One problem many people seem to face, or not even consider at all, is what exactly should be eaten before and after a workout. It is easy to understand that going on a run or lifting weights are good ways to be physically active and fit, but the food that you eat also contributes a lot to how your body responds to your workout. Certain foods will allow your body to optimize its ability to perform better and recuperate. I can assure you it is not the Oreo Milkshake from Chick-fil-a.
I am sure many of us have seen at one point an athlete or a friend pull out a mixer and drink down a protein shake because “I need my protein, bruh.” But what exactly does this protein do for them? Is that all you need? And do they really know the benefits it gives them other than that it is “good for me”? But the thing is, our body needs more than just protein and it differs exactly what we need at what point we are in during a workout period. You have before the workout and after.
Before you begin a workout, your body needs a sufficient amount of quality carbs, lean protein, healthy fats, and plenty of water. The quality carbs for stamina would come from foods like healthy cereals, fruits, pasta, and much more. The protein is to assist your muscles with the blood cells, which causes better oxygen and nutrient flow as you work-out. Like carbs, fats help for quick energy, and fluids, specifically 2 cups of water, keep your body hydrated and functioning at a healthy rate.
The one thing to remember though is not to consume a full or large meal, but these nutrients and elements should be attained via something small; it would be ideal to make a grilled chicken sandwich or eat a small slice of pizza (you heard me, pizza!!). The one thing to really stay away from would be fried foods, those are never ok to eat.
Once you have completed your workout, and congratulated yourself of a day’s work, you need to fuel your body up, right. Make sure that when you fuel yourself back up, you do it within 30 minutes of your workout, for the best results.
Obviously, one of the important things to make sure to get into your body is protein. This is because it helps your muscles recover and grow. But the thing is, you can get protein from other foods besides a whey protein shake. Try eggs, glass of chocolate milk, or even beef jerky as your post workout snack. You only need about 10-20 grams of protein, so do not think you need to consume an entire jar of peanut butter to get some good results, you will just feel really sick after too much of that!
You also need to drink at least 16-20 ounces of water to make up for all the water you burned up when you exercised. Another thing to note, if you lost way too much water, and you can check this by weighing yourself before and after, try to replace the water you lost with a sports drink to replenish electrolytes as well.
Lastly and shockingly, the next most important thing to fuel up on is carbs; these pay an important role in post-work-out recovery and need to eat between 0.25-0.4 grams of carbs per pound of your body weight.
Remember! There is more to a healthy life than just exercise.
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