A lot of people claim that they exercise so they can eat anything they want. While there are some who think that they can eat whatever they want and then torch these calories at the gym. Well, it is not as easy as it sounds. And if the reason you go to the gym is to get into shape, then this is obviously not the right way to go. If you are one of the people who have such a habit, then you’re better off canceling your gym subscription. This is because if you are eating without watching your diet then you are doing yourself no good, especially if you want to get into shape. If you follow some individuals who have a near perfect body, you would more often than not hear them say that getting into shape is 50% workout and 50% diet. And studies suggest that this, in fact, holds true. So, if you really want to have that body that you’ve always dreamed about, you better start watching your diet.
We’ve created a comprehensive list of pre and post workout meals to get you into shape. Read along and find out how close you are to achieving the body you desire:
Pre-workout
Carbohydrates
Yes, carbs are important. But, don’t they say that you need to avoid carbs if you want to get into shape? That’s right, which is why you should take carbs in your pre-workout meal. They are necessary to provide you with the required energy when you’re working out. They break down into glucose and fuel up your body to exercise. This enables you to exercise for a longer period of time. In case your body does not have enough carbs, you would want to quit only after working out for a few minutes. And, you wouldn’t want that if you really want your exercises to show results. Try eating simple carbs before a workout as they get digested pretty quickly. Things you should eat for this can include anything from dried fruits, fruit smoothies (especially bananas), oatmeal, a light sandwich or a granola bar.
Proteins
Without any doubt, protein is the most essential part of your diet before your workout. This stands all the more important if you want to build muscles. While doing an extreme workout, your muscle fibers are likely to tear and proteins help in quickly recovering from all the wear and tear your muscles would face. Needlessly to say, proteins also help in providing you strength during your exercise. The kind of meal which you might want to consider for proteins should be rich in nuts, roasted chickpeas, milk (especially soy milk), and eggs.
Hydration
Staying hydrated is very important when you’re heading to the gym. You have a high risk of getting dehydrated while working out, so make sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day. Besides, since exercise involves a lot of sweat, whatever little water you have in your system will be drained out. So, if you haven’t had enough water, you would be utterly dehydrated. In order to make sure that you’re properly hydrated, simply taking a look at your pee would give you the message. If it is clear or has a light yellowish tint, this means that you’re hydrated. In case your pee is dark yellow in color, you might want to drink some more glasses of water.
Post-workout
Grab Something Healthy
It is very important that you eat something healthy after your workout. You should avoid eating anything that has a lot of unhealthy fats in it such as food rich in oil, deep-fried meal, etc. This also stands true during pre-workout. Within half an hour of working out, try to have something healthy such as oatmeal, eggs, yogurt, protein shakes. If you are a chocolate fan, you can grab your favorite chocolate box and melt some chocolates in your protein shakes. A little bit of it never hurt anybody.
More Proteins
As important as proteins are for muscles recovery during a workout, it is as essential post workout. If you are doing intense exercises, it becomes all the more important for you to grab some proteins after your workout. This will help in replenishing your body after an arduous workout. Its importance for building muscles cannot be emphasized more. This is why it becomes imperative that you grab something post workout which has a lot of proteins in it. This could also include supplements. So grab your best bcca in order to get just enough proteins and watch your muscles grow how you want them to.
Rehydration
Rehydration is as important as is hydration before your workout. You wouldn’t want to compromise with this since you are well aware by now how much water you lose from your body when you’re exercising. This is why it is important that you drink as much water as you’ve lost during your workout session.
We hope by now you have a good idea as to what you need to eat as your pre and post-workout meal to achieve the body you’ve been wanting for a long time. However, you wouldn’t want to go overboard with this diet. Remember, balancing is the key. So, eat a balanced diet and avoid junk food as much as you can. And, before you know it, you will have achieved your fitness goals.