Are you feeling sluggish during and after your workouts? If you are, the food you are consuming before and after your workouts may be sabotaging your efforts to perform at your peak. The following are a few tips and examples of the best foods to eat before and after exercise.
Before Your Workout
Start eating about 3-4 hours before your planned workout to ensure your food is properly digested and absorbed to allow for peak performance. The foods you should be consuming will be:
- high in carbohydrates
- moderate amounts of protein
- low fat
- low fiber;
- high in fluids
Examples:
- A bowl of cereal with low fat milk and fruit
- Toast with honey and a flavoured milk
- Toast with cottage cheese and sliced tomato
- Yoghurt with fruit
- Fruit smoothies
- Energy bar
The closer you get to your planned workout, consume more simple carbohydrates and fluids.
After Your Workout
When you end your workout, your body’s organs and muscles immediately attempt to repair and replenish any loss in vitamins, minerals and fluid. The Australian Institute of Sport suggests you aim to consume 125-150% of your estimated fluid losses within 4-6 hours after exercise. Make sure you include drinks high in electrolytes to replace the loss through sweat. The Australian Institute also states:
- Recovery encompasses a complex range of processes that include;
- Refueling the muscle and liver glycogen (carbohydrate) stores
- Replacing the fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat
- Manufacturing new muscle protein, red blood cells and other cellular components as part of the repair and adaptation process
- Allowing the immune system to handle the damage and challenges caused by the exercise bout
- Try to eat within 30 minutes after your workout to allow your body to begin the healing process.
Examples:
- Milk shake or fruit smoothie
- Bananas and kiwi fruit – high in potassium
- Blueberries – high in anti-oxidants
- Orange juice and a boiled egg
- Protein shake with whey powder
- Chicken and salad wraps
- A bowl of muesli with low fat milk and yoghurt
- Chicken stir fry
- Grilled salmon and vegetables
- Dried fruit and nuts
- Pita crackers with hummus and avocado dip
- Fruit salad with either cottage cheese or yoghurt
Once you start planning your diet around your workouts or sporting events, you will find you will have more energy during your workout and the healing process will be much smoother and quicker than you are currently experiencing. Do you have a special dietary routine before and after your workouts? Please leave your comments below.