Workout Nutrition Explained. What to Eat Before, During, and After Exercise.

Proper workout nutrition is key to achieving your fitness goals and fueling your body optimally during exercise. Choosing the right foods at the right times in relation to your training regimen enhances performance, builds and repairs muscles, and speeds recovery. This guide will provide science-based workout nutrition recommendations on what to eat before, during and after exercising for maximum results.

Why Workout Nutrition Matters

Consuming the proper blend of carbohydrates, proteins and other nutrients in conjunction with physical activity provides several key benefits:

– Boosts energy levels and endurance – The right foods provide carbohydrates to fuel activity and delay onset of fatigue.

– Builds and repairs muscles – Protein before and after workouts aids muscle protein synthesis needed for growth and recovery.

– Replenishes glycogen – Consuming carbs post-workout helps restore glycogen, the body’s energy stores depleted by exercise.

– Reduces muscle damage – Key nutrients and antioxidants help lessen exercise-induced muscle damage and soreness.

– Speeds recovery – The optimal nutrients enhance the body’s ability to bounce back faster after training sessions.

– Supports immune function – Carbs and vitamins pre- and post-workout keep immune defenses strong.

– Promotes hydration – Fluid and electrolytes prevent dehydration that can hinder performance.

– Provides gut health benefits – Evidence shows certain probiotic strains and prebiotic fibers may enhance gains.

Following research-backed nutritional strategies in relation to exercise significantly enhances physical performance and muscle gains while accelerating recovery.

Pre-Workout Nutrition Tips

The right nutrients before a workout help prepare and fuel the body for the impending activity. Here are key workout nutrition guidelines for pre-exercise:

Aim for a pre-workout meal 2-3 hours beforehand or a snack 1-2 hours prior. This gives time for digestion while providing energy during the session.

Include a moderate amount of carbohydrates – 1-1.5 grams per kg bodyweight (ex. 70-100g carbs for a 150 lb person). Good sources include oats, sweet potato, quinoa, bananas, or brown rice. These carbs supply energy and help maintain blood sugar.

Consume 10-20 grams of protein such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, almonds, or a protein shake. Protein supports muscle building and slows digestion.

Limit fat, fiber and excess protein that delay gastric emptying and slow digestion. Focus on easily digested carbs and some protein.

Stay hydrated leading up to exercise. Drink about 2-3 cups (500ml) of water in the hours beforehand. Proper hydration prevents declines in performance.

Coffee or tea before a workout can enhance performance due to caffeine’s ergogenic effects. Caffeine improves alertness, focus and endurance.

Easily digested foods are best. Avoid high fat, high fiber meals that are heavy or slow to digest. Refined carbs are appropriate pre-workout due to fast digestion.

After Pre-Workout Eating Tips

Once you’ve fueled up, here are some tips to follow in the hour leading up to your workout after eating:

Rest and avoid strenuous activity after eating to allow for digestion. Light walking is fine.

Drink water but avoid overhydrating. Drink only when thirsty in the final 30-60 minutes. Overhydration can lead to indigestion or cramping.

Don’t lay down or recline after eating as this can contribute to side stitches during activity. Remain upright.

Do dynamic warm-up exercises like jump rope, arm circles or light aerobics in the 10-15 minutes before training.

Set out your water bottle, sport drink, or anything else you’ll need during the workout so it’s ready to go.

Use the bathroom just before starting exercise. You want to avoid having to interrupt training to urinate.

Properly fueling up before a workout followed by light activity ensures your body is ready to hit the gym or pavement running.

What to Eat Right Before a Workout

If it’s been 3-4+ hours since your pre-workout meal, having a small snack about 30-60 minutes pre-exercise may provide an energy boost. Good options include:

– Banana
– Energy bar
– Oatmeal with blueberries
– Apple with peanut butter
– Greek yogurt
– Cottage cheese
– Trail mix
– Rice cakes with nut butter
– Half a bagel with cream cheese
– Sports drink

Aim for 30-60 grams of easily digestible carbs and a bit of protein. This provides last minute fuel without causing gastrointestinal issues.

Hydration Tips Before Exercise

Along with food, proper hydration is key. Follow these fluid guidelines leading up to activity:

– Consume 16-24 oz (500-700ml) water in the 2-4 hours before training

– Drink only when thirsty in the final 30 minutes to avoid sloshing stomach

– Electrolytes can help hydrate and provide energy

– Caffeinated drinks act as stimulants to boost awareness and endurance

– Tart cherry juice may reduce muscle damage and inflammation

Proper hydration allows the body to regulate temperature, prevent muscle cramps, and maximize performance.

During Workout Nutrition Strategies

Consuming the right beverages and snacks during longer workouts provides energy and electrolytes to optimize training. Here are solid during workout nutrition tips:

Drink 5-10 oz (150-300ml) every 15-20 minutes of activity to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat. Water is fine for shorter, easier workouts under an hour.

For moderate/intense training longer than 60-90 minutes, sports drinks provide carbs, electrolytes, and fluids for sustained energy and hydration.

Use a carbohydrate content around 5-10% or 15-30 grams per 8 oz serving. Higher concentrations may cause indigestion or delay fluid delivery.

