Fuel your body before exercise and get the most out of your workout. Types of food and timing of meals affect energy levels during exercise. Heavy, high-fat foods can cause indigestion, sluggishness, fatigue and diarrhea during a workout. Eat too little before a workout and you might not have the energy, concentration or muscular capability to finish your routine. Eat the right foods before your workout and provide your body with the energy and resources it needs to excel during exercise.
Carbohydrates
If you work out first thing in the morning make sure you have include plenty of complex carbs in your meal the night before. If you workout another time of day, 3 to 6 hours before your workout, eat a meal that is mostly made up of complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates contain glucose, the body's main energy source for muscles during exercise. Easily digestible, carbohydrates help the body use fat during exercise. Complex carbohydrates provide lasting energy to the body and include whole grains, brown rice, couscous, millet, quinoa and bulgur. About 1 to 2 hours before a workout, eat a snack that is high in carbohydrates (simple or complex). Examples include fruits, whole-grain pretzels, crackers and granola. Avoid eating high-fiber carbohydrates, such as lentils and broccoli, during the preworkout snack; they can cause gas and indigestion during a workout.
Protein and Fat
While protein and fat are not the body's chief suppliers of energy,they still contribute and also help fuel your muscles. Lean sources of protein include flank steak, salmon, chicken breasts, lean ground turkey and tuna. Healthy fats include canola oil, walnuts, almonds, olive oil and flaxseed oil. During the preworkout snack, add small portions of fat and protein to your carbohydrate snack. Small portions include low-fat cheese, yogurt, peanut butter and low-fat milk.
Water
Preworkout hydration is as equally important as preworkout nutrition. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and a loss of coordination. According to the American Council on Exercise, exercise performance can decline if a person's hydration level decreases by just 2 percent during a workout. Exercisers should drink 16 to 24 oz. of water an hour before workouts and drink 8 oz. of water every 15 minutes of exercise.
Snack Combinations
Low-fat combinations of carbohydrates and protein include cereal and low-fat milk, raisins and almonds, crackers and low-moisture cheese, yogurt and granola, a shake made with protein powder,fruit and water and apples with peanut butter.
*Because I workout first thing in the morning I get my complex carbs in at dinner the night before and I drink tons of water that night and the next morning. About an hour before my workout I eat an apple and almonds or something similar, I also like to drink an acai energy booster that is a powder base that I put in my water.
Post Workout
Post-workout foods are one of the most important aspects of a fitness program. During exercise, the body's energy stores are depleted, fluid is lost and muscles sustain micro-tears that need to be repaired. This is known as the "catabolic" state, during which the body is broken down to supply energy for activity. The purpose of an optimal post-workout meal is to reverse this process and restore the body to an "anabolic" state, during which the body rebuilds energy stores and repairs broken-down tissue.
There are three main ingredients in an optimal post-workout meal: fluids, protein and carbohydrates. Research on the importance of hydration for endurance has shown that adequate hydration is required for optimal performance. Carbohydrates are essential for replacing glycogen stores that are depleted during exercise and shuttling protein into the muscles. Protein is necessary for muscle repair, maintenance of healthy blood sugar levels and satiety. Fats are a widely debated component of a workout meal, although it is clear that omega-3 fats are the best choice if added.
A small window of time exists immediately following a workout when the body is best able to use the ingredients of a post-workout meal. This is usually within 30 to 60 minutes of finishing a workout, although some research has indicated that within 30 minutes is best.
What to Look for
Water is always the best choice when it comes to hydration, though sports drinks and vitamin water have become popular. Both can be loaded with refined sugar, so choose drinks wisely by looking for low sugar content. Caffeinated sports drinks can provide an energy boost during exercise, although caffeine can promote dehydration.
There are plenty of nutrient-rich carbohydrate and protein choices. Simple carbohydrates like fruit are an excellent choice because they are already broken down into the simplest form and enter the blood stream more quickly than complex carbohydrates like whole wheat bread, brown rice and sweet potatoes.
The best protein choices are those that are lean and easily digested like poultry, fish, whey protein powder, low-fat cottage cheese and low-fat yogurt. Protein shakes are also a great choice and a tasty treat.
*I usually drink my protein shake when I get home from working out. Water, frozen fruit, banana, and protein powder is all you need. (my top choices are Dynamatize Elite Gourmet, the Whey and casein blend) Which you can order off of mixersnutrition.com
Common Pitfalls
One of the most common mistakes made is waiting too long after finishing a workout to have a meal, causing extreme hunger later in the day. Overeating will counteract fat-loss goals, and inadequate protein intake will prevent muscle gain. Eating a small meal within at least 60 minutes of finishing a workout will help the body restore, recover and adapt to workout challenges over time.
Keep up the great work!
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