Pre-Workout Nutrition
Your pre-workout meal is the second most important meal of the day, topped only by the post-workout meal. The goal of this meal is to prepare the body for the assault you will soon be putting it through.
During intense exercise, as stored energy is used up, the body will turn to glycolysis to replace this energy. Glycolysis is the process of converting sugars (carbs) into ATP and ultimately the very energy you need to contract a muscle. Therefore, it stands to reason that you want the ingredients (carbs) that make energy to be readily available. Not having them will impair your ability to workout to your full potential.
The pre-workout meal needn't be all that different from one of your normal meals (assuming you make eating healthy meals and snacks a priority). It should be focused on protein, complex carbohydrates and a moderate source of healthy, mono or poly-unsaturated fat. It is important that all of these macronutrients be present. The meal should be consumed about 45-90 minutes before exercise begins to allow the body time to digest and make the nutrients available to the body during exercise.
Complex carbohydrates in your pre-workout meal will help ensure you have adequate energy levels for your workout. Another practice to consider is consuming simple carbohydrates (fruits, fruit juices) and/or protein in a quick drink 15 to 30 minutes prior to the workout to provide the body with an immediate energy source.
Post-Workout Nutrition
The basic goal of weight training or exercise in general is to force the muscles to break themselves down (catabolism) and then rebuild (anabolism). When the workout provides sufficient trauma to the muscles, small tears in the muscle fibers and connective tissue are created. In the hours and days following the workout, the muscles will attempt to rebuild themselves and become stronger and better able to deal with such trauma in the future. This process is called adaptation.
Notice that I said they will "attempt" to rebuild themselves to be stronger. In order to accomplish this goal, they need to be provided the raw materials to do the job - They need good post-workout nutrition.
The muscles need carbohydrates to replace their drained fuel sources (muscle glycogen) and they need protein to begin the rebuilding process. The better the materials you provide them, the better work they will be able to do. The sooner you get them the materials (food), the sooner they can get started.
The goal of proper post-workout nutrition is to quickly and efficiently refuel the muscles and then provide them with the raw materials they need to rebuild themselves to be bigger and stronger.
For adequate recovery, a good goal is to try and make your post-workout meal contain a quality carb source (ex. sweet potato or steel-cut oatmeal) and a quality protein source (ex. chicken breast, whey protein supplement or Chobani yogurt).
Post-Workout Drinks
A sports drink is a good first step in post-workout nutrition. It will act to quickly replace energy stores, replace lost nutrients and also create an insulin spike more on the importance of insulin. High glycemic index fruit or fruit juice can also address this need.
Providing the body with a quality protein source is the next thing on the post-workout nutrition agenda and it should follow the first step as quickly as possible. A liquid source is ideal because it can be processed and utilized by the body quicker. Whey protein powders, certain meal replacements and weight gainers can fill the bill.
Studies have shown that time is truly of the essence, the sooner the body is provided with these materials the quicker it will exit its catabolic state and enter an anabolic state (the less muscle you will lose and the quicker you will start building new muscle and improving your body composition).
Following your workout, consume your post-workout nutrition meal as soon as your stomach and schedule will allow it. This can vary by individual. Generally, the longest you want to go is 90 minutes post exercise but ideally you would want it within the first 30 minutes. The results you experience as a result of your workout can possibly be dramatically affected by how quick you are able to re-supply the body with adequate nutrition.
The post-workout meal should be heavy on protein and carbohydrates. While protein protects and helps repair your muscle, do not forget the important role carbohydrates play in the process. By providing an insulin spike, carbs provide the body with an excellent transport system for the nutrients to reach the muscle cells.
In short, there is no other time that the muscles are as receptive to being fed as in the post-workout period. This is often referred to this as "free time," a time when you can eat anything and not have to worry about it turning into fat. This is why eating high-glycemic foods such as pasta, bagels, rice, and potatoes is both justified and beneficial at this time. The muscle cells are incredibly hungry for nutrition and will suck up all you can give them, lessening the chance that fat cells will instead be the recipients of the provided nutrients.
I hope these pre and post-workout suggestions help. Keep up the great work!
