What should you eat before and after a gym workout?

    When deciding what to eat before & after a workout, remember that it's worth it to fuel your body before properly putting it through the paces.

The kind of foods you'd enjoy anyway and will enjoy even more when you know they're helping you reach your fitness goals. Of course, post-workout refuelling is critical too. Indeed, refuelling after exercise gives your body what it needs to recover from the exertion and helps you build a bigger, more muscular physique. So what's the ideal pre-workout meal? And what's suitable to eat after a workout? Let's find out!

Is it ok to work out on an empty stomach?

It is best to exercise under the supervision of a professional, and to do so, you should join a oakleigh gym with all the facilities. You may wonder whether you can work out on an empty stomach. Studies indicate that it may be beneficial, but this does not mean it is optimal. When you work out on an empty stomach, your body may use valuable energy and have less stamina. Low blood sugar levels may make you lightheaded, nauseous, or shaky. Another possibility is that your body will adjust to using fat reserves for energy instead of relying on carbohydrates from food.

What is best to eat before and after the gym?

Following are the options of food to eat before and after doing the workout:

Before the workout

Skipping breakfast or not eating before working out can lead to lightheadedness, nausea, lethargy and other symptoms that may cause an injury. Eating before a workout provides energy, which allows you to perform better and also increases your gains. If you are in a rush in the morning or live far away from the gym, your best option would be a protein bar or a similar small snack with some nutrients. However, suppose this is impossible, and you do not enjoy eating breakfast or anything else before working out. In that case, drinking water during/after your workout is acceptable. Here's how and what to eat before working out:

• Time your pre-workout meals 

Eating within a 30-minute to the three-hour window is best before working out. This allows your body enough time to digest food but does not use up all of your helpful calories. However, you can customize the workout schedule. You may need to experiment to see which timing works best for you. For example, if you exercise first thing in the morning, you probably will not be able to eat a whole meal before hitting the gym floor, but a small snack or mini-breakfast should suffice.

• Have pre-workout snacks full of carbs and protein

Carbohydrates provide energy for exercise. Eating carbohydrates before working out breaks down into glucose and enters our muscle cells, giving us fuel to exercise at our maximum capacity. If you're deprived of glucose during your workout, you may be tempted to call it quits and take a nap. A pre-workout snack is advisable, consisting of a granola bar, piece of fruit, oatmeal, crackers, rice cake or toast.

 

It's a good idea to consume some protein before your workout, mainly if you are doing weight training. So, make sure to create tiny tears in our muscle fibres when doing strength-training exercises such as lifting weights.

Following are some protein sources that are easy to digest include:

• Nuts.
• Greek yogurt.
• A slice of turkey.
• A hard-boiled egg.
• A glass of regular or soy milk.

• A list of the best pre-workout snacks
• Granola bar
• Dried fruit with mixed nuts
• An apple or pear with nut butter
• Rice cakes topped with nut butter
• Greek yogurt with granola and berries
• Oatmeal with peanut butter and fruit
• Baked salmon, brown rice, and roasted veggies
• A smoothie full of fruits and vegetables

After the workout

After working out, you need to eat to aid in recovery. One reason is to replenish the glycogen that has been depleted during your exercise. Another reason is to eat protein after a workout. Protein helps your muscles repair themselves; you can lose electrolytes when you sweat, and neurons need these minerals to fire correctly. If you don't replenish them with diet and hydration, you may become fatigued and battle low blood sugar. It will be challenging to reach your fitness goals if you routinely miss eating after a workout; here's how and what to eat after working out:

• Rehydrate properly 

When you lose fluids during exercise, it's essential to replace them as soon as possible. Don't wait until you feel thirsty before drinking; thirst is a sign of dehydration. If you want to get scientific about determining your fluid needs post-workout, use this formula: if you've lost pounds after exercising, drink 8 ounces of fluid for every pound lost.

• Ensure to eat as soon as possible 

If your body has used up the energy it needs to function at its peak, you may experience an increase in appetite after a strenuous workout. If you cannot eat a full meal immediately after training, have a snack and then eat a full meal later.

• Refuel with carbohydrates and protein 

After a workout, it's essential to replenish your glycogen stores and rebuild muscle tissue by eating a meal that contains complex carbohydrates and protein.

Carbohydrate-rich foods include:

• Nuts 
• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Whole-wheat bread

Protein-rich foods include:

• Tofu 
• Fish
• Beans

Conclusion

There are many different dietary approaches to fueling athletic performance, and everyone has a unique body and nutritional requirements. The most acceptable way to find the right one is to work with a knowledgeable gym instructor who can provide you with a tailored diet plan.