Suggestions on what to eat before and after a workout are a question that is often asked. What you eat before and after your trip to the gym is essential for muscle growth and recovery. To gain the best results form your workouts, eating the right foods in the right proportions will help ensure that you gain the best results from your fitness routine.
Pre Workout Nutrition
Eating a good pre workout meal can make a difference between in your ability to get a good set in or adding more weight; or not. A lot of people put a all their focus on post workout nutrition by disregarding pre workout meal. Most fitness buffs, claim that working out on an empty stomach helps to burn more fat. The opposite is true. If you are not taking time needed to eat a proper meal in preparation for your workout, then you could be doing more harm than good to your overall fitness goals. It’s important to fuel your body with the right nutrients to gain muscle strength, endurance, and recovery.
Test it for yourself. Workout without eating and see how long you last. Next, you’ll want to workout after eating a solid meal and compare your overall endurance levels and intensity with the first study. You’ll notice that you will be much more equipped to last longer during your workouts, while combating fatigue.
Due to the time it takes to digest a meal, it’s best to eat one to two hours before your workout. A proper meal should consist of simple carbohydrates and protein. Simple carbohydrates can come in the form fruit or vegetables. Fruit tends to help replenish the flow of blood in the body as well as fuel the body with enough energy to get through your workout. If you want, a small amount of complex carbohydrates they can be added in the form of oatmeal, yams, or brown rice. Next, add a serving of protein such as an egg or a protein shake. If you want a quick meal try a low sugar protein bar that has a good combination of carbohydrates and protein.
It’s vital that you drink plenty of water before you workout. Water will help alleviate cramping and low energy levels. In athletes, it’s best to drink water to supply the body what it may lose through perspiration during training.
Post Workout Nutrition
For people who train, your post work out meal is most important. To make this simple, your post workout meal should only consist of protein and carbohydrates. The best time to consume this meal is within an hour after your workout. However, consuming your meal within 30 minutes is best. Good sources of protein include a whey protein shake. While other protein sources for building muscle such as eggs, fish, and chicken are good sources of protein as well. During this time, you want to eat something that’s going to quickly absorb into your digestive system supplying your muscles with vital nutrients, fast.
After your workout, it’s important to restore your muscle glycogens so that your muscle tissue doesn’t breakdown. For that purpose, carbohydrates are the best to eat, which will help push nutrients into your muscle tissue faster. Looking for carbohydrates with high fiber amounts such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, or oatmeal.
If achieving your fitness goals quickly is your goal, then carefully plan your pre and post workout nutrition. If you don’t supply the body with the nutrients it needs for proper muscle growth, your time working out may be in vain. Use this outline of pre and post workout nutrition as a guide to make your own nutritious muscle building, workout meals.
