Pre + post workout nutrition
There is a ton of information floating around out there, you must eat within 30 mins, don't eat this, eat that; it can be very overwhelming and confusing.
We’re going to simplify some stuff and give you the bare bones essentials you need to crush it in the gym, and your recovery thereafter.
The majority of us are exercising so we can live a long, healthy active life so for the majority of this that is the audience I am speaking to. I will in fact get into some details for bodybuilding and endurance level athletes. For the general population you should be striving to take in a well balanced meal 1-2 hours before you exercise.
When we refer to a well balanced meal we specifically mean whole foods, minimally processed lean meats, some quality carbohydrates (please stop skipping these) and some good healthy fats. Make sure your portions are appropriate for you and you eat slowly and mindfully, aka chew your damn food and come up for air.
Nutrition timing does have merit in the fitness world, but again this is for the general population. Eat a well balanced meal, chew your food and don’t eat like a savage, and give yourself time to actually digest it.
Endurance athletes, and bodybuilders your calorie count is much higher and you may need some intra workouts nutrition to satisfy your goals of long grueling workouts, or putting on some decent size. Inversely if you’re competing for a figure show, physique exc, you’re calorie count is restricted so your carbohydrate count is lower. Your workout cocktail may contain some muscle preserving essential amino acids. Working with a coach to make sure you are adequately fueled for your goals is highly recommended in these cases.
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Now onto the nerdy details, if i lost ya already just remember. Eat real food, chew it, and digest it.
If you’re still with me here we go….
Nutrition pre-workout has many benefits.
Protein intake — can help you maintain or increase your muscle size. If you want to improve your body composition and health this is for you! Protein can also help reduce the damage your muscles have just endured when you exercise, causing you to recover faster. Who doesn't want that?
Carbohydrate intake — Carbs can also aid in helping you recover quicker and fuel your workout. If you’re training for an hour or doing anything other than walking the neighborhood eat some damn carbs and stop being afraid of them. Carbs also signal to your brain that you are well fed and not hungry, helping increase muscle retention and growth. Lastly, when combined with protein; you are aiding your body in protein synthesis, as well as preventing protein breakdown.
Fat intake — there is little research out there showing that fats fuel your workout, that’s why you need carbs, but they also don’t seem to impact it negatively. Fats do help slow digestion which can keep your insulin levels more even preventing any crazy spikes, or drops. Lastly, they provide some vitamins and minerals which are important for everyone.
2-3 hours before you train —
Guys should strive for 2 palms of lean protein, 2 thumbs of healthy fats, 2 fists of of veggies, and 2 cupped hands of carbs. Eat up!
Ladies should strive for 1 of each.
If you’re still here, rock on and remember this is for the general population and can still vary from person to person.
If you don’t have that kind of time 0-60 mins before you train aim for liquid meals.
TRY THIS —
1 scoop protein powder
1 fist of veggies (spinach works great in smoothies)
1-2 cupped handfuls of carbs (berries or a banana work great)
1 thumb of fats (like flax seeds or avocado)
low-calorie beverage like water or unsweetened almond milk
And remember folks, pre workout nutrition is not the time to try something new, or eat something you know your body won’t agree with. It won’t be pretty so do us all a favor and save that shit for another time!
Now let's talk about after
I'll try and keep it quick.
Eat a meal within a 2 hour window of training if you don't want your recovery to be shit. Especially if you are an early bird and you train after fasting, eat something, and try to do it sooner rather than later. If you ate 2-3 hours before you trained, the same rules applied. Post workout meals are built in the same exact structure as pre workouts meals. See male and female recommendations above. If you can’t sit down and eat a hot meal, especially in these summer months where you are like eww no way, liquid options are a great substitute here as well.
My go to post workout meal is —
1 cp Soy milk
1 scoop protein powder
1 cp frozen berries
2 mounds of spinach
1 serving flax/chia seeds
If you read nothing and you just skimmed. Eat within two hours of training pre + post workout.
Hit me up with any and all questions!