Today we are going to dive deeper into what makes a quality pre-workout meal. We qualify pre-workout as
any time within three hours of your workout and this meal can make a big difference in how you feel during your workout as well as how well you recover from it.
The Best Pre-Workout Meal
Some of the main goals from the meal are to:
- Increase your performance in the gym;
- Fuel your muscles;
- Increase or sustain energy;
- Aid in the recovery process.
To ensure that all of these are met, here is what you should be looking for in your pre-workout nutrition:
A Good, Quality Protein Source
As you workout, you are breaking down muscle. Having available amino acids in your system will help build
those muscles back up right when you need them the most! We all know how important building muscle can be for overall health and body composition, so anything we can do to preserve (and build) muscle is a good thing!
Now it is tough to digest protein and workout so either keep it light, make it a shake, or eat far
enough way from your workout that it doesn't effect your energy. Usually 90mn is enough time.
Carbs to Help Fuel Your Workout
Having a quality source of carbs can help enhance both long and short term exercise. Mixed with protein, carbs can also help the release of
insulin, which improves protein synthesis and prevents protein breakdown.
This is almost required before a workout! (unless fasted workouts are in your program) We've seen
it all from a full blown meal from Denny's to rice krispie treats. Rice tends to digest the fastest and is a very reliable source of energy.
Quality Fat
In addition to providing some good vitamins and minerals, fat can also slow digestion. This will help
maintain your blood glucose and insulin levels while working out.
Now it should be said that if you are going to be eating within an hour of your workout, make sure you
eat something that you can digest easily and you know how it reacts with your body. The last thing that you want is an upset stomach while trying to rock it at the gym!
Personally, Ilove 50 grams of white rice or a chocolate chip cookie!