Food is our daily fuel that our bodies need in order to live and function properly. Many people don’t realize, but it’s very important what we eat, how we eat and when we eat, because this will greatly influence our health, look and how we feel. Its very important that we eat properly and balanced, so that our body will extract all the nutrients and vitamins that it needs, otherwise, problems will appear on the way. Some foods have a higher nutritional value than others, and some of them have little to no nutritional value, such as various sweets and fast foods. Water is also very important, because we need to stay hydrated, and drinking plenty of water throughout the day (at least two liters, as specialists highly recommend) is essential. You can also say that water is even more important than food, because without food, your body can survive even for a few weeks, but without water, it’s just a matter of days until your body will eventually fail.
What should we eat before workouts?
Before workouts, it’s quite important that we give to the body what it needs, so that it has the required energy to perform the given tasks. Most important: water. Not feeding your body with it’s appropriate needs before going to gym for example, it will result in an inefficient workout, you will struggle and you will get tired very quickly, which makes it basically useless plus there will be a risk of getting injured. Before going for a workout, never do it on an empty stomach, in hope that you will lose more weight, because you will suffer very fast of fatigue and muscle catabolism , meaning the body will also use its muscles as a source of energy, breaking down the muscle fibers. The counter attack to muscle catabolism is muscle anabolism, meaning that by consuming proper foods before workouts, it will favor muscle protein synthesis and improve your glycogen stores within your muscles. Remember also not to overeat before workouts, because you will feel like bloating and the need to puke during intense efforts. Moderation is the key. Down below we will enlist some popular pre-workout meals that are a must-have before a workout and why.
Proteins
Researcher have found that eating foods rich in proteins, or having a protein shake before workouts can improve your overall performance and favor the assimilation of proteins in your muscles, which will result in a faster and much efficient muscle growth and recovery, better long-lasting performance during exercises and increased strength.
For example, before workouts you can have some of these examples as foods rich in protein:
- Chicken breast or turkey breast – also recommended if you wanna keep an eye on low calories
- Peanut butter in moderate quantities
- Tofu is a good option, especially if you want to go vegan
- Hard boiled eggs or dried out egg protein powder
- Cow milk – be careful though not to drink milk with a higher fat concentration than 1.5% – 2%
- Casein and whey protein powder mixed with water or cow milk – fast and efficient
- A cup of Greek yogurt
- Soy milk
- Swiss or cottage cheese
- Salmon
Carbohydrates
One of the primary sources of energy for your body are carbs. Your body extracts the glucose found in carbs and houses it in your muscles and liver for later use, being the primary source of energy for your muscles during workouts. Some people are keeping an eye on carbohydrate consumption, and try to limit it to a lower quantity in order to lose weight, but still they are needed by our body in order for it to function properly. Not taking in not enough carbs can also have side effects, so the key is a proper balance in order to achieve your desired goal. Carbs are an important factor in this discussion, because our body will consume first the glycogen resulted from the carbs, and afterwards it will go to consume fats and proteins. Remember the importance of carbs before or after workouts, since they are good before and after.
Some recommended post-workout foods that contain carbs are:
- Bananas – being recommended by lots of specialists before workouts, bananas are easy and fast to eat, no preparation is required, and are an ideal source of potassium, natural sugar and carbs. It’s best to eat a banana about half an hour to an hour before your workout.
- Oatmeal
- Rice and rice cake
- Dried fruits – pineapple, banana, apricots, berries, figs, etc.
- Crackers
- Toast and jam
- Potatoes
- Beans
Fats
Fats are not recommended in high quantities before workouts, because they are processed slower than proteins and crabs by the body. Specialists recommend (but not very much) moderate fats before long and non-intensive workouts, suck as slow jogging or brisk walks. So depending on your routine, it’s best to keep an eye also on fats. For example, a tablespoon of peanut butter can do the trick, but it’s important to consume as much as possible unsaturated fats. Some recommended meals that contain good fats for your workouts are:
- Seeds
- Nuts – such as almonds, walnuts and cachew
- Avocado – which is also good for your brain and memory, so it’s recommended to consume them once in a while
Bottom line
Timing is also very important for meals before workout. Usually, they are recommended by nutrition specialists within two or three hours before starting your exercise routine. Avoid as much as possible going exercising on a full stomach, and remember to take your proteins and carbohydrates from proper meals, and not from fast foods for example. Keeping yourself hydrated is a very important key element of any type of workout, and avoid, especially during workouts, to drink too much water, and drink in smaller portions over time.