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When you exercise, you do it in order to try to maintain good health. You
know that you have to eat so that your body has the energy to perform the
workouts that you do as well as for everyday tasks. But, just what you should
eat before and after you workouts is important for making the best of your
workouts. Also, how long you eat before and after each workout is equally
important.
Whether you are going to be doing a cardio workout or a resistance workout,
you should try to make it a point to eat a mix of carbohydrates and protein.
What determines the percentage of carbohydrates and protein you should consume
is whether you are doing cardio or resistance and the intensity level you will
be working at.
The ideal time to eat your pre workout meal is 1 hour before you start. If
you are working at a lower intensity level, keep this meal down to around 200
calories or so. If you are working at a higher intensity level, you may need
this meal to be as high as 400 to 500 calories.
If you are doing a cardio session, you will need to eat a mix of around 2/3
carbohydrates and 1/3 protein. This will give you longer sustained energy from
the extra carbs with enough protein to keep muscle from breaking down during
your workout.
If you are doing a resistance session, you should eat a mix of around 1/3
carbohydrates and 2/3 protein. This will give you enough energy from the carbs
to perform each set you do and the extra protein will help keep muscle breakdown
to a minimum during your workout. It has been shown that your body most
effectively uses protein during exertion meaning that taking in more protein
before resistance workouts aids in faster recovery as well.
Now, eating after a workout is just as important as the pre workout meal.
Remember that when you exercise whether it is a cardio or a resistance session,
you deplete energy in the form of glycogen. Our brain and central nervous system
relies on glycogen as their main source of fuel so if we don’t replace it after
exercise, our bodies will begin to break down muscle tissue into amino acids,
then convert them into usable fuel for the brain and central nervous system.
Also, mostly during resistance workouts, you break down muscle tissue by
creating micro tears. This means that right after a workout; your muscles go
into a repair mode. Proteins are the key macronutrient for muscle repair and so
you don’t want muscle breaking down further to create fuel in place of lost
glycogen.
If you have just finished a cardio session, you will need to consume mostly
carbohydrates, preferably ones with high fiber. Oatmeal, rice, whole wheat
pasta, and most northern fruits are good sources. Try to consume around 30 to 50
grams of these carbohydrates after a cardio session. After cardio, it is ok to
eat within 5 to 10 minutes of completion.
If you have just finished a resistance session, you will need a combination
of carbohydrates and protein. Because unlike cardio workouts, with resistance
workouts you are breaking down muscle tissue by creating micro tears. The
protein is needed to build up and repair these tears so the muscle can increase
in size and strength. The carbs not only replace the lost muscle glycogen, but
also help the protein get into our muscle cells so it can synthesize into
structural protein, or muscle itself.
Chicken or fish with a potato, egg whites with a piece of fruit, or a
protein shake with fruit mixed in are good meals after resistance workouts but
remember to keep the fiber low here. High fiber slows down digestion, meaning
the protein will take longer to reach the muscle cells.
After resistance, it is recommended to wait 30 minutes before eating so as
not to take blood away from your muscles too soon. The blood in your muscles
helps with the repair process by removing metabolic waste products from
them.
Any fats should be consumed well before and well after exercise.
Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of
weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy
lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php
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