Exercising requires a proper strategy to be followed to help you make your body and mind healthy and fit. Whether you want to lose weight or desperately want to build muscle, you can only achieve these fitness targets by following a properly structured diet.
Whatever you eat, eating the right kind of food always helps you build up energy, performance and improves your body’s ability to recover.
So, let’s have a look towards the best and the right kind of food you should consume before and after your workouts.
One is supposed to sort its daily meals under two different categories – pre-workout and post-workout. Pre-workout meal basically stands for the meal which you’re supposed to consume before your workout and post workout is what you’re supposed to eat after your workout. A pre-workout meal helps you maximize your performance while you workout, on the other hand, an ideal post-workout meal helps you recover and build up your muscles faster.
Always remember that you should take your pre-workout meal before 1.5 – 2.5 hours of the workout depending upon the metabolism level of your body. It is usually advised to consume your post-workout meal within 60 minutes after the completion of your workout.
Let’s talk about some of the food which you can eat before your workout.
The meal you should take before your workout should be high in carbohydrates must contain a moderate amount of protein and needs to be low in fat.This is because carbohydrates are the best source of energy and consuming protein helps improve muscle protein synthesis, prevent muscle damage and promotes recovery. We should definitely avoid fats because they slow down the absorption process and therefore, their consumption should be kept to a minimum prior workout.
Let’s peep into some of the pre-workout meals which will help you lose fat and gain muscle:
- Roasted Gram (Chana)
Roasted gram is a pack load of nutrients. It is a far healthier choice than any other food.1/2 cup delivers 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, 16 grams of carbohydrates and just 2 grams fat. They offer calcium, magnesium, potassium and all other important minerals.
- Spinach banana oat smoothie
One of the best and delicious pre-workout drink and it’s easy to prepare.You just have to blend spinach, banana, oats along with a little yogurt and water and there you have it, a healthy full of nutrients pre-workout drink at your service.
- Banana with peanut butter and Roti
Peanut butter is a good source of protein, and banana acts as a great alternative to jam. The banana provides a source of potassium and other micronutrients. Whole wheat roti provides the necessary complex carbohydrates. These three composition form to be a very healthy pre-workout meal.
- Customized Oatmeal
One of the easiest meals that you can prepare within a short span of time. Just get your favorite fruits and mix them with oats and low-fat yogurt that’s all you need to make this meal.
- Chickpeas Chat
A mixture of spice, tang, and sweetness with a good amount of chopped onions, tomatoes and cucumber along with protein-packed Kabuli chana /chickpeas. They are highly packed with protein, fiber, and calcium.They are delicious, healthy and most importantly are low in fat.
Now let’s talk about the post workout meal
Protein is the most important post-workout nutrient. As during the workout, broken muscle fibers need protein to recover.
After a workout your body needs carbohydrates, fast digestion carbohydrates to replenish the muscle glycogen.
- Hardboiled egg whites along with a fruit
Egg whites are the best digesting protein source. Within 45- 50 minutes they get digested. You can easily consume 4-8 hardboiled egg whites depending upon your consumption capacity.
- Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A. They are also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Additionally, they are a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and phosphorus. A very beneficial food to cover up your post workout needs.
- Grilled Fish
Brush the fish with heart-healthy olive oil and sprinkle it up with dried herbs and spices. Grill the fish on an outdoor grill or bake it in your oven. Don't fry the fish because that adds an unhealthy amount of fat, as well as a large number of calories to your meal. Another delicious and power packed post workout meal.
So, this was our take on the different types of pre and post workout meals one should consider to witness the best health and fitness results for their body. Let us know about your preferences in the comments section below.
Happy Sweating!