The days are officially longer and warmer – and that means you have more hours in the day to be active! Many people try to squeeze exercise in during the day, but reality says they do it at night, maybe even after their kids go to bed. But how should you be eating if you exercise late in the evening? Here are 5 tips for how to eat around a late evening workout so you have the energy to get it done:

1. Maximize your day: The key to having energy to exercise late in the evening is to make sure you accumulate enough nutrition over the course of the day. Be sure to fuel with a solid breakfast and multiple small meals or snacks that include high-fiber carbohydrates and protein throughout the day. If not, you will likely fatigue quickly or just not even have the energy to start!
2. Learn your digestion clock: Some people can eat fairly close to a workout, and some need more time to digest food before taking off for an evening run or lift. Your meal should have carbohydrate and protein and be lower in fat. If it is a full meal, allow 2+ hours for digestion. If just a snack, then you could likely eat it 30 minutes to one hour prior to your workout. You are also likely to be able to eat more before a lifting workout than a cardio workout so plan accordingly!
3. Snack then dinner: If you are not a stellar digester, you might try having a mid-afternoon snack then another carb-protein snack an hour or so before your workout.  Something like a protein bar, string cheese and crackers or beef jerky and a banana would all be good options. Then you can follow your workout with a meal of carbohydrate, protein and a little fat. This meal can be consumed in solid form or as a liquid smoothie.
4. Dinner then snack: If you are a stellar digester or have a hard/long workout, then try eating an earlier dinner that has complex carbohydrate (rice, quinoa, whole grain bread) and protein (meat, chicken, fish, dairy, egg). The extra fuel will help you power through your workout. Then consume a carb-protein snack after like a smoothie with protein, low-fat chocolate milk or Greek yogurt with fruit and honey. Don’t skip the post-workout snack or you will slow down your recovery!
5. Drink up: Be sure to hydrate all day to prep for your night time workout. Ideally take your body weight and divide it in half, then consume that many ounces of fluid throughout the day and tack on an additional 5-10 oz for every 20 minutes of exercise.