I get lots of questions about nutrition before and after workouts, so I’m going to cover what kinds of things you should be eating and why. Out of all the meals you consume in a day, these 2 are probably the most important! Nutrition is key if you want to have a strong, fit physique. You can train hard in the gym & still not see the results that you want because your nutrition isn’t on point. For the purpose of this post, I am only going to be covering weight training nutrition.
Regardless of what time of day you train, it is important to ingest slow digesting (lower glycemic index) carbohydrates like oatmeal, brown rice & sweet potatoes 1-2 hours before you train. This will provide you with the sustained energy you need to fuel your workout. You also want to pair this with lean protein. Scrambled eggs/egg whites & sweet potato is a great combo. If you have been cutting out carbs because you are trying to lose fat, you are likely not doing yourself any favors! A better way is to just eat complex carbs before training and then taper them off later in the day.
Immediately after your workout, your muscles are in a depleted state & need to be refueled in order to recover. The purpose of your post workout meal is to start this recovery process so your muscles can grow stronger. To start this process as quickly as possible you should ingest a fast digesting protein with a simple (higher glycemic index) carbohydrate. Keep the fats low because they slow down digestion. If you are going to have a little treat, like my favorite, gummy bears, now is the time! Take note that I said LITTLE treat. Other great options are white rice, white potato, cream of rice, fruit & coconut water. A lot of people like to use whey protein during this time because it gets into your system right away & is convenient.
Clearly, in the case of trying to build the physique you want, you are what you eat. Make sure your nutrition is on point and you will see the results of your hard work in the gym rather than just staying the same! Maximize your gains with these nutrition tips & keep lifting heavy!