To get the most out of your workouts, it is important to keep a strict eye on your diet. One should include foods with protein in his/her daily exercise routine. Post and pre-workout snacks help boost energy levels and make you healthy.
Main objectives of pre-workout nutrition
A quick snack before and after a workout session can make all the difference.
- Fuel up your body to perform daily tasks
- Prevent muscle loss
- Maintain energy levels throughout the day
As you involve in physical activity, your body starts craving for the nutrients. Once your body looses essential nutrients, you begin to feel sluggish and may also experience muscle cramps. A car cannot be driven on an empty tank. Similarly, our body needs essential nutrients to function. Eating a proper food at a proper time will enhance your performance in an efficient and clean manner.
Also Read: Best & Most Nutritious Foods in the World
You will look for better workouts when your body is properly fuelled. You may experience dizziness or light-headedness if proper nutrition does not account for. Therefore, you must learn to plan ahead by tossing a post and pre-workout snacks into your carry bags, before heading to your next workout session. Always remember pre-workout snacks for energy should be consumed one hour before the session. If your workout session is longer than one hour or extremely high intensity of 45 minutes, then you must consume post-exercise snacks within half an hour of the workout session.
Pre-workout snacks for energy
Eating before a workout session gives you a boost of much-needed energy, allow you to be stronger, faster as well as push yourself longer. A healthy snack before exercise helps repair muscle tissue and restores essential nutrients in your body. Your pre-exercise snacks should include:
- Carbohydrates-Foods containing carbohydrates provides energy.
- Water-Hydration is necessary to keep you away from feeling sluggish. It maintains electrolyte balance and restores losses from sweat. Water is extremely important for boosting overall energy.
- Satiety-Satiety is important so that you don’t starve pin between workouts.
- Proteins-If your workouts are very intense, and then add protein in your pre-exercise snacks to help restore muscle strength.
Post and pre-workout snacks
Depending on various workouts, certain foods can help enhance your performance. For best results, eat before one hour of your workout, then refuel after you cool down following 30 to 45-minute workout session.
Yoga:
Pre workout- Grab the energy boosting food like banana or dried apricots before thirty minutes of the yoga class. Drink water to hydrate your body. A majority of people skips pre-exercise snacks before hitting the mat which is not at all good for your health. Yoga is a low-impact exercise; this doesn’t mean you can skip snacks before going to your yoga class.
Post workout- You can have a quick and easy food like baked eggs in a bell pepper. Avoid eating heavy meat and dairy products to ease digestion.
High-intensity fitness program:
Pre- workout- The ideal snack before practicing an intense workout includes low glycemic carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables. You can also have lean protein. An apple served with some spoons of almond butter is a good option. All these food items contain healthy carbs to keep your stomach full.
Post workout- Refuel your muscle tissues with a quick and easy smoothie. You can make a smoothie by adding cashew, milk, mixed berries, a little vanilla whey powder, and water. Enjoy this delicious drink within five minutes.
Cycling:
Pre workout- Hydration is key here. Drink low sugar sports drink to give a boost to your body. For a little more fuel, you can add a little BCCA powder in your pre-exercise snacks to help maintain muscle strength. If you still crave, then eat a handful of almonds. This will stop your cravings.
Post workout- After riding a cycle for thirty minutes, get whole grain bread from the market and eat with egg whites. This is the most convenient variety of carbohydrates and proteins.
Rowing-
Pre workout- Fruits and nuts can be a great option for any pre-workout snacks. Eat a handful of almonds with a few orange segments before you hit a gym. Nuts are a good source of fiber while orange provides vitamin C to prevent muscle soreness before a workout session.
Also Read: Saturated Fats Are They Good For You?
Post workout- Make a sandwich by using bacon, avocado, and tomato. Roll all these food items into slices of turkey. Add some water since Turkey has a high level of sodium.
Get healthy and transform your life by using these snacking tips before and after a workout session.
