What to Eat Before & After a Workout

What to Eat Before & After a Workout

No matter your fitness or weight loss goal, diet is a big part of seeing results at the gym.

Generally speaking, it’s important to have a diet that reflects a healthy and active lifestyle. Your body needs fuel to stay energized, so this should be of little surprise.

But in addition to maintaining energy, it’s also important to provide your body with the right nutrients. Your muscles, for example, require protein in order to recover and grow. On the other hand, cardiovascular exercise depletes your body of important vitamins and nutrients. You can see how these things are all connected!

When it comes to working out, there’s a lot of confusion out there about what you should and should not eat. I’m going to clear up some of the confusion and give you some great options for what to eat before and after a workout. If you can get this right, you’ll see amazing improvements in your weight loss and fitness efforts!

Let’s take a look at how you can reach your goals faster by eating right!

Part 1. What to Eat Before a Workout

The main focus of your pre-workout meals should be protein and complex carbohydrates. These are the basic nutrients your body needs to stay fueled and energized throughout your workout. Even if you work out relatively early in the morning, you need to eat for adequate nutritional support.

My first recommendation is to have a protein shake within an hour before hitting the gym. A time-released protein powder like Optimum 100% Casein Protein or Combat Powder may be the most effective for sustaining your energy expenditure. Add to these some almond milk, some frozen fruit, and the super food NOW Spirulina Powder, and you’ll be ready to hit it hard!

As for carbs, remember that fruits and veggies count. But if you need something a little more substantial, a whole wheat cracker with peanut butter will do the trick, or a protein bar like Promax Protein Bars.

Another super healthy, protein-packed option is fat-free Greek yogurt with a little honey and some of these Nutiva Organic Chia Seeds. They’re another great energy-enhancing super food and make sure to have plenty of water within this 1hr period before your workouts.