Hey guys, are you doing everything to maximize your performance?
What about your nutrition? When it comes to men’s fitness, I have found that the biggest shifts in results usually come people have nailed down their fuel for pre, post and during the workout.
Here’s what you should know for fueling a cleaner workout:
Fueling for the pre/during/post workout timeframe crucial for energy and recovery. Proper nutrition allows for muscles to properly repair, aids protein synthesis, and helps the body eliminate any toxic waste left in the muscles.
So, let’s break it down what you should know for each part of pre/during/ post workout nutrition:
Pre-workout:
Forget the pre-workout supplements (for now!), pre-workout is all about real foods that can maximize the benefits of the hard work you’re about to put in.
Pre-workout is all about CARBS. Focus on simple, low fiber carbs, that can boost your energy. You should try to get this fuel about 30-60 minutes before you start working out for best results.
Here’s a few favorites (these are portion sized for about 30 grams each):
- Beet juice (start 8 oz beet juice + 8 oz water)
- Banana (1 medium)
- Raisins (¼-1/3 cup)
- Dates (4-5 dates)
- Simple long acting corn starch (similar to a product like Generation Ucan Superstarch)
During the workout:
Fuel choice during your workout is really dependent on the duration and intensity of your workout. For most it’s a good idea to stick with simple carbs, about 30-40 grams per hour (same portions as above), though this number can vary from athlete to athlete.
Here are some recommendations to get you started:
- Raisins (a small handful about every hour- this can be a little gassy)
- Banana (1 banana or so)
- Dates (4-6)
- Coconut water (about 12-16 oz- but this can be a lot of liquid, and if liquid is your choice, sometimes gatorade works better)
I can’t stress enough the importance of staying hydrated throughout your workout! Drink water is small, frequent sips for the duration of your routine.
Post-workout:
Thinking about rewarding yourself for a good workout with a sugary snack? Think again. What you eat after the gym may be the most important meal of your day. After you workout, your muscles start to use available protein to rebuild, during this time your muscles are especially good at absorbing carbs and protein.
It’s ideal to consume both carbs and protein in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio (carbs to protein). When you don’t sufficiently replenish your carbs, you can run into trouble with both muscle recovery and depleted energy. I suggest for guys to stick to a protein powder that has no added artificial sweeteners, chemicals or growth enhancers. I like sprouted rice or pea protein, but whey also works great.
- 1 large sweet potato + 3-5 oz chicken
- 1 large banana + 15-20 grams protein (shake)
- Rx bar (10 grams protein, 18 grams carb) – this likely isnt enough for most of you!
