I often see and hear people say they work their socks off in the gym but find they sill aren’t getting the desired results. Whether they’re looking to gain muscle or slim down. Nutrition is an important part of fitness, especially for those who demand more of their body through extensive exercise. So, how do you fuel your body for fitness?
Common questions I get asked since becoming a personal trainer is – “what should I eat before and after a workout?” Nutritional needs vary hugely from person to person, the types of workouts they do, and their fitness goals (health maintenance, weight loss, weight gain, fat loss, muscle building, etc.). For example, someone trying to lose weight, going to the gym once a week has very different needs to someone trying to gain muscle mass who workouts out six times a week. In this article we will be talking about pre and post exercise nutrition.
Pre Workout Nutrition
This depends alot on when you plan to do your exercise. If you like to workout first thing, you may not want to eat before hand, which is fine. Just make sure you eat as soon as you’ve finished!
Have you ever felt energy-less during a workout? If so, this is likely because your body’s carbohydrate stores were low or even empty before you started working out. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source used by the body to support everything from – getting out of bed in the morning to smashing out a HIIT workout. Therefore, you should include a carbohydrate rich snack prior to your workout. This will give your body the fuel it needs to complete the session without you feeling so drained afterwards. Pre workout nutrition goals include…
- Providing energy for your body.
- Enhancing performance and endurance.
- Preserve glycogen levels.
Including a pre-workout snack is particularly important if you’re lifting heavy weights, an explosive HIIT workout…etc. Anything where you’re heart rate will be raised dramatically. Eating too much fat, protein or fibre can have a negative effect, causing issues in the digestive system, preventing your body from accessing the quick energy it needs.
Pre Workout Nutrition Suggestions
- Fruit
- Dried fruit
- Dates
- Peanut butter
- Whole grain toast
- Sweet potato
- Fruit based cereal bar
Post Workout Nutrition
Depending on your goals, what you eat to fuel your body for fitness after your workout will also vary. However, in general, it’s recommended to eat a meal or snack within 1 hour after exercise to top up your energy stores. The main one of these is protein. Whatever snack or meal you decide to have, make sure it’s high in protein. This will help to restore and replenish tired, aching muscles. The main goal when it comes to post workout nutrition is to…
- Top up energy levels.
- Provide protein to repair damaged muscles.
- Replenish lost fluids through sweat.
- Provide antioxidants for reducing inflammation
You should aim to include a combination of carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein in your post workout meal or snack. For example, on my way home from a brutal crossfit workout i have either a vegan protein shake or some superfood bites from The Protein Works. This is a quick protein and carbohydrate fix to keep me going until i get home where i can have a proper meal. I find vegan protein sits better in my stomach straight after exercise, plus this one tastes amazing with 21 grams of protein per shake!
Although i don’t agree with taking lots of supplements for exercise, it does create more inflammation and stress on your body. So for that reason i do take a few supplements including – fish oil (for joints) and turmeric capsules (for inflammation).
Your heart, lungs and muscles are all working over time to help manage what’s being asked of them. So, incorporating foods rich in antioxidants (fruits and vegetables) after a workout can help support your immune system, reducing inflammation and speeding up your recovery.
Post Workout Nutrition Suggestions
- Lean meat – Chicken, tuna, turkey.
- Vegetarian protein – pulses, beans, chickpeas, lentils.
- Avocado & eggs on toast.
- Porridge & berries.
- Full fat cottage cheese.
- Homemade Homous.
- Protein bar or shake.
What are some of your favourite pre and post workout foods? How do you fuel your body for fitness?
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