(Pre-Workout) What to Eat Before Workout?
Every morning, noon and night, in gyms across India, you can hear the sound of a low but persistent rumble. Listen carefully and, in between the whir of the treadmill and the clank of weight plates, your ears will pick it up: the clamor of empty stomachs crying out for food. Some people's reasoning is that if no food is available for fuel, the body would tap into its fat reserves.
Well, Yes. But there's a whole lot more to the story than that. As it turns out, if your goal is to maximize your workout and get (or maintain) a lean body, eating, not starving, is your best strategy.
Why eat before a Workout?
The pre-exercise food prevents hunger during exercise. Eating a high carbohydrate snack two hours before exercising can leave you with ample energy and a calm stomach for a great workout. These pre-workout meals will allow you to have increased muscle strength, better endurance, give you increased energy, better pumps, burn more calories and improve your concentration.
What to eat before a Workout?
Before a workout, eat something light, as well as balanced. It's also wise to choose foods high in fiber as it's more digestible, giving you an easier workout. Some suggestion can be:
- Fruit or vegetable juice such as orange, sweet lime, carrot etc.
- Fresh fruit such as apples, watermelon, grapes or oranges.
- Sports drink
- Sandwiches (Preferably Brown bread)
- Energy bar
- Cereal with milk
- Boiled Eggs
What NOT to eat?
Any foods with a lot of fat can be very difficult and slow to digest and remain in the stomach for a long time. They also will pull blood into the stomach to aid in digestion, which can cause cramping and discomfort.
When to eat?
Eating too much food minutes before exercise can impair your performance or cause indigestion, sluggishness, nausea, and vomiting. On the other hand, if you have eaten six hours ago and try to work out, you may feel weak and unmotivated. Timing is important. Your goal is to have fueled your body with nutritious food that is no longer present in your stomach when you work out. You can have these foods just 2 hrs before work out so that your body is full of energy and you can reap the maximum benefits of your work out.
Finally, be aware that finding what works perfectly for you might take some trial and error. Keep in mind that everyone is a bit different and what works for you may not work for your teammate or training partner. Some people find that certain foods and beverages eaten close to exercise are troublesome, while others find that they can eat a big meal and work out an hour later with no problem at all. So do a little experimenting, but at least eat something!
(Post Workout) What to Eat After Workout?
Scheduling exercise into a busy lifestyle is one challenge, and planning meals and snacks after the exercise is a second one. The post workout meal (the meal you eat after a workout) is probably the most important meal of the day for anyone who is into nutrition and fitness. However, in a lot of cases this importance also leads to confusion. Maybe it's because of the many ready-made shakes available. Maybe it's the trouble with fitting it in with the rest of your diet. Maybe it's just not knowing whether you should even eat anything after you've worked out. Whatever it is, something about it confuses people.
Why to eat After a Workout?
Nutrition following a training session is one of the most important recovery factors that you can control. You've just spent the last one, two, or five hours depleting your energy stores and pounding your muscles. Not only is it important to replenish these stores so you can recover quickly and exercise again soon, but this is also critical for gaining fitness and maintaining and building lean muscle. Exercise provides the stimulus needed for adaptation, but the body will only grow stronger if you supply it with enough energy.
What to eat after a Workout?
Simply put, aside from water (which you should already know you need) your post workout meal needs to contain 2 things, protein and carbs. Some suggestions can be:
- Dried fruit and nuts
- Fruit OR Vegetable juice along with Chicken or Vegetable sandwiches (preferably brown bread)
- Veggie omelet with toast or roll
- Chocolate milk
- Cereal with milk
- Eggs and toast
- A protein or energy bar
- A protein or energy shake
What NOT to eat after a Workout?
You should NOT be eating fat. Fat slows down digestion. It would also be slowing down the digestion of protein and carbs that you had after the work out. This is the exact opposite of what you want to happen.
When to eat?
The first hour after a workout is considered the body's "golden hour." It's during this time after a workout that glycogen stores are depleted, and the enzymes that convert glucose into glycogen are in a state such that sugar (glucose) can be consumed and is rushed directly to the muscles to replace lost glycogen stores. A post-workout meal or drink is also important in replacing fluids lost through sweating to rehydrate the body. Replacement of glycogen stores, fluids, and potassium should start within 30 minutes after exercise to promote a quick recovery.
If you have never carefully considered the foods you eat after strenuous exercise, it may take some discipline and planning ahead to follow the above recommendations. However, if you choose recovery foods and fluids wisely you will optimally replenish your body's stores and recover more quickly for your next workout. Also remember to drink plenty of water since your body loses nutrient through perspiration. Keep your body hydrated every 10 to 15 minutes during the workout.
Read more: http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/what-to-eat-after-workout-372722#ixzz0fFfldC03
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