Nutrition for workouts
Thanks to our friends at EatLove for providing this post for us to share.
We previously discussed the role that nutrition plays in improving your body composition. What about nutrition and working out? Have you ever been to the gym and felt too exhausted to give it your all? Or felt drained after your workout? In this post we'll tell you all about how to better fuel your body before a workout and make sure you're recovering properly afterwards.
Pre- and post-workout nutrition may vary depending on the type of exercise you are doing and what your goals are. More intense exercise will require more calories for recovery and vice versa for lighter exercise. For the average person eating a healthy diet and exercising for 30-60 minutes, not many nutrition changes are needed. For those who are exercising for longer or at a high intensity, the following plan will be helpful.
Pre-Workout Meal
Consume your pre-workout meal 2—3 hours prior to training
Have complex carbs with protein
Try oatmeal with protein (like almonds) or a veggie omelet with whole wheat toast
Pre-Workout Snack
Consume your pre-workout snack 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to training
Focus on simpler carbs for quick energy
To minimize digestive discomfort while exercising, stick to more familiar foods and eat snacks lower in fiber and fat
Try a piece of fruit
Post-Workout Snack
Consume within one hour after exercise
Choose a snack with carb and protein
Try Greek yogurt or a tuna salad sandwich
Did you know?
Carbs help you rebuild your glycogen stores. Glycogen is the storage form of glucose in your body, which is used as energy during more intense physical activity.
Body fat is the main source of energy during light and moderate intensity exercise.
When doing resistance training, protein helps rebuild and repair your muscle fibers (copyright EatLove 2020).
If you are struggling with fueling yourself for exercise, we can help! Check out our meal planning services and lessen the mental load of meal planning!