What to eat before and after a workout
Getting yourself into that workout outfit and entering the gym is often enough of a challenge, and then you also have to think about what to eat before and after. How can you best prepare your body for exercise, and how can you help it recover? To protein shake or not to protein shake? We’re listing the basics for you.
Getting the right nutrients really does help when exercising. Before your workout, your body needs enough fuel to perform, and afterwards your muscles need enough of the right nutrients to recover. Good news: you really don’t necessarily have to drink protein shakes for that—you can easily get the right nutrients from your diet.
Before exercising
To prepare your body for intense exercise, it’s important to get enough carbohydrates beforehand. All those no-carb diets really aren’t good if you exercise (a lot). Carbohydrates are necessary because they are converted into sugars that provide energy. Your body desperately needs that energy during a good workout.
So how much should you eat, and how long before exercising? Ideally, eat a carbohydrate-rich meal (300–500 calories) two to three hours beforehand. Are you only having lunch or dinner after your workout? Then at least eat a small snack (100–200 calories) an hour beforehand, advises sports nutrition expert Roxanne Vogel. For example, eat a banana or oatmeal.
Whatever you do, stay away from fatty foods. Fat slows down digestion, meaning you absorb the energy from food less quickly. And you really need that energy.
Not too much
Are you doing a truly intense workout, such as a tough boot camp or spin class? Then make sure you don’t have too much food in your stomach, otherwise you risk stomach pain and heartburn.
After exercising
Aftercare is just as important as giving your body enough fuel beforehand. Try to eat something within 30 minutes of a workout. After a cardio workout, sports nutrition expert Barbara Lewin recommends a meal with a 4:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio. For example, go for a smoothie or light chocolate milk.
With strength training, you essentially create tiny tears in your muscles. To help your muscles recover and eventually grow (hello, six-pack!) it’s important to get enough protein. You can do that with a protein shake, but also with a bowl of quark topped with fruit or crackers with cottage cheese and chicken breast. Or go for two good ol’ boiled eggs.
Drinking
It’s also important to get enough fluids. In general, you should drink two liters of water a day, but if you exercise, you can have a little more. Drink approximately 250 ml of water about an hour after your workout to make sure your body has enough fluids again after all that sweating.
Also read:
