What to eat before and after a workout
Exercising is highly important for our physical, as well as our mental being.
The majority of the human population eats more food than they should eat on a daily basis, regardless of the fact that the amount exceeds their daily nutritional requirement.
An exercise or a workout, makes our body metabolize the food that we take faster, and also helps our body to utilize nutrients in a better way, in order to gain energy, instead of storing the excess amount as fat.
However, even the simplest workout can be physical exertion, so you should always make sure that you have enough electrolytes and sugar in your body during and after an exercise session, to avoid mishaps like fainting and blackouts.
What to eat before a workout?
There is a popular belief, that one should exercise as soon as he wake up, to speed up the metabolism for the day, or whenever you do it – you should have an empty stomach, so that strain wouldn’t cause vomiting.
However, this is not an entirely correct approach because low blood sugar or hypoglycemia and electrolyte imbalance due to excessive sweating can result in fatigue, lightheadedness, and as mentioned above – fainting.
This will shake your determination to exercise regularly and stay fit, as your mind will dread the idea of going through these problems. To avoid vomiting and nausea, you should adjust your timing of food intake such that heavy meals should be taken 3-4 hours before the planned exercise, while snacks are taken a half an hour to 45 minutes before the exercise.
We have enlisted some foods that you should consume in order to help you exercise better.
Bananas
Every single nutritionist will advise you to eat bananas before you exercise.
What’s the reason? Well, bananas provide instant energy because they are full of potassium and easily digested carbohydrates. Eating a banana will help your body maintain potassium levels during exercise, since it is needed for nerve and muscle function.
If you eat a banana with yogurt, then you have all the nutrition you need for a great workout. Bananas are also one of the foods that will help you sleep well.
Wholegrain Bread
Bread is an excellent way to load your body with nutrition, since they can be eaten with a variety of other things such as eggs, fruit jam, peanut butter, chocolate etc.
The bread itself contains carbohydrates, which are a ready-made source of energy. Proteins in the form of eggs or a slice of meat will protect your muscles from damage after the workout. One thing to keep in mind is that sandwiches should be eaten about half an hour before the exercise.
Oats
One cup of oats will give you enough fibers to last you through your workout session.
Oats are full of carbohydrates and B vitamins, which means they also have agents needed for a better absorption of carbohydrates in the bloodstream and convert them to energy.
Cottage Cheese with Banana and Berries
These are perfect for a workout, cottage cheese provides proteins and bananas, and berries contain potassium, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.
It should be taken 30 minutes before a workout. These should be taken with bread if more energy is needed. Proteins will help your muscles to grow better.
Turkey or Chicken with Potatoes and Broccoli
Chicken or turkey are those sources of proteins which are easily digested by the body. These are good for keeping muscles in a good shape after a solid work out.
Potatoes will provide the necessary carbs, while broccoli will provide all the nutrients expected of a green vegetable, such as: minerals, vitamins, etc. Eat this meal two hours before you start exercising, and you will not feel fatigue or other such problems.
What to eat after a workout?
This is a bigger problem than deciding the pre-workout meal, as you probably don’t want to destroy the effects of your efforts by eating anything unhealthy or fattening. If you wish to build your muscles, nutritionists advise you to take at least 30 grams of proteins soon after your workout, as your proteins are degrading rapidly in that time. But how to take proteins and carbohydrates together in the right balance is a real question.
Here are some foods that might help:
Whey with Juices
This combination is the best for people looking to build muscles, as whey contains muscle-building proteins and provides an insulin surge, which increases the speed of uptake of carbohydrates in the cells that are drained of their energy after the workout.
If you’ll drink juices or shakes with sugar after a workout, your body will replenish the cells with energy.
Eggs with vegetables
If you’ll eat a vegetable omelet after the workout, rest assured that your proteins are being restocked, and your muscles are being built.
Antioxidants in vegetables, and amino acids and healthy fat in egg, especially egg yolk, will give your body enough to go on, as antioxidants will fight off the muscle damaging radicals, proteins will get a chance to incorporate themselves in the muscles.
Take this with bread and your carb requirement is also taken care of.
Chocolate Milk
This is good for many reasons – liquid to keep you hydrated, carbohydrates to give you energy, and proteins to build your muscle mass. Thus, it is a great way to reward your body after all the hard work it’s done for you.
Green Tea
Green tea is amazing, even when you are not exercising, it has potent antioxidant properties which not only protect your muscles from free radical damage caused by the exercise, but its caffeine also helps in refreshing your mind.
Sweet Potatoes with Salmon or Tuna
Fish or chicken meat is the best way to build your muscles, since their proteins are easily digested and not filled with fat. Potatoes will help you get the energy of carbohydrates that you lost during your exercise.
Final words
These are some of the most recommended foods that can be eaten to make your workout and its effects great. By taking care of all the potential problems, you can have a successful, healthy workout, and in the long term – life.
Did you know that one apple every day can keep the doctor away for good?