Alissa
Your pre-workout meal is the second most important meal of the day, topped only by the post-workout meal. The goal of this meal is to prepare the body for the assault you will soon be putting it through.
During intense exercise, as stored energy is used up, the body will turn to glycolysis to replace this energy. Glycolysis is the process of converting sugars (carbs) into ATP and ultimately the very energy you need to contract a muscle. Therefore, it stands to reason that you want the ingredients (carbs) that make energy to be readily available. Not having them will impair your ability to workout to your full potential.
The pre-workout meal needn't be all that different from one of your normal meals (assuming you make eating healthy meals and snacks a priority). It should be focused on protein, complex carbohydrates and a moderate source of healthy, mono or poly-unsaturated fat. It is important that all of these macronutrients be present. The meal should be consumed about 45-90 minutes before exercise begins to allow the body time to digest and make the nutrients available to the body during exercise.
Complex carbohydrates in your pre-workout meal will help ensure you have adequate energy levels for your workout. Another practice to consider is consuming simple carbohydrates (fruits, fruit juices) and/or protein in a quick drink 15 to 30 minutes prior to the workout to provide the body with an immediate energy source.
Post-Workout Nutrition
The basic goal of weight training or exercise in general is to force the muscles to break themselves down (catabolism) and then rebuild (anabolism). When the workout provides sufficient trauma to the muscles, small tears in the muscle fibers and connective tissue are created. In the hours and days following the workout, the muscles will attempt to rebuild themselves and become stronger and better able to deal with such trauma in the future. This process is called adaptation.
Notice that I said they will "attempt" to rebuild themselves to be stronger. In order to accomplish this goal, they need to be provided the raw materials to do the job - They need good post-workout nutrition.
The muscles need carbohydrates to replace their drained fuel sources (muscle glycogen) and they need protein to begin the rebuilding process. The better the materials you provide them, the better work they will be able to do. The sooner you get them the materials (food), the sooner they can get started.
The goal of proper post-workout nutrition is to quickly and efficiently refuel the muscles and then provide them with the raw materials they need to rebuild themselves to be bigger and stronger.
For adequate recovery, a good goal is to try and make your post-workout meal contain a quality carb source (ex. sweet potato or steel-cut oatmeal) and a quality protein source (ex. chicken breast, whey protein supplement or Chobani yogurt).
Post-Workout Drinks
A sports drink is a good first step in post-workout nutrition. It will act to quickly replace energy stores, replace lost nutrients and also create an insulin spike more on the importance of insulin. High glycemic index fruit or fruit juice can also address this need.
Providing the body with a quality protein source is the next thing on the post-workout nutrition agenda and it should follow the first step as quickly as possible. A liquid source is ideal because it can be processed and utilized by the body quicker. Whey protein powders, certain meal replacements and weight gainers can fill the bill.
Studies have shown that time is truly of the essence, the sooner the body is provided with these materials the quicker it will exit its catabolic state and enter an anabolic state (the less muscle you will lose and the quicker you will start building new muscle and improving your body composition).
Following your workout, consume your post-workout nutrition meal as soon as your stomach and schedule will allow it. This can vary by individual. Generally, the longest you want to go is 90 minutes post exercise but ideally you would want it within the first 30 minutes. The results you experience as a result of your workout can possibly be dramatically affected by how quick you are able to re-supply the body with adequate nutrition.
The post-workout meal should be heavy on protein and carbohydrates. While protein protects and helps repair your muscle, do not forget the important role carbohydrates play in the process. By providing an insulin spike, carbs provide the body with an excellent transport system for the nutrients to reach the muscle cells.
In short, there is no other time that the muscles are as receptive to being fed as in the post-workout period. This is often referred to this as "free time," a time when you can eat anything and not have to worry about it turning into fat. This is why eating high-glycemic foods such as pasta, bagels, rice, and potatoes is both justified and beneficial at this time. The muscle cells are incredibly hungry for nutrition and will suck up all you can give them, lessening the chance that fat cells will instead be the recipients of the provided nutrients.
I hope these pre and post-workout suggestions help. Keep up the great work!
Alissa
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