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When you start exercising your body needs more nutrition and hydration than a regular routine, you have to make a diet plan considering all the factors including proteins, fibers, and carbs. A good pre-workout meal is, that you should take a balanced amount of proteins and fiber to get your desired output and maximize the results.
I usually work out with a clear goal. Everyone has different goals, from gaining weight to building muscle and improving athletic performance.
The human body, like a machine, is trying to maintain an organic balance, and exercise provides vital vitality to the complex human body managed by the brain.
Importance of pre-workout food:
If you exercise hard, you will feel hungry because your brain and muscles consume a lot of glucose. Also, when we exercise, our body consumes a lot of energy. To perform complex movements necessary for exercise, cognitive functions must also be activated, so sufficient nutrients must be consumed.
So, if you don’t eat before your workout, your body can fall into an emergency. After exercise, you may feel a decrease in muscle mass or feel overworked, because the muscle fills up the lack of glucose.
However, if you eat a good quality meal before your workout, you will improve your endurance and stamina, which will help you develop your athletic ability.
Don’t skip your breakfast. The pre-workout meal in the morning is most important because in the morning your stomach is fully empty. To gain proper energy for the workout you have to do your breakfast.
Want to know what should you eat after a workout?
Here you can go for the Best Post-Workout meal:
Carbohydrates:
If you want to lose weight or improve your lifestyle, you need to pay attention to your usual diet. You must eat a diet that includes a variety of food groups such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water to stay healthy.
Recently, some people limit or stop carbohydrate intake to lose weight, but carbohydrates are an important nutrient that drives our body.
Carbohydrates are a very important and main nutrient, responsible for muscle contraction and energy supply, and are essential for nerve cell production. A person who exercises must eat carbohydrates, but the question is which carbohydrates to eat.
Hydration (Drinks and water):
Water is essential for digesting food eaten before exercise. Water is also essential for smoothing the blood supply, providing the body with an even supply of oxygen, sugar, and other essential nutrients. It is also indispensable for muscle contraction.
Lack of water can limit your ability to sweat during exercise. Sweat plays an important role in maintaining body temperature and maximizing athletic performance. Also, if you don’t drink enough water, you can lose concentration. This is especially important in sports that require sophisticated skills, such as basketball, tennis, and skiing.
Adequate hydration should be done several hours before exercise. Make it a habit to drink plenty of water right before and during exercise as well. Adults can sweat approximately 1-3 L per hour while exercising. Drink water regularly during exercise to replenish this lost fluid.
A simple way to make sure you are hydrated while exercising is to weigh yourself right before and after your workout. At this time, the weight before and after exercise should be approximately the same. If you’ve gained weight, you’re likely dehydrated before your workout or you drank too much water during your workout. If you have lost weight, you should try to drink more water while exercising.
However, you should also be careful about drinking too much water. Drinking too much water can cause abdominal pain. The lack of water can be replenished after exercise, so avoid excessive intake.
Best Pre-Meals of Workout (Foods)
There are countless foods to eat before exercise, I suggest you not eat any type of food just before a workout, wait for at least 1 to 2 hours.
1. Oatmeal
Instant oatmeal is a carbohydrate-rich food. One serving is about 150Kcal. If you need more calories, you can opt for flavored oatmeal or add fruit. Oatmeal is also rich in fiber, so eating too much can cause discomfort as it slows digestion.
2. Bread
The bread can be eaten as is or made into toast or sandwiches. You can easily increase the calories by adding monosaccharides, jams, and jellies. White bread has less fiber than whole wheat bread and is easily digested. Peanut butter or regular butter should be avoided as it is high in fat and inhibits digestion.
Did you know that marathon runners always eat jam and salt sandwiches during their races? This is because it is the easiest way to replenish the calories and electrolytes lost while running.
2. Fruit
Eating dry or fresh fruit is a great way to provide energy and replenish micronutrients during exercise. However, fruit selection must be done carefully. This is because some fruits are rich in sugar and alcohol, which can act as a laxative by causing bloating and gas. When exercising, this is probably the most unwanted phenomenon.
Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapples, and citrus fruits are safe because they are low in sugar and alcohol. Watermelon, peaches, pears, blackberries, apples, cherries, and plums are high in sugar and alcohol, so eating too much can impair athletic performance.
3. Coffee
For those for whom caffeine can help boost athletic performance, coffee is great pre-workout food. Add a little sugar to your coffee and eat it with other pre-workout foods to get all the calories you need for your workout.
4. Sweets
Before exercise, you can eat as much food as you would normally not eat. If you’ve been craving some irresistible chocolatiers and chocolates at home, now is your best chance. Instead of eating these foods right before bed or watching TV, use them as fuel for your workout.
Sweet foods are the best pre-workout food because they are high in sugar and low in fat. Jelly or candy is an easy food to consume before or during exercise.
How soon can you exercise after eating?
Based on a typical three pre-workout meal, it is a rule to finish eating at least 1 to 2 hours before exercise. This is because digestion and absorption are slow. After all, all these three major nutrients and fiber are combined in a daily diet. On the other hand, if you exercise for a reasonable amount of time after eating, you can stay in good shape throughout the workout, so it is best to have some free time between meals and exercise if you can. This is true for those who are on a diet and those who want to lose weight.
Conclusion in short
For effective exercise,
- -Start exercising 2 to 3 hours after eating a carbohydrate-rich meal!
- -It’s good to start around when you start to feel hungry!
- -Complete weight training within 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes!
- -It is good to decide whether or not to do aerobic exercise!
