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The importance of pre-workout and post-workout nutrition can be seen in your exercise routine and results. What you eat before and after your workout session is quite important, and has some benefits, you probably didn’t know about.
Although eating before and after a workout session has its benefits, aside from all that good stuff, WHAT you eat is equally important. According to verywellhealth. a combination of carbohydrates and protein is a good combination for pre-workout and post-workout nutrition. Carbs before workouts give you energy, and eating high-protein foods after exercising helps with muscle repair and rebuilding.
That said, eating carbs and protein before and after workouts is also beneficial.
What is Pre-workout Nutrition?
This is what you eat before you head to the gym, or start your exercise routine at home, and after.
What is Post-Workout Nutrition?
Post-nutrition is the food you eat after you’ve finished exercising. It is good because it focuses on muscle recovery and repair. The essence of post-workout nutrition is that it replenishes glycogen stores, repairs the muscle from damage, and helps it grow. This involves having a nutrition that combines carbohydrates, protein and water.
Why is Pre-workout and Post-workout nutrition important?
Exercise requires proper fueling, and your pre-workout and post-workout nutrition says a lot about how efficiently you fuel your body with enough energy during your workouts. So, what you eat before you exercise and afterwards may determine the quality of the workout session, results, and even consistency.
The Benefits of Pre-workout Nutrition
Having a pre-workout meal before you start training for the day is highly recommended because it fuels your body the right way and gives you the energy to tackle your workout session.
And the best pre-workout and post-workout nutrition consists of carbohydrates, protein and water. These three things are very important in your fitness journey, and it’s great that you are learning more about them.
The Benefits of Post-workout Nutrition
It’s important to fuel your body the right way after your workout. Because it just did some work, you gotta show it some love right back. That is by eating well. Your post-workout meals make a huge difference in how your body recovers, builds muscle, and burns fat efficiently. Post-workout nutrition helps you in the following ways:
- Helps restore muscle ch
- Builds muscle
- Helps with muscle soreness
- Improved focus
- More energy
- Better performance
Pre-workout nutrition
Carbohydrates
This is your body’s primary energy source because it replenishes glycogen stores in your muscles. Which prevents sluggishness and keeps you energized during your workouts. However, it’s important to choose the right source of carbohydrates, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, to see you through. These complex carbohydrates work well by slowly releasing energy while training.
Protein
This should be a part of your pre-workout nutrition. Eating protein before your workout time helps initiate muscle protein synthesis. And this means your body starts repairing and building muscle tissue even before you start exercising. Do you see why you NEED protein before you start lifting those weights?
Aside from eating the right foods before exercising, it’s equally important to eat at the RIGHT time. Timing is super crucial when it comes to pre-workout and post-workout nutrition. So, to get it right, aim to eat your pre-workout meal 1-3 hours before you start exercising. The reason is that, your body will be able to digest the food and use the nutrients effectively. Besides, it’s not even a good idea to eat too close to workout or any tasking activity, because you could injured yourself, and wouldn’t be able to go through it. Or even worse, you might puke due to all the bending, and swinging and turning. It’s just not a good idea so don’t do it, help yourself by helping your body, so everything can go fine.
Post-workout nutrition
Protein
This nutrient plays a role in repairing muscle fibers damaged during exercise. Protein also helps with the process of muscle protein synthesis, which is key in building muscle mass. So, if you want to build your legs, arms, or tone your belly, having a good post-workout meal will take you a step closer than you’d expect.
Carbohydrates
Carbs help fill up your energy stores that were used during your workout. Therefore, eating fast-digesting carbohydrates like fruits can quickly help restore your energy levels. So, you don’t feel like crap during the rest of the day.
The timing of post-workout meals is really key to getting the best results from your workout routine. The best time to eat your post-workout meal is within 30-60 minutes after your exercise session. This is often referred to as the “anabolic window” when your body is most ready to take all the essential nutrients.
While we’re talking about the food to eat before and after exercising, let’s not forget about hydration. It is so important to drink enough water before, during, and after your workout. Rehydrating to replace fluids that were lost during exercise through sweat will always be key.
Examples of pre-workout meals
Here are some examples of pre-workout nutrition, with carbohydrates and protein:
- Greek yogurt
- Lean beef
- Turkey
- Protein shake
- Cottage cheese
- Eggs
- Chicken breast
- Fish
- Oatmeal
- Banana
- Brown rice
- Fruit smoothie
- Quinoa
- Sweet potato
- Whole grain bread
Examples of post-workout meals
- Avocado
- Eggs
- Yams
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Coconut water
- Lean protein like chicken
- Fish
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Basmati rice
- Sweet potatoes
- Noodles
- Spaghetti
- Rice cakes
- Whole grain bread
- Brown rice
Pre-workout meal or snack ideas
- Oatmeal with protein powder and a banana
- Waffles with Greek yogurt
- Toast with banana, peanut butter, and blueberries
- A protein shake with a piece of fruit
- Whole-wheat toast with a scrambled egg and avocado
- Overnight oats with cinnamon, apple, and almonds
- Mango and chia seed pudding
- Bagel with banana
- Whole-grain sandwich with chicken and salad
Post-workout meals or snack ideas
- Chicken and rice
- Tuna sandwich
- Crackers and jerky
- Salmon and potatoes
- Chicken sandwich
- Eggs on toast
- Protein smoothie
- Beans on toast
- Tuna rice cakes
- Salmon rice bowl
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Protein bar and fruit
- Omelet with toast
The bottom line
Pre-workout and post-workout nutrition is important because of the help it provides for your body. It helps with recovery and performance in your fitness routine. When you fuel your body with the right nutrients at the right time, you’ll double your results and achieve your fitness goals. Pre-workout and post-workout nutrition should have two very important nutrients, which are carbohydrates and protein. You can always twitch things up a little when it comes to your pre-workout and post-workout nutrition.
Common FAQs
Is it compulsory to have a pre-workout and post-workout nutrition?
It is not compulsory, not everyone has a before and after workout meals, but it can definitely help you reach your goals. But, as always listen to your body, and see how you feel when you eat before and after a workout session.
How long before I eat after exercising?
It’s best and safest to eat your pre-workout meals 1-3 hours before your workout.
Is protein important before workouts?
Yes, protein is very important before workouts. It helps with muscle repair and growth.
How soon should I eat post-workout?
Try to eat within 1-2 hours after your workout.
