You have just found the motivation to join the gym, which is already a considerable achievement. To face every workout with the right energy, paying attention to what to eat before and after the gym is essential. Light, nutritious meals and snacks with everything you need to replenish your energy reserves without weighing you down – read on to understand how to organize your pre and post-workout meals.
Eat Well To Feel Motivated
It’s not a joke. Have you ever hit the gym, started your workout routine and suddenly felt down in the dumps? Times are wrong. You have a vast effort doing exercises you don’t usually sweat for. A lousy performance immediately puts you in a bad mood and makes you want to go home and throw yourself on the sofa. What’s the problem? It could just be a bad day, or maybe the pitfall could lie in the calories you have in your body. Have you eaten enough? Have you overeating?
What To Eat Before The Gym?
Excellent results in the gym, and the motivation to achieve them, mainly depend on what you eat before exercising. The body must have the necessary nourishment to undergo the efforts. For this reason, it is essential not to skip meals before or after training. It is illogical to think that going to the gym and not eating can lead to lasting results. Pre-workout fasting will make you feel weak and lackluster. At least two hours before hitting the gym, you should have a snack. There’s no such thing as the perfect pre-workout meal, especially as each of us has a different type of workout and needs specific nutrients. However, it can be said that the main characteristics of the snack should be:
- high digestibility (better not to have it on the stomach during cardio)
- at least 250-300 kcal, never less
- carbohydrate prevalence deriving from medium or low glycemic index foods
Understand that the last category includes honey, cereals, pasta, potatoes, chestnuts, fruit, tuna, cold cuts, and low-fat cheeses. For example, you could eat a tuna sandwich and salad or a plate of pasta without heavy toppings. Rice cakes with unsweetened jam are also excellent. Finish off with a ripe banana or seasonal fruit.
What Happens If You Train On An Empty Stomach?
If you train on an empty stomach, you risk getting into muscle catabolism or a hypoglycemic crisis, especially if the physical activity lasts for more than half an hour. You will feel faint, sluggish, and at worst, you may even experience cramps, aches, and fainting.
What Do You Eat After The Gym?
Contrary to popular belief, post-gym nutrition plays as important a role as the pre. What you eat after training contributes to muscle growth and recovery. If your workout ends from mealtime, you may want to indulge in an almond and banana protein shake. If, on the other hand, it falls close to lunch or dinner, you can happily eat your regular meal without having to introduce another snack. Here they must not lack proteins, carbohydrates and a small percentage of good fats, such as those of dried fruit.
A nice yogurt sweetened with honey, a slice of bread spread with peanut butter and seasonal fruit are a great tasty alternative to a meal. If you work out in the evening and have a late dinner, you must be careful not to overdo the calories. You can try a chicken breast accompanied by seasonal vegetables and brown rice. Bresaola is also excellent, which gives satiety without weighing it down. Always remember to adjust your diet to energy consumption.
If you go to the gym and maybe do some dynamic work, you may have to increase the doses to meet your needs. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, what we have indicated may already be enough to cover a meal. To be 100% sure you are eating correctly, always consult a nutritionist, preferably specialized in sports nutrition, so that you can get the right amount of energy to reach your muscle mass, weight loss or other goals.
Also Read: WHY IS CALCIUM GOOD FOR YOU?
