Proper breakfast complements workout

By Stephen Prescott and Adam Cohen

Published: September 16, 2008

Most mornings, after I return from exercising, I jump into the shower, get dressed, take the children to school and make my 30-minute drive to work. After a few e-mails, I finally get down to quieting my rumbling stomach.

That means a full two hours pass between the end of my workout and breakfast. And when I do eat, my meal isn't exactly taken from the pages of a nutrition textbook — more often than not, it's a bagel and a diet cola.

If I'm looking to get the optimal fitness bang from my post-workout meal, what should I change about my morning breakfast ritual?

You are correct that a diet soda and a blast of carbohydrates (with, presumably, a big shmear of fatty cream cheese) are far from optimal means of refueling. But there are really three elements you have to look at when you're thinking about refueling.

First, think rehydration. Whenever you exercise, you're going to lose fluids through sweating. How much you lose depends on a panoply of factors — temperature, humidity, exercise intensity, body weight and individual sweat rate. But generally, most people engaged in vigorous exercise (jogging, Pilates, bicycling) will lose 16 to 32 ounces of sweat every 30 minutes.

So directive No.1 is to replace that fluid. For every ounce you lose, you need to put an ounce back in. If you're running for 45 minutes, you could be sweating off up to a quart and a half. Which means that 12 ounces of liquid is not going to replenish your body's stock of water.

And that brings me to issue No. 2: what you're eating and drinking.

Soda, like coffee, is a mild diuretic, so it makes you urinate. Consequently, your body, no matter how dehydrated, will not retain all that diet cola. So, even though it needs a lot more than a can's worth of liquid, it's not even getting that much.

Instead, you should be concentrating on noncaffeinated drinks — water, sports drinks or juices (preferably diluted to cut sugar content). Skim milk is a fantastic post-workout choice, as it not only rehydrates but also provides a blast of protein to speed muscle recovery. If you must (and I must) drink caffeine to kick-start your morning, at least make sure you have rehydrated properly before making a beeline to Starbuck's.

As for eating, you're looking for three things: protein, fiber and carbohydrates. Your current meals offer only carbs, so I'd recommend diversifying by sampling from the following list: yogurt, hard-boiled eggs (proteins); fruits (fiber and carbs); and whole-grain cereal with skim milk or wheat toast with peanut butter (protein, carbs and fiber).

The final piece of the puzzle is when you eat. Studies have shown that muscles rebuild most effectively when rehydration and refueling take place within 60 minutes of a workout. So, if you're looking to repair your muscles optimally and get your body ready for the day's rigors, it may be time not only to restock your pantry but also to reshuffle your morning schedule.

Staying fit is about not only what you do in the gym but also throughout the day. If you reboot your breakfast menu and schedule, your body will thank you.

If you have questions for Dr. Stephen Prescott, please e-mail them to OMRF-President@

omrf.org. Prescott, a physician and medical researcher, is president of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Adam Cohen, a longtime marathoner and fitness writer, is general counsel and vice president of public affairs for the foundation and also serves as legal counsel to the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.

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