Fueling Your Workouts: 5 Tips for Pre and Post-Exercise Nutrition

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It’s important to eat healthy foods for overall well-being, especially when starting an exercise routine. But what you consume right before and after a workout has an impact, too. It can mean the difference between an energized workout or not. And it affects how quickly your body recovers.

Are you ready to start fueling your workouts and enhancing your fitness progress? Here are our 5 tips for pre- and post-exercise nutrition. They will give your body what it needs on the journey to becoming healthy, fit, and strong.

Research Workout Supplements

Several fitness supplements provide pre- and post-exercise benefits that your ordinary nutrition regimen doesn’t offer. These include more targeted nutrition, a pre-workout dose of extra energy, or enhanced muscle repair after a workout.

And if you’re intent on building muscle mass, there are performance-boosting supplements for that too. For example, Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) build muscle and increase strength, without the side effects of steroids.

However, you must do the research first. We don’t all need the same supplements. And many of the products on the market are not regulated. Insist on high-quality products that have been tested and proven effective.

Ask your personal trainer or coach for their best recommendations. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, discuss your supplementation plans with your physician. And ensure that you purchase SARMs and other supplements from reputable sources only.

Eat Nutritionally Balanced Meals

Nutrition plays a crucial role in athletic performance. Essential nutrients for athletes include complex carbohydrates, high-quality protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

You probably know that you can get protein from meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Complex carbohydrates include potatoes, brown rice, lentils, and beans. Healthy fats can be found in fish and other seafood, olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.

If you eat a variety of fresh fruits and crunchy vegetables, you’ll get those all-important micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), too. It’s always better to get your nutrients from foods rather than in pill or powder form, whenever possible.

The amounts that you need to consume the various nutrients in, and the best time to do so, may differ according to your unique health profile. Ask about nutrition and meal planning at your gym. Many gyms have experts on staff who can help you tailor a meal plan just right for your needs.

Stay Hydrated

You’ve more than likely heard about the importance of staying hydrated. But do you know why this is so important? There are several reasons why adequate hydration is essential, pre-and post-workout, and even during a workout too.

When you’re sufficiently hydrated, you avoid fatigue and overheating, and you replenish the water loss from working up a sweat. But your muscle tissues need to stay hydrated too. It helps to avoid cramping, and can even aid in post-exercise recovery.

But there’s yet another reason why it’s vital to stay hydrated. Too little water can cause an electrolyte imbalance, which is bad news.

Electrolytes affect fluid balance, regulate your heart rhythm, and support your nerve and muscle functions. So take bottled water with you to the gym, and sip it as needed before, during, and after working out. For best results, have an electrolyte sports drink after intensive exercise.

Incorporate Protein Shakes

If you’re trying to bulk up your muscle mass, you need protein. There are many high-protein foods you can include in your diet. The problem is often not a lack of high-protein sources, but rather a timing issue.

Protein-rich snacks or meals a few hours before working out will supply you with the necessary nutrients. And after a workout, they help your muscle tissue heal and repair. But it’s not recommended to eat a heavy meal just before exercising, and it’s also not always possible to eat a good meal right after.

This becomes an even bigger problem if you’re squeezing in a workout into your lunch break on a busy workday. The solution is to start the day with a good breakfast and sip a protein shake before heading to the gym. And have another protein shake after your workout. This also helps you stay hydrated.

Prepare Healthy Meals in

At the end of the day, all the supplements, protein shakes, and sports drinks in the world won’t help you if you’re not eating right. So stay away from ultra-processed foods, convenience meals, and unhealthy takeaways. Exercise nutrition calls for fresh, wholesome foods.

This means that you’re better off preparing your meals at home. If you are worried you just won’t have the time every day, dedicate one day a week to preparing healthy meals, in bulk. Then store them in your refrigerator or freezer, and just take one out each time you need it.

If you often get home late from work and don’t feel like cooking, get into a weekend meal-prepping routine. You’ll never have to worry about what to eat, again. Careful advance meal planning will save you time and ensure that you always have a supply of nutritious meals on hand.