Have you ever stepped into the gym, pumped and ready to conquer your workout, but then, halfway through that intense cardio session, your energy crashes or maybe you hit a wall during weightlifting, struggling to push through those last few reps.
Frustrating, right? The truth is, that what you eat plays a crucial role in your fitness journey.
Food is your fuel, and just like a car needs the right gasoline to run smoothly, your body needs the right nutrients to perform at its best.
Therefore, your pre and post-workout nutrition is crucial for your best performance in your gym followed by a quick recovery.
We have curated a list of delicious and gut-friendly meals that can be included in your meals to fulfil your daily nutrition requirements.
Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
What to Eat Before Workout?
Before hitting the gym, make sure that you have the right nutrition to get the best out of the productive and fitness-driven work. Read on to find out what to eat before a workout!
1. The Balanced Bowl
This bowl is a mixture of all the complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fat that will fuel your body for a longer time and keep you strong. The balanced bowl provides sustained energy. One example of this is, you can combine 1/2 cup whole-wheat toast or brown rice with 4 ounces of grilled chicken or scrambled eggs. Add 1/4 avocado or a handful of almonds for an extra energy boost. You can mix and match many combinations to create a personalised balanced bowl tailored to your daily requirements.
2. Greek Yogurt
For pre-workout meals, one should go for a lighter protein. Yoghurt is a perfect example of a protein that is lighter for your gut and equally infused with lean protein. Combining yoghurt with fresh seasonal fruit provides essential fibre and carbohydrates. For an on-point combination, combine 6-ounce plain Greek yoghurt with 1 cup of berries for antioxidants. Top it with 1/4 cup granola for complex carbs. This combo provides a quick protein and energy boost without weighing you down before your workout.
3. Smoothies
Banana is a perfect pre-workout snack as it provides potassium, starch and protein for an excellent workout session. Fruits like strawberries provide antioxidants and fibre. Therefore blend a perfect combination of smoothies tailored to your body’s needs. Blend 1 banana, 1 cup spinach or kale, 1 scoop nut butter and 1 scoop protein powder. This powerhouse provides natural sugars for immediate energy, essential nutrients, and protein to keep you feeling full.
4. Oatmeal
This classic breakfast is perfect for pre-workout nutrition too. The full grains in oats keep one energised for a long time and adding fresh fruits and nuts in the bowl provides your body with the daily required nutrition. Cook 1/2 cup rolled oats with water or low-fat milk. Add 1/4 cup chopped nuts or seeds for protein and healthy fats. Oats deliver sustained energy with complex carbs, and the nuts or seeds provide an extra energy boost.
5. Energy Bars
Energy bars are rich in the nutrition your body needs to exert all that energy through your training and roll through your workout intently and steadily. Go for bars that contain 15 grams of complex carbs and 10 grams of protein – these will help you not only sustain a workout session but also lift up your energy and stamina. Be sure to check the labels and avoid ones with added sugar or unhealthy fats.
What to Eat After Workout?
Next, your body should get a proper supply of nutrition as a result of completing the workout: this is when it starts feeling good and muscles are built. Get something that is a more or less balanced diet consisting of protein, carbs, and fats. This way, providing more energy, and nutrients fixing the small muscle breaks, and making you stronger in your next exercise is a goal. Finally, this can be achieved.
1. Chocolate Milk Magic
This unusual hero presents carbohydrates to replenish energy plus amino acids of protein for muscle recovery. The sugar in chocolate milk delivers glycogen very quickly resulting in this post-workout drink being ideal for muscle recovery and repair. Target 16oz low-fat chocolate milk taken within 30 minutes after your exercise.
2. Salmon Scramble
This quality-rich protein is essential for the supply of amino acids which are important in the process of repairing and re-building the muscle fibres. Scramble 2 eggs with smoked salmon chunks and serve on a slice of wholegrain bread. This formula gives you a perfect meal that not only contains sufficient amounts of protein but also healthy fats and nutrition.
3. Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry
It is a fast and simple option that you can take with you anytime. It is also packed with protein from chicken and healthy carbs from vegetables. Saute for a minute your vegetable of choice in a cup and put it aside. In a pan, mix your protein weighing 4 ounces and a light sauce for a meal with a great taste and recovery-enhancing properties. Attempt eating this immediately after your workouts and wait for 45 minutes to experience the effects.
4. Sweet Potato Power Bowl
This vibrant bowl consists of powerful minerals and vitamins from the combo of the ingredients that are used. 1 cup of Tofu, medium baked sweet potato, 1 cup of roasted vegetables and light vinaigrette can be a recipe for a perfect post-workout meal. The sweet potato with its complex carbs provides such sustained energy while the polypeptide chains in the protein become crucial for muscle repair. Goals should be one hour from the workout.
5. Quinoa Power Bowl
With its protein and fibre content, this grain definitely is a smart choice for athletes after a workout. Couple the cooked quinoa with grilled chicken in a 1-cup bowl to get a fulfilling meal that is packed full of the vital nutrients your body needs to repair and rebuild muscle. Try to consume them right after you have finished exercising.
Conclusion
Don’t hold yourself back from experimenting with different recipes because you will eventually find nutrition that is great for your taste buds while prioritizing your body first! Embrace the process by accepting yourself, relish your success and get ready to crush your fitness targets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pre and post-workout nutrition do you need?
Your body needs carbs to fuel your working muscles. Protein is there to help build and repair. Get a combination of the protein and carbs in your body 1 to 4 hours pre-workout and within approximately 60 minutes post-workout.
Is pre-workout nutrition necessary?
Going to the gym with no energy is never a good idea. A proper pre-workout meal will supply your body with everything you need for peak performance. When you exercise, your body converts glycogen into glucose. This plays a crucial role in muscle contraction.
What are the essentials of nutrition?
There are 6 main nutritional components of food which are: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are considered macronutrients and are what provide you with calories, or what I refer to as energy.