Maximizing Training Through Nutrition
Have you ever felt light headed or sick during a workout even though you’re hydrated and taking plenty of rest breaks between efforts? This has happened again and again with clients and the first thing I ask is, “what have you eaten today?” The answer is almost always “nothing” if it’s first thing in the morning, “not a lot” if it’s later in the day—or “nothing in the last six or so hours”. This creates a problem. Proper nutrition and eating the appropriate amount for your body, before and after a training session, is extremely important to optimize your output and help speed up your recovery.
When we train, we put our muscles under stress which breaks them down, and then our muscles fuse back together afterwards making them bigger and stronger. In order for this to happen, our body needs a ready supply of nutrients to fuel the workout and jumpstart the recovery.
Pre Training
Fueling your body pre-workout is so important because it gives you the energy and strength you need to get the most out of your session. Let’s start with carbohydrates. Your body uses glucose from carbs for fuel. Glycogen is the way the body processes and stores glucose, mainly in the liver and muscles. For short and high intensity exercise, your glycogen storage is your muscles’ main source of energy though this storage is limited. As you use more energy from the glycogen stores and they start to run out, your output is depleted. This means you need to carb up. The majority of your pre-workout meal or snack should be CARBS. That gastly word that so many people avoid actually helps the most with training. Carbs allow you to lift more weight and go harder for longer so you end up burning more calories!
The next important food group to consume for training is protein. As previously stated, in order to grow muscle, you need to break them down and rebuild them. The muscle damage initiates a repair process in which certain hormones, along with protein, synthesize new satellite cells—which are then used to repair the damaged muscle fibers. Eating protein before training has been proven to increase muscle protein synthesis. This means you will have improved muscle growth, muscle recovery, increased strength, lean muscle mass, and increased muscle performance.
Last but not least—you need to incorporate FAT into your meal plan. You need healthy fats in order to maintain proper hormonal function and boost your metabolism. That means things like avocados, greek yogurt, and nuts—all things that avoid both saturated and trans fats. With that said, fat is slower to break down, so it’s not as essential for those shorter workouts that are under 60 minutes—the benefits really apply for those longer training sessions.
Now that you know the types of food groups that are essential for your body to prepare for a workout—it’s important to also consider portion control. For example, many people have a tough time eating first thing in the morning—so it’s not a matter of satisfying your hunger, but more about having a small size meal to better prepare you for your workout. I often recommend that my clients wake up a little bit earlier, give themselves time to adjust, and fuel up on a small but carb-heavy meal 30-60 minutes prior to the start of their session. The meal should be 75% carbs and 25% protein which could be eggs and toast, a small turkey sandwich, or a protein bar or shake. Eating appropriately before a session is going to keep you feeling your best, and give you the most effective workout.
Post-Training
Fast forward. You had a great training session, you had energy throughout and felt strong—now what? Now it’s time to consider what you put in your body post-workout. Ideally, you want a heavy protein and carb meal after your session to jumpstart your recovery, and give your body the nutrients it needs to rebuild, repair, and regrow. Consuming protein after a session gives you the building blocks required to build new muscle tissue. You want to consume 0.14-0.23 grams of protein per pound of body weight within 1-2 hours of completing your workout (e.g. a 150 lb person would ingest roughly34 grams of protein post-workout).
As for carbohydrates, they should be considered for all the same reasons you consume them for your pre-workout. They will help replenish your glycogen stores which were used throughout your training session‚ which will ultimately give you the energy you need for the remainder of the day. You should consume 0.5-0.7 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. A good general rule of thumb to follow is to go heavier on carbs if your goal is to build more muscle, and heavier on protein, while still incorporating some carbs, if your goal is to lose weight.
Now what do you do if you can’t immediately go home and make a well-balanced, post-workout meal? You have options! I personally love to have a protein shake after I train. Whether it’s just protein powder and water because I’m at the gym, or protein powder, milk, fruit, and yogurt because I have more time—the point is you have options. Shakes can truly be a great meal replacement depending on how many calories you are trying to consume in a day and it checks all the boxes for the nutrients we need. If shakes aren’t in your plan, consider a small meal with nutrient rich foods like chicken, salmon, steak, tuna, sweet potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, rice, turkey, etc.
It’s important to keep in mind that the amount of carbs and protein I suggest are merely suggestions. Everybody’s body is different and reacts differently to different foods and nutrients. Some people do well on different diets but for muscle growth and to get the most out of your body, you will want a balanced diet of carbs, proteins, and fats. Please be intentional with your meals. Wake up early or pack an on-the-go snack. Set expectations for yourself. Utilize the tips and suggestions provided in this post so you can show up to the gym ready to work—and trust that we will push you to do the same.
Stay hydrated, get the appropriate rest, eat your nutrients, and come to the gym ready to work!