Workout And Food: Good Or Bad?

Workout And Food: Good Or Bad?

Exercise is something that everyone in the world should be doing consistently at a schedule to maintain a healthy body and mind. However, you cannot expect to gain your target goal without being able to practice healthy nutritional eating as well. Remember that you need to do sides so you can have a fully-fledged coin. Thus, eating nutritionally is always a part of a person’s diet routine to remain healthy. However, the question of should you eat before starting a workout is something that is constantly being debated by loads of people. Should you also eat directly after working out?

The simple answer to your query is this: you need to be eating the right amount of food at the right amount of time for both pre and post-workout. That would result in your being at the perfect peak of energy and full that you won’t suddenly keel over.

However, that answer might seem to vague for people to have a true definitive timed answer. Therefore, you should instead plan the goal you are trying to achieve for yourself. The easy thing to keep in mind is that you need to always have a varied diet of nutrients at hand to regulate all parts of your body.

Do not be afraid to consult a local dietician or nutritionist if you are unaware of the diet that you should be maintaining. But before all that, you need to determine the reason as to why you are working out. Define the workout routine as something that you either would do to lose weight or something to help gain muscle mass.

If you are one of the latter target democratic, then read on as we break down the appropriate food that you should eat.

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Pre-Workout

A workout does not specifically require you to do so at a certain time of the day. Whatever time you are active the most would be the most optimal time.

You can choose to have a meal that is focused more on giving you the energy needed to get through the gruelling workout session. Although, you do not have to force yourself to eat every time you are about to start a workout.

Some of the more active gym fanatics would urge you to start a fasted training diet wherein you would abstain from eating for a long period of time before you start working out. That would result in your stored fat to be burned for the extra energy, thus, losing weight and being lean faster than normal. However, this is better suited for those who prefer to workout in the wee hours of the morning.

A recent study has reported that a person that ingests pre-workout supplements would see a spike in performance, agility, and reaction time while reducing the total amount of fatigue felt when working out. The result had shown tremendous improvements in those that contain a bit of glucose, fructose, or caffeine.

But do not be compelled to suddenly forego actual meals for supplements already.

A proper nutritious pre-workout meal can create the same impact as those supplement pills when eaten at the right amount. In addition, a great meal could even reduce the overall drained and lethargic feeling you could feel after the workout. The long term effects of naturally eating food can outweigh the short-term effects of supplements.

Some examples of the best pre-workout food you eat are:

• Bananas and almond butter :

  Good balance between fats and carbohydrates to be used as fuel to energized your workout

• Oatmeal and berries:

  Strong in antioxidants that could help build up your immune system

• Sweet potatoes:

  Good source of vitamin C without having to deal with acid reflux

• Fruits and vegetables :

  Consistent supply of carbohydrates without the risk of spiking one’s blood sugar; great for those with diabetes and heart problems

Post-Workout

The intensity of your workout would determine the right amount of food you should ingest. And the amount of energy you have post-workout can play into a factor of your after-workout meal.

It is crucial that you replace the lost burnt up energy fuels you used during your workout. The amount of energy you need to recharge would be based on how much you burn.

It is generally a good idea to consistently supply yourself with some protein and carbohydrates to prevent muscle spasms after working out. Some fats are also good for you as they can help you out in terms of physical health and immune system response.

Above all, the most vital nutritional source you need to recover would be your glycogen stores. Fruits and vegetables are the best source of adequate glycemic sugar that can help replenish sugar into the body.

Research reveals that insulin is one of the key nutritional values that one should keep a close eye on as that source helps shuttle hormones, which would help the transfer of sugar and amino acids to the muscles. Exercising your muscles constantly would require tremendous amounts of insulin to recover.

Do remember that you cannot just live solely on a high micronutrient diet on its own. The macronutrients are also vital in ensuring that you live a strong and healthy life. Thus, you should not leave that in your healthy meal plans. One such macronutrient, the protein, is the most important one of them all, especially when it comes to training.

Studies have shown that protein is intake is something that should be monitored throughout the whole day, not just something you focus on before or after a workout. That is why you should generally have an adequate amount of protein inside your system within a 24-hour period to ensure that your body does not collapse. In fact, muscle protein synthesis can happen at around 58-72 hours after your training, as such your protein intake should be consistent at best.

One thing that is common with almost everyone when it comes to post-workout sores would be inflammation. It is common for some inflammation to form after a gruellingly intense workout session. As such, it is important that your body has a sufficient supply of omega-3 fatty acids. You can purchase this nutrient from either supplement or eaten naturally from oily fish, nuts, and seeds. The inflammation could potentially cause you to hinder your training and resort you to recovering slower and slower as time goes by. That is why you can find some organically grass-fed meat to increase your supply of omega-3 fatty acids while also getting the protein you deserve.

Inflammation is not the only post-workout pain you have to deal with when it comes to poor nutrients. You can also suffer from oxidative stress which could cause an imbalance in your nutrients and hormones. Both of those issues can be solved, however, with proper intake of antioxidants found in berries. You can easily find plenty of post-workout shakes that utilize berries in their mixture. In addition, salad and Greek-yogurt are excellent sources of antioxidants and protein for a double solution food source.

These are some of the most common food sources you should definitely make the most of during your post-workout sessions:

• Whey protein shake, coupled with a banana:

  Great source of protein and potassium to help your body recover from muscle spasms and aches.

• Steamed vegetables and skinless chicken breast:

  Perfect nutrient-filled health meal without the worries of unnecessary fat.

• Salmon with mashed potato:

  Excellent source of protein for muscle growth. The potatoes are great to ensure you have enough carbohydrates to get you through the day more

• Bowl of quinoa with blackberries:

  This is great for a splash of antioxidants to reduce swelling and inflammations

Those are just some of the most common food sources that you should take a chance to eat after your workout. Just remember that it is generally good advice to not bulk out on food during your pre-workout as it could lead to some stomachache and feeling bloated. However, you should also ingest something to help power through your workout such as an energy bar. If you however have continuous pain have a look at our Intolerance Test or Gut Microbiome Test

Post-workout meals can vary depending on the type of body and workout you are going for. But as long as you maintain a good and nutritious meal alongside the proper nutrients then you are all set for a healthy lifestyle.

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