For some, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But for others who manage to squeeze some gym time into their everyday routine, pre- and post-workout foods can be just as important.
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PRE-WORKOUT MEALS
The purpose of a pre-workout meal is simple: to fuel your activity and give your body what it needs to perform at its peak.
To do that, your body needs two things:
Carbs, for energy
Protein, to supply your muscles with the right amino acids
As a general guideline, a pre-workout meal should contain:
Carbs = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Protein = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Some examples of pre-workout meals that include a balance of carbs and protein include:
Oatmeal (or other whole-grain cereal) with milk and fruit
Apple with nut butter (peanut, almond, etc)
Trail mix that includes both nuts and fruit
Greek yogurt (or other high-protein yogurt) with fruit
Peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and banana sandwich
Smoothie with fruit and protein powder
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How soon before the workout should the meal be eaten?
Avoid eating immediately before a workout. Not only can it cause digestive discomfort, but it creates competing demands on the body if your stomach is trying to digest food at the same time you’re pushing your muscles to perform.
Instead, eat 1-3 hours before your workout, depending on how quickly your body digests food. Liquid meals (like smoothies, supplement shakes, etc.) digest more easily and can be consumed closer to the workout time.
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POST-WORKOUT MEALS
Post-workout nutrition is more complex. Its purpose is to supply your body with everything it needs to repair, replenish, recover and adapt to the training stimulus that the workout provided.
More specifically, post-workout nutrition helps to:
Minimize muscle damage/muscle protein breakdown
Assist in building muscle/increase muscle protein synthesis
Replenish muscle glycogen (the stored form of carbohydrate)
Reduce cortisol (stress hormone) levels
Reduce muscle soreness
To do that, you body once again needs these two things:
Carbs
Protein
As a general guideline, a post-workout meal should contain:
Carbs = 0.25-0.5g per pound of your target body weight.
Protein = 0.25g per pound of your target body weight.
Many people prefer to take this nutrition as a recovery drink or shake, for the quickness, convenience, and optimal carb/protein balance. Often appetite is suppressed following a tough workout, making liquid nutrition the more appealing option.
Others prefer having a “real meal”, pairing a protein with a carbohydrate, such as rice. Some others split the difference by having a protein shake immediately post-workout, then rounding things out later with some additional carbs.
How soon after the workout should the meal be eaten?
As soon as possible—within the first 60 minutes after your workout, or even better, within the first 30 minutes. Post-workout, the body is primed to receive vital nutrients and put them to work.
Why is time of the essence? If your body has exhausted all reserves during the workout, it will resort to breaking down muscle in order to fuel itself. Also, as muscle is “expensive” for the body to build, it will only do so when there is plenty of energy available.
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