Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
Eating before and after exercise provides your body with essential energy to power through training sessions more easily and recover faster.
Prior to exercise, eating or snacking on carbohydrates – your body’s primary source of energy – is ideal. Liquid meals like smoothies or supplement shakes digest rapidly for fast energy supply.
Pre-Workout Snacks
Before exercising, consuming a balanced meal that provides protein, carbohydrates, and fats is ideal. Carbs provide energy for workouts while fats and proteins provide lasting energy to sustain endurance during intense physical exertion. Grilled chicken with brown rice and vegetables; turkey sandwiches on whole grain bread; and quinoa salad with beans and vegetables all make excellent examples of such balanced pre-workout meals.
Apples or bananas make easy pre-workout snacks that contain easily digested glucose to provide fuel for workouts, as well as antioxidants which support muscle recovery. Sliced avocado on whole grain toast also offers healthy fats and complex carbs – perfect for prepping for any activity!
Post-Workout Snacks
After exercise, replenishing both carbohydrates and proteins helps replenish glycogen stores and speed muscle recovery. Here are some dietitian-approved food items with both!
Exercise requires blood sugar as fuel for muscle movement; as exercise intensity increases, that supply becomes depleted and your body has to draw upon its stored source – glycogen stored in muscles and liver – for energy. Eating post-workout carb-rich snack can replenish these stores and give you enough energy for another workout session.
Carbs provide energy, so opt for foods like whole grains, beans and fruits which release slowly-digesting carbs. Protein can support recovery and muscle growth by providing amino acids which refuel muscles – an easy portable option with both carbs and proteins is Ezekiel bread with peanut butter; alternatively try choosing high-protein smoothies or shakes that contain minimal added sugars.
After-Workout Snacks
After an intense sweat session, it’s essential to replenish your body’s energy stores – that means carbs and protein! “Proper post-workout nutrition promotes faster recovery, reduces muscle soreness, builds muscle mass, improves immune system functionality, replenishes glycogen stores more rapidly, and promotes quicker recovery,” according to sports dietitian Marni Sumbal M.S. R.D.N.
Carb-rich options include fruit (bananas, berries) and whole grains such as pasta, oatmeal or rice cake. Protein sources can include dairy products like low-fat yogurt or milk, protein powder or cottage cheese; you could also try a classic like peanut butter on whole wheat toast! Or make your own smoothie from low-fat yogurt mixed with fresh or frozen berries, yogurt and protein powder to help balance blood sugar levels naturally while strengthening muscle growth simultaneously! Alternatively you could opt for turkey sandwich on whole grain bread or scrambled, fried or sunny side up eggs topped on toast
Post-Workout Meals
Eating a nutritious meal or snack that contains carbs, proteins and healthy fats within an hour of physical activity is proven to replenish depleted glycogen stores and repair muscle damage caused by workouts. Consider eating slow-releasing energy sources like fruits, whole grains, beans or starchy vegetables while avoiding simple sugars that may spike blood sugar.
Protein is essential to supporting muscle development and recovery, while healthy fats help promote feeling full, steady energy levels and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. Drinking water also hydrates your body while providing electrolytes and sodium, says Patton.
If it is difficult for you to eat immediately following your workout, a post-workout protein shake or fruit and yogurt smoothie are great ways to replenish the body after exercise, she suggests. Failing to do so can result in muscle soreness and delay recovery time.
