What and how long before a cardio workout should I eat and drink?
To avoid getting a stomach pain during exercise.
The nutrients that you consume before a cardio-based workout should be as wholesome and natural as possible. Avoid fried foods and processed sugar at all costs as these types of foods are slow to digest and typically lead to crashes.
2 to 3 hours before the workout, you should be consuming a larger meal that is made up primarily of complex carbohydrates and clean protein. Fats can be present but they should be minimal as they greatly slow down digestion. A chicken breast and a baked sweet potato is a great example.
45 minutes before the workout, you should ingest a protein shake. The type of protein powder you use should ideally be made up of fast-digesting protein, otherwise known as isolate, and carbohydrates. This combination will ensure that your muscles have fuel for the workout without sacrificing the muscle you've already developed.