This article does not strive to give a perfect meal plan to take before or after exercise, but instead give knowledge on what to eat within the immediate time before the next meal after a workout.
Practicing close to a training session, or 30 minutes to an hour prior, could be beneficial as well.
A lot of you may have an “eye-roll” attitude when I tell you there's no such thing as a “post-exercise window.” At the end of the day, it doesn't really make a difference when you consume your food if you've got your intake of calories and nutrition sorted out through the day.
I will offer my consent to the fact that this is partly accurate, yet I would like to emphasize that eating proper meals before and after practice is essential to maximize one's achievement.
Before discussing the details of the best food items to eat before and after exercise, it is important that we have an understanding of a few principles. First, we need to consider a few factors to help inform our unique, individual pre and post-workout meal needs:
Current Eating Habits
In the final analysis, nutrition is an individual choice.
Everyone's approach to getting things done is different; something that is effective for one person may not be successful for someone else.
As an example, some people are able to perform well on an empty stomach, but for others, it's beneficial to have a bit of sugar in their body in order to excel. Some individuals are metabolically adapted to using fat as fuel, while others, like me, require carbohydrates prior to exercising.
To conclude, build on the components that have worked for you, and enhance them, rather than adhering to any type of nutrition regulations.
Nutrient Intake
We must assess the nutrient content of our food to guarantee that our body is receiving enough vitamins and minerals to aid ATP production. Nutrients are more influential on energy production than calories.
Calories aren’t the only influence on energy production.
Blood Sugar Management
If you are measuring your food intake in order to get the exact number of macros, then your dietary and caloric goals will be predetermined. But, the details of pre and post-exercise nutrition have to do with when you eat and what kind of meals you consume before and after your training session.
Some may argue that meal timing isn’t that important. But to me, meal timing means blood sugar management. It is vital to pay attention to the finer points in regards to when you consume and process your food, as this can have an effect on overall performance.
Rate of Digestion
The speed at which we consume and process our sustenance is significant. This affects how efficiently our food is converted into energy sources. Have you ever gone to a buffet and then done a workout straight afterwards?
If you choose to do so, make sure the trash bin is sealed.
The Intensity of Your Workout
If you are an athlete who relies on strength and power, you ought to give some thought to supplying your body with energy from high-energy foods such as carbohydrates.
For us keto dieters, it seems evident that using fat as a fuel is an effective way to generate energy. However, making use of fat when compared to carbohydrates before working out is similar to the discrepancy between driving a hybrid car and a sports car when competing on a racetrack.
The same can also be applied to individuals who follow the lower-carb Paleo diet.
Carb Consumption
Are your goals recovery-oriented?
Or are you more concerned with body composition?
Generally, to rebound from workouts and burn fat, higher carb intake before and after exercising is necessary. If you'd like to reshape your body, decreased carb intake will cause your body to use fat as an energy source during physical activity.
Pre-workout Nutrition
The fundamentals of pre-workout nutrition involve supplying the body with necessary amino acids, while additionally making sure there is a slow release of glucose that can be used during the workout.
Here’s what to eat…
Have Some Fat
If you have adapted to burning fat as your main energy source, then it is crucial that you should recognize this, since it is the major fuel for energy production.
Although it's not necessary to adhere to a strict ketogenic diet, I advise my clients to include a healthy fat source prior to training as it has the capacity to offer a consistent flow of usable glucose for the duration of the exercise.
I particularly appreciate Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) for their capability to transfer across the mitochondrial wall and be used for immediate energy. A chain of occurrences has to be set off in order for other types of fat to penetrate the mitochondrial membrane, and this necessitates the use of L-carnitine. On the other hand, this step is not obligatory when it comes to Medium Chain Triglycerides.
Healthy fat sources to consider include: coconuts, avocados, and dairy products such as cheese (if you are a fan of dairy products), as well as a variety of nuts and seeds. If you have been curious, here is an instructional video that demonstrates how I include MCT oil into my pre-workout routine.
Just a Little Bit of Protein Bro
I'm saying this again to keep in your mind that consumption of adequate protein and its respective amino acids helps to stop the use of protein as energy source during exercise and help to keep the muscle protein synthesis level steady as it is prone to decrease when we do physical activity.
A hefty steak dinner might be unsuitable to eat right before exercising, however a protein shake or branched-chain amino acid supplement are great alternatives.
For pre-exercise sustenance, other easily accessible protein sources include beef sticks, turkey sticks, or a easy-to-make protein shake.
Coffee. The Original Pre-Workout
Consuming coffee prevents adenosine from binding to its receptors, which would otherwise inhibit neural activity and produce a sense of tiredness. Thus, it supplies the body with a burst of energy.
If you're looking to cut down on your caffeine intake while still getting a stimulating effect, Green tea might be a great choice. This particular tea provides an amino acid called L-Theanine, which helps minimize the caffeine's stimulating qualities. The caffeine content in this drink is significantly lower than most cups of coffee.
Post-workout Nutrition
The majority of post-exercise dieting involves eating food that causes a higher production of insulin and consuming an adequate quantity of protein.
Eating carbohydrates after working out not only replaces the energy that we used during exercise, but it also helps in the absorption of the amino acids necessary for the creation of proteins in the body.
My physique is more able to absorb and make use of insulin after physical activity, so I elect to consume my nutrient-dense meals during the period right after exercise.
Post-exercise nutrition can have an effect on cortisol levels. Ketosis and fat-acceptance are separate issues. This is especially relevant following exercise since the goal is to get cortisol back to its standard levels.
