Did you get into working out and wonder what to eat before and after a workout? If you have never exercised before, you might even ask yourself if it’s necessary to eat after returning from the gym, considering that you want to drop some weight. It’s important to answer these questions because your body requires proper fuel to have the necessary energy to support a strenuous workout. Your diet impacts your mood, energy, and fitness results, and therefore it’s crucial to learn how and what to eat.
The nutrition world is confusing, especially for a beginner because there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to what and how to eat when you exercise. You should keep in mind that what you put in your body decides if you meet your fitness goals and how you feel during and after the workout. Food significantly impacts your recovery and how quickly you can exercise again.
Keep reading if you’re ready to take your fitness results to the next level.
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What to eat before hitting the gym
Fitness pros recommend eating a combination of carbohydrates and protein before exercising to build muscle and sustain energy. Please avoid a meal rich in fibre or fat because it can cause stomach cramps.
What foods to eat before exercising depends on the kind of workout you engage in because what you should eat before doing cardio is different from what you should eat before lifting weights.
Fitness specialists also think you don’t necessarily need breakfast if you exercise for less than an hour in the morning before starting your day. Suppose you want to lose weight or have a light workout in the morning; you can skip the food and drink a glass of water before exercising. By doing this, you encourage your body to burn body fat to fuel your workout. Some studies even show that you can burn more fat over the course of 24 hours if you exercise before eating breakfast, compared to exercising later in the day.
Should you eat during your workout?
You noticed a couple of gym rats snacking on bars or gummies mid-workout and wonder if you should also do it. The answer is no because a short-duration workout of 60 minutes can be fuelled with your pre-exercise meal, and therefore you don’t have to eat something while at the gym. If you spend more than 90 minutes in the gym, you could benefit from a mid-workout snack that delays the onset of fatigue and boosts performance.
What to eat after a workout
If you exercise for less than 60 minutes, you don’t need specific recovery food if you eat a meal that contains proteins and carbs within a couple of hours after exercising. However, if you have an intense workout or train multiple times a day, you need to pay more attention to your post-workout meals because you need to eat carbohydrates and protein within an hour after your workout. The hour after your workout, your body is most efficient at building muscles from protein in the muscle protein synthesis process. After you exercise, your body also needs carbohydrates to restore the depleted glycogen levels.
Foods that maximise your gym results
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is an effective recovery food because it contains protein and carbs and allows for healthy add-ons like nuts and fruits. When mixed with other foods it is hearty and filling and can prevent you from feeling hungry for an extended period.
Berries
Did you know that all kinds of berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries) are rich in inflammation-fighting antioxidants? Most fitness enthusiasts combine oatmeal with berries to eat nutritious meals that encourage recovery and give them all the needed nutrients to exercise. Inflammation after working out is normal because your body heals the tears in the muscle. However, you want to mitigate the inflammation that causes intense swelling and pain because it makes it challenging to complete daily chores. Eating foods high in antioxidants can help you lower muscle soreness and boost the recovery process.
Cannabis
Cannabis can be consumed in several ways, and it’s a well-known painkiller used to improve pain. Studies show that cannabinoids can turn off the pain signals in your body to alleviate the intensity of pain you experience. This is one of the reasons more and more fitness enthusiasts purchase autoflowering seeds to grow their plants and enjoy their benefits by adding their seeds to meals or using them in other ways.
Cannabis is also great to consume after working out because it boosts your metabolism. If you add Seeds Cannabis to a salad after your workout, you relieve inflammation in the muscles and prevent soreness.
Beans
It would be great if your stomach allowed you to eat beans after exercising because they provide a great combination of protein and carbs that help your body recover. If you schedule your post-workout meal an hour or two after leaving the gym, you can eat a combination of beans and rice.
Almonds
Almonds are also known as the healthiest nuts because they’re great recovery food due to their high amount of protein. And let’s not forget that a handful of almonds provide you with 20% of the daily magnesium your body needs to stay healthy and support your fitness activities. Almonds are also a healthy source of fat that allows you to manage hunger levels. If you feel hungry after exercising and find it challenging to resist snacking before your next meal, pack a portion and eat it immediately after finishing your workout.
Greek yoghurt
Milk protein is one of the best sources of protein for muscle growth. Your body needs only 9 grams of milk protein to start the protein synthesis in your muscles and enable recovery. Greek yoghurt is a versatile food packed with probiotics that help your recovery. You can alternate it with ricotta cheese or cottage cheese if you get bored eating the same foods.
Eating before and after exercising is crucial because it impacts your fitness results and recovery.
