Fueling your Workouts

Fueling your body with the right nutrients before and after any workout including athletics will give you the energy and strength you need to perform better, recover quicker, and grow stronger and healthier. There is a lot of mixed and confusing information concerning this topic, and so I have created a simplified explanation to help you navigate through the noise. 

Let’s start with learning about basic nutrition.  There are three macronutrients that your body needs each and everyday.  Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat. These same macronutrients are needed before and after workouts to ensure optimal performance. 

Each macronutrient has a specific role. Lets break it down Nutrient, by nutrient; 

Carbohydrates;

Carbs are essentially energy made up of glucose. Glucose is a simple sugar which is an important energy source in living organisms.  Your muscles use the glucose from carbohydrates for fuel. Glycogen is the way the body processes and stores glucose, mainly in the liver and muscles.

So if carbohydrates are energy, we need energy before we workout, or play a sport.  

Protein;

Protein is important to muscle repair.  When we workout or play a sport, our muscles tear and rebuild….this is how muscles become stronger.  This tearing is repaired with the protein we consume. 

Other benefits of eating protein before exercise include:

  • A better anabolic response, or muscle growth

  • Improved muscle recovery

  • Increased strength and lean body mass

  • Increased muscle performance

Fat;

Healthy fats essentially help protein to do its job.  Our bodies utilize fat for fuel in longer and moderate-to-low-intensity exercise. 

Carbs help maximize glycogen stores for high-intensity exercise, while fat helps fuel your body for longer, less intense workouts. Meanwhile, protein improves muscle protein synthesis and aids recovery.

The Timing of Your Pre-Workout Meal Is Key;

To minimize belly aches during your work out, eating 1-3 hours prior to your workout is ideal. If you're eating within this timeframe then you can eat a normal meal. Depending on your own individual needs, that might look like a ratio breakdown of about 40-50% carbs, 25% protein and 25% fat.

Some Examples of Pre-Workout Meals

Here are some examples of balanced pre-workout meals:

If Your Workout Starts Within 2–3 Hours or More

  • Sandwich on whole-grain bread, lean protein and a side salad

  • Egg omelet and whole-grain toast topped with avocado spread and a cup of fruit

  • Lean protein (chicken or fish), brown rice and roasted vegetables

If Your Workout Starts Within 2 Hours;

  • Protein smoothie made with milk, protein powder, banana and mixed berries

  • Whole-grain cereal and milk

  • A cup of oatmeal topped with banana and sliced almonds

  • Natural almond butter and fruit preserve sandwich on whole-grain bread

If Your Workout Starts Within an Hour or Less;

  • Greek yogurt and fruit

  • Nutrition bar with protein and wholesome ingredients

  • A piece of fruit, such as a banana, orange or apple

Hydration Is Also Crucial; Your body needs water to function. Good daily hydration has been shown to sustain and even enhance performance, while dehydration has been linked to significant decreases in performance. It's recommended to consume both water and sodium before exercise (products like Gatorade and Coconut water have a perfect balance of this). The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends drinking 16–20 ounces of water at least four hours before exercise and 8–12 ounces of water 10–15 minutes before exercise.  Additionally, they recommend consuming a beverage that contains sodium to help retain fluids

Post-workout

After your work out or sports practice/game, it is important to  replenish the nutrients lost during activity.

 For your post-workout meal, a combination of carbohydrates and protein is recommended, with an emphasis on getting more carbohydrates than protein about a 2:1 ratio (carbs; protein). 

Whole food, slow releasing carbohydrates are better quality sources of carbs that will steadily replenish your glycogen stores over a 24-hour period. Whole food sources are best for leading to better performance as they provide your body with important vitamins and minerals.

Try to consume your post workout meal within 90mins after your workout. If the proper  ratio of nutrients are consumed within this window of time, your body can obtain a 300% gain from consumption.  

Recovery Meal Ideas

  • 4-6oz of Chocolate milk

  • Peanut butter and banana (or jelly) sandwich

  • Apple with 1 tbs of peanut butter

To conclude, a healthy lifestyle and overall healthy eating habits will be the best for increasing overall performance.  Pre and post workout meals along with proper hydration, will definitely help to improve the quality of your workouts and performance on the field, as well as aid in recovery for activity.

Stacey ColemanComment