I'm not marking it wrong, but cortisol has an essential part during exercise, yet if constantly increased, it can have adverse effects. After exercise, carbohydrates can help regulate cortisol levels, which can positively affect the immune system.
Carbohydrates
Consumption of carbohydrates is indispensable for peak performance, and even more importantly for replenishing glycogen stores. Investigations have revealed that muscle tissues can absorb blood sugar more swiftly right after strenuous physical activity (Goodyear 1998). This is a result of a process known as non-insulin dependent glucose absorption. In the aftermath of eating, muscle cells take glucose across the cell wall under the influence of the hormone insulin. Insulin connects to its receptors located on the outer layer of the cell, initiating a consecutive set of actions culminating in the relocation of proteins, known as glucose carriers, to the exterior of the cell. As soon as they reach the outside of the cell, these glucose transporters let glucose permeate across the cell wall, where it is changed into a different form and eventually converted into glycogen. Increasing the amount of glucose within a membrane will lead to a similar kind of rate-limiting effect which would be the same result one would obtain from increasing the substrate concentration when attempting to activate an enzyme. The amount of glucose carriers determines the speed of glucose intake into your muscle cells. Once all of the glucose transporters are occupied by glucose molecules, the rate at which glucose enters the cell cannot increase any further.
Muscle contractions cause a distinct group of GLUT-4 proteins to be shifted temporarily to the outer area of the muscle cell (Sherman 1996). This leads to a dramatic rise in the speed at which muscle cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream after physical activity. The impacts of physical activity upon taking up glucose remain for several hours after finishing a workout. If the meal after exercise does not contain enough carbohydrates, it will take longer for glycogen to be restored.
Simple vs. Complex
There has been a debate over which type of carbohydrate is most efficient for replacing glycogen stores after exercise. Some propose that dextrose, a type of simple sugar, is the most ideal option for consumption after doing physical activity. Others say that drinks with glucose polymers are best. Some people argue that there is no requirement for extravagant sports drinks and that a meal with a lot of glucose like couscous or white rice will serve the purpose. Research has revealed that the speed of glycogen restoring is invariable regardless of the kind of carbs eaten after physical exercise as long as enough carbs are taken in (Burke 1997). The recovery rate of glycogen will not be inhibited as long as the post-exercise meal also has a good amount of carbs, in addition to components like proteins and fats. These studies suggest that the main hurdle in replenishing glycogen stores following exercise is not the digestion process or the glycemic index of a particular carbohydrate source. In the span of 24 hours, the total quantity of carbs consumed is essential. The speed of glucose uptake during exercising is dictated by the rate of phosphorylation after the glucose has gone into the muscle cell (Halseth 1998). The rate of glycogen synthase activity could be a roadblock (Halseth 1998).
Protein
Protein is another critical nutrient post-exercise. Protein is essential to post-exercise anabolism. Proteins furnish amino acids that can be used to reconstruct broken tissues as well as deliver enzymes and other proteins necessary to adjust to physical activity.
The timing of protein intake is important. For optimal muscle building response to exercise, it is important to keep a consistent supply of amino acids to the muscle when mRNA levels are high. It should come as no shock that the best time for muscle recovery after exercising is quite brief in comparison to the amount of times you train a certain muscle. The rate at which protein is created in the muscles increases by as much as half after four hours of heavy weightlifting and almost doubles at 24 hours following the physical activity. MacDougall, et al (1995) investigated the freshness of the muscle-protein synthesis following a strenuous resistance workout, looking particularly at the pattern 36 hours after the training. Six healthy young men executed Bicep Curls with one arm while the other arm acted as a comparison. They completed twelve sets of repetitions that varied from 6- to 12-RM, (Repetition Maximum). The in vivo rate of the uptake of L-[1,2-13C2] leucine was determined and used to determine MPS from the biceps brachii of both arms over an eleven-hour period. On average, 36 hours after exercising, the muscle protein synthesis of the exercised arm had gone back nearly to the same level as the non-exercised arm's, which was not significantly different.
Fat
The consequences of fat intake for post-exercise meals are largely a mystery. The quantity of fat one consumes might be more essential for a bodybuilder to think about rather than just post-workout meals. Essential fatty acids in sufficient quantities can alter physiology. Consuming specific ratios of fatty acids like omega-3s and omega-6s regularly and thoughtfully can adjust the composition of cell walls, leading to adjustments in the manufacture of prostaglandins in working muscle tissues, which can influence the metabolism of glucose and protein synthesis (Hayashi 1999). It takes at least 5 days of consuming moderate to large amounts of these fats before one can notice the effects. Consuming the foodstuffs exclusively post-workout and not at any other moment probably won't have much of a difference.
It appears that cholesterol may be an essential nutrient right after intense resistance training. A single session of resistance exercise leads to a notable decline in total cholesterol levels that carries on for at least 90 hours (Smith 1994). Blood cholesterol might be required to be integrated into broken cell walls following strenuous exercise. I'm not suggesting that you should consume a meal rich in cholesterol after your workout.
Fluids
It's essential to mention hydration when talking about eating habits before and after exercise. Hydration is extremely important on the cellular level. Muscle growth is inhibited by dehydration. In bodybuilding, we typically don't prioritize hydration as much as athletes like runners or cyclists, who typically experience dehydration after a single session. The speed at which you lose hydration from exercise is determined by your level of perspiration (Gisolfi 1990). Some people perspire greatly when engaging in weight training, while others remain completely dry.
