The world we live in today is more conscious about health than what it was a decade ago. The signs of this can be seen from the local parks being crowded to the number of gyms in every area. Most health conscious people join gym however about 80% of them according to a statistic do not know how and what has to be eaten before and after gym.
Some common reasons why people join gym are
- Lose fat.
- Build muscle.
- Lose fat AND build muscle.
- Increase strength.
- Improve performance.
- Be healthy.
If any one of the above reasons is your main reason then the first and foremost fact is you must start eating right. That is eating the right amount of proteins, carbs, fat and micronutrients. Regardless of what your health goal is the basic pillars for good health don’t change. Hence the right amount of calories is always important.
The second fact is what to eat Pre and Post Workout. What you eat before a workout is crucial for fueling your body and optimizing your performance during the workout. What you eat after your workout is crucial for optimizing the recovery process and ensuring that your body has all of the supplies it needs in order to recover, adapt and improve the way you want it to.
The goal of the PRE workout meal is to accomplish the following:
- Reduce muscle protein breakdown.
- Reduce post workout cortisol levels.
- Reduce muscle glycogen depletion
To achieve this all you need is have a meal that contains carbohydrates and proteins in the ratio 1:2. PRE workout meal takes place 45mins to 1 hour before workout and consists of a normal solid food meal containing a good amount of protein example foods include chicken, fish, egg whites, etc, and a good amount of carbs example foods include brown rice, oatmeal, or any lower glycemic source.
The goal of the POST workout meal is to accomplish the following:
- Replenish muscle glycogen that was depleted during your workout.
- Reduce muscle protein breakdown caused by exercise.
- Increase muscle protein synthesis.
- Reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
- Greatly enhance overall recovery.
- Reduce cortisol levels.
SO again what you need is proteins and carbs in 2:1 ratio. However it is best advised to be taken within 20 minutes post workout or maximum 40 minutes post workout for maximum benefit. A post workout meal can consist of a plant based protein source which does not contain cholesterol in it and a high glycemic indexed carbs like whole grain foods.
End of the day if you don’t get your pre and Post workout diet right then the health goals you wish to achieve will be delayed.