The Best Pre and Post Workout Meals for Real Results
The Best Pre and Post Workout Meals for Real Results…
So you’ve started going to the gym and working hard on your fitness. Great! But are you eating correctly before and after your hard work?
Your pre and post workout meals are crucial to correctly fueling your muscles and seeing real results.
You might spend a lot of precious time doing intensive workouts at the gym, but your body won’t change much if your nutrition is wrong. And you certainly don’t want to do all that work for nothing!
The success of your fitness hangs on how and when you nourish your body before and after exercise. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Nutrition from Pre and Post Workout Meals
When you eat carbohydrates, your body uses them of energy by converting them to glucose. Any glucose not used by the body is converted to glycogen then stored in your muscles and liver.
When you’re working out hard, this stored glycogen, or energy, is used up by your body. If that energy isn’t present, your body can’t function at its full potential!
Providing your body with healthy pre and post workout meals or snacks replenishes that glycogen that your muscles desperately need during aerobic (lighter) exercise or anaerobic (higher intensity) exercise. Eating clean and supplementing your diet appropriately is the best way to do that. (For a high quality dose of trace minerals, try Mimi’s Miracle Minerals.)
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Now that you understand how your body uses this energy, let’s talk about what you need before and after workouts!
Pre-Workout Meal Time
Some people workout early in the morning before starting their work day. This means it’s tempting to workout before you eat anything, on an empty stomach. But not so fast.
When you workout without eating any food beforehand, the “gas tank” of your body is on empty. That means instead of using glycogen for energy, your body will began to use amino acids from your muscles to convert them to glucose.
Basically, it means you could start burning your muscle instead of fat! And that’s like sending your progress in reverse.
To make sure you burn fat during your workout, eat something healthy about one to one and a half hours before the workout. This will allow your body time to digest the food and convert it into energy for whatever you do.
Pre Workout Meal Ideas
Here are some good examples of pre-workout meals or snacks:
- Healthy energy bar (low sugar)
- Banana
- Grapefruit and whole-wheat toasted
- Lean turkey or veggie burger
- 2-3 oz lean protein
- Almond milk with a high-fiber, low-sugar cereal
If you’re struggling with lack of energy before your workout, try taking a high-quality supplement like Raspberry Ketone Pro with your meal to energize you and help burn fat!
You want to eat a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates, low-fat protein, and fiber. This will keep you full so you don’t get hungry during your workout and give to energy to last throughout it.
If you’re low on time, go with some simple carbs like juice added to a protein shake or drink, or some fruit. You can have this 15 to 30 minutes pre workout. And don’t eat anything too heavy during this time, as bigger, richer meals can just make you feel slower and sluggish during intense workouts.
Post Workout Meal Ideas
Your post workout nutrition is very important too! What you eat after exercise will go towards rebuilding your muscles after they’ve used up your glycogen. Try to eat a combination of carbs and protein within a half hour to one and a half hours after you’ve worked out.
Post Workout Meal Ideas
Here are some great ideas for meals after your workout:
- Brown rice and 4-6 oz of lean protein or legumes
- A smoothie with non-dairy yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit
- A green salad with lean protein or beans
The correct timing and nutrition of your pre and post workout meals or snacks can make or break your workout success—so don’t forget to feed yourself during these times!
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