie work great!

During Exercise

If you can't get any carbs in BEFORE or need more carbs DURING due to the intensity or duration of the workout, consider sipping on a sports drink containing carbs or add a carb powder to your water. Consuming a workout gel or chew is also an option! Some sports products that contain carbs are Clif Bloks Energy Chews, Body Armor SuperDrink, or Gatorade Endurance Formula.

Post Exercise Recovery

Fueling adequately before is key to preventing lightheadedness, fatigue or feeling shaky during exericse. Refueling with protein, carbs and fluids after exercise optimizes recovery. If you can’t eat a balanced meal within 1-2 hours, have a snack with 10-25g protein and 30-45g carbs ASAP.

Some of our favorites include: Core Power Protein Drink (from Fairlife) and a banana, fruit smoothie, or a Clif bar and water. Your post exercise snacks should consist of a protein, carb, and fluid!

Remember, your fitness journey should be empowering, not exhausting. Let's conquer your workouts with confidence and ENERGY!⛽ If you have any questions, drop a comment below or shoot us a DM on Instagram!