Basics of Pre & Post Workout Meal:
Each one of us wants to be in perfect physical shape, lead very healthy lives, possess good stamina, and stay happy, no matter what we are or how old we are.
Eating the right kind of food, engaging in good workouts regularly, practicing meditation or other mental relaxation exercises, and following a healthy lifestyle is the key to all of the above, we do know!
But we falter! We falter for our own so-called “genuine” reasons. Few of us can resist those tempting & indulging moments of junk foods, booze, lazybones calls and early morning comfort of our cozy bed!
We lose shape (still better, shape starts its funny experimentation on us!), lifestyle diseases pounce upon us, and our stamina flees after the 6th step of our staircase.
At some stage, we take workouts earnestly. We control our food intake. We want to revitalize ourselves.
For our workouts to be effective (all of us certainly want it), what we eat ‘before’ and ‘after’ it, is very important. While most of us know the basics of every other single thing related to workouts, only a few are aware of the basics of Pre & Post Workout Meals.
Why are they important?
Our body needs the right kind of energy supplies while it is vigorously exercised. The consumed supplies need to be replenished after the workout. Simple.
A good pre-workout meal (the one for the “Energy Phase” of our workouts):
- Reduces glycogen depletion
- Ensures blood glucose availability
- Avoids muscle protein breakdown
- Reduces cortisol levels after the workout
A good post-workout meal (the one for the “Anabolic phase” – the “recovery” phase):
- Replenishes the body for its used-up energy
- Enhances body’s overall recovery
- Avoids fatigue and soreness of muscles
- Promotes muscle protein synthesis
- Re-fills muscle glycogen consumed during the workout
- Prevents muscle protein breakdown
- Controls cortisol levels
Typical Pre & Post Workout Meals:
Important points to consider while the ideal Pre & Post Workout Meals are fixed:
- Diabetic patients must consult their dietitian
- The aggressiveness of your workout
- The time of your workout
- The last meal that you have already had, if applicable
- Your age, body type, weight and other personal attributes
The Pre-Workout Meal is consumed before 30 minutes to 2 hours.
The Post-Workout Meal is consumed after 30 minutes to 1 hour.
What your body need is Carbs & Protein before and after the workout.
Examples of a standard Pre-Workout Meal (150 to 250 Calories):
- One banana with one cup of milk, OR
- One banana with two egg whites, OR
- One banana with 10 to 15 gm of protein supplements
Examples of a standard Post-Workout Meal (400 to 500 Calories):
- One bowl of oatmeal with dry fruits and skimmed milk, OR
- One egg white and a glass of fruit juice, OR
- Whole grain bagel with peanut butter & banana, and a glass of lemon juice, OR
- Small portion of chicken and a big bowl of rice or white potatoes
(protein sources: protein powder, chicken, fish, beef, egg whites etc)
(carbs sources: brown rice, potato, beans, oatmeal, or any lower glycemic source)
It must be noted that the calories and nutrients in the Pre & Post Workout meals count towards the daily totals permissible to you, just like any other meal. So, there is no question of any “extra” calories being added to your diet.
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