Simplifying pre- and post-workout nutrition
Does what and when you eat before and after training really matter?
Let’s start by saying that both what and when you eat are largely dependent on personal preference and what’s most realistic for you. Unless you’re training for an athletic competition or event, have very specific body composition goals, or have a medical condition that requires you to specifically time and plan your nutrition, you don’t need to focus on this too much.
The fitness industry loves to overcomplicate things and tell you that you need to eat X-grams of protein within a certain window after training—or else your body will disintegrate and all gains will be lost. This is, of course, usually just a veiled attempt to sell you something! Again, your approach should primarily be based on what feels and works best for you.
Let’s focus on two things:
What to eat
When to eat
In terms of what to eat, it’s always good to follow general nutrition guidelines. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables, minimally processed proteins and carbs, and healthy fats are a great place to start. See the graphic below for a sample plate:
What about a pre-workout meal?
If you train in the morning and find eating beforehand challenging, you can opt for some quick and convenient options, like a protein shake or a banana. Liquids, like a protein shake, are easier and quicker to digest than whole foods but sometimes cause an upset stomach. A banana is most carbohydrates but usually sits well and can give you some pre-training energy.
If you know certain foods cause digestive issues or make you feel sluggish, you’ll of course want to avoid these before training. If you train at any other point in the day, make sure you leave enough time to digest.
What about post-training?
A well-balanced post-training meal should include protein, carbs, and fats. Protein helps to increase and maintain muscle tissue, which helps with building muscle and recovery. Minimally processed carbohydrates can help to restore glycogen levels after training, which helps with recovery and energy. Fruits and vegetables (a great whole food carbohydrate option) will also help with rehydration. Fats help to provide additional vitamins and nutrients and slow digestion.
Does it matter when I eat afterwards?
This will depend on the intensity of your training session and whether or not you ate beforehand. If you trained fasted or ate several hours before your session, you’ll want to eat a full meal shortly after working out (within an hour if possible). If you ate a regular-sized meal a few hours before training, eating within the hour or two post-exercise is completely fine.
Can I train fasted?
Training in a fasted state is fine as long as you feel okay doing so. Sometimes this makes people feel lightheaded or lethargic, which obviously isn’t ideal when exerting yourself. If you’re trying to push yourself and want to increase the intensity of your workouts, training fasted may not be the most optimal way to train. There are of course exceptions to this, so if you’re a fan of intermittent fasting, you may want to experiment (safely!). If you’d like to read more about intermittent fasting, check out this article here.
Main takeaways:
Instead of focusing on the specifics of what and when you eat before and after training, try focusing on the overall quality of your meals, how you feel before and after training, and after meals. Making changes to your nutrition can impact your stress, performance, recovery, and/or energy levels throughout the rest of the day. The best way to see whether or not any changes are sustainable and beneficial is to pay attention to how you feel and see what works best for you.
If you’re hoping to make your training more intentional, learn what to do at the gym, or need help getting started, feel free to message me through the button above. You can also check out my gym, Devilfish Athletics, located in Brooklyn, NY.