Postpone use of most supplements during training itself. Simple carbs, electrolytes and fluids are ideal. Some exceptions like branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) may provide anti-fatigue benefits during exercise.

Energy gels, chews and bars can provide easily digestible carbs during long training sessions. Use caffeinated versions for an extra performance boost.

For maximum hydration and retention, aim to carry a water bottle and ingest fluids at regular intervals rather than waiting until excessively thirsty.

Weighing yourself before and after exercise helps ensure you replenish fluids lost to sweating. Each pound lost represents roughly 16 oz fluid.

Consuming properly formulated sports drinks, gels and bars during lengthy exercise sustains energy, hydration and muscle function so you can keep going strong.

Post-Workout Nutrition Recommendations

What you consume in the critical window after training is vital for recovery and results. Here are key workout nutrition guidelines for post-exercise:

Consume a source of easily digestible carbs like white rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas or sports drinks immediately after training. This rapidly replenishes glycogen stores depleted by the workout to replace energy. Aim for about 1 gram carbohydrate per kg body weight or roughly 75 grams carbs for a 165 lb athlete.

Pair those fast carbs with 20-40 grams protein from food sources like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, chicken, beef or protein powder. Protein provides amino acids that get delivered to the muscles to initiate the repair, rebuilding and growth process. Shoot for at least 20 grams within an hour after exercise.

Rehydrate with 16-24 oz water or sports drink to restore fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates lost through sweat. Weighing yourself pre and post workout helps guide how much to replenish.

Consume the carb/protein meal or shake within 30-60 minutes post-exercise. The muscles are primed for nutrients during this window. Delaying much beyond an hour hampers recovery.

Allot for larger post-workout meals since metabolism remains elevated after training, allowing more calories to be utilized for repair and growth.

Continue eating protein every 3-5 hours in the 24 hours after strength training to facilitate muscle protein synthesis. Shoot for 20 grams per meal.

Restock your glycogen stores in the 24 hours post-exercise by continuing to consume carbohydrate-rich meals and snacks.

Pairing carbohydrates and protein while rehydrating soon after exercise provides the perfect muscle recovery cocktail.

What to Eat After a Workout

Here are great food choices to eat post-workout to optimize results:

– Chocolate milk – Combination of carbs, protein, fluids.

– Greek yogurt with berries and granola – Protein, carbs, vitamins.

– Eggs and toast – Protein and fast digesting carbs.

– Chicken and rice – Complete meal with carbs.

– Protein shake with banana – Quick absorbing nutrition.

– Veggie omelet with sweet potato – Mix of protein, carbs, micronutrients.

– Tuna/chicken salad sandwich – Carbs from bread plus protein.

– Beef and vegetable stir fry over rice – Rice gives carbs to replenish energy.

Aim for meals containing both 80+ grams carbs and 25+ grams protein for optimal muscle recovery and glycogen restoration.

Nutrition for Strength/Power Athletes

For serious strength and power athletes, additional workout nutrition strategies can further augment results:

Increase pre-workout protein intake up to 40 grams along with carbs for greater stimulation of muscle protein synthesis.

Consume a post-workout shake immediately after training then another meal 1-2 hours later to deliver a greater protein pulse for enhanced protein synthesis.

Try adding leucine, BCAAs or HMB to pre/post workout shakes to help decrease muscle damage and speed recovery between intense sessions.

Consider higher protein consumption up to 1.6-2 grams per kg bodyweight daily (150 lbs = 109-140 g) to support greater muscle growth demanded by heavy training.

Time the majority of your carbohydrate intake pre and post-workout. Limit carbohydrates in evening meals furthest from training times.

Creatine monohydrate supplementation increases power output, training volume, lean mass gains, and recovery.

Tailoring workout nutrition to provide extra protein and strategic carb timing gives dedicated strength and power athletes an additional edge.

Supplements to Enhance Workout Nutrition

Certain workout supplements can complement whole food eating strategies:

Whey protein – Fast-absorbing protein to aid muscle building and recovery. Concentrates are inexpensive. Isolates are higher purity.

Creatine – Supports power output, muscle growth, and sprint performance with impressive evidence basis.

Beta-alanine – Reduces lactic acid buildup for improved strength, endurance and high-intensity training capacity.

Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) – Leucine, isoleucine and valine help stimulate muscle protein synthesis and offset fatigue.

L-Carnitine – Amino acid that enhances use of fat for fuel during training and reduces muscle damage.

Omega-3 fish oils – Helps reduce inflammation and soreness. Enhances muscle-building effects of protein.

Probiotic strains – Specific types may reduce severity and duration of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness incidence from heavy exertion stress.

pair into a pre/post workout stack for maximum benefits.
Targeted use of proven supplements like whey, creatine, BCAAs and fish oils around workouts can complement whole food nutrition.

The Bottom Line

Following science-based workout nutrition principles of properly fueling before, hydrating during, and refueling soon after training significantly enhances fitness results and recovery. The correct fueling strategies provide energy for intense training while delivering the right nutrients when muscles are primed to utilize them for growth, repair and restoration.

While workout supplements can provide a supporting role, whole foods should form the foundation of your exercise nutrition plan. By learning your own body’s unique fueling needs, you can formulate customized pre- and post-exercise meals and snacks that optimize both your performance and workout benefits.

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