What to eat before and after a workout? Part II
I wrote an article a bit ago on this topic, and today we will dive a little deeper. Pre- and post-workout meals are meant to enhance body composition and performance. That’s why it is important to eat properly overall. I will give guidelines—which are standard for the industry and based on research—but please remember that everything depends on the kind of activity, time of day, and goals.
Diet is not a one size fits all. I always tell people that even if they are following a program, heck, even if they are following our “Reboot Healthy Habits” program, they still need to understand what is working for them and what is not. Our program will eventually end, and you need to come out of it with a better understanding of what works for you. Here I will go through recommendations for specific type of activities.
Recommendations for Endurance
Endurance activities are defined as activities
lasting at least 60 minutes. Keep in mind this is full-on activity for 60 minutes or more. Due to the submaximal effort, but long nature of the sport, muscle glycogen tends to get very depleted, therefore carbohydrates are needed in order to maintain energy levels and stamina, and replenish muscle glycogen levels.
During these activities, it’s important for athletes to replenish due to a drastic decrease in levels. This is what Gatorade was intended for: endurance athletes. You want to replenish with fast acting carbs so you can endure the long periods of activity.
Examples: Long-distance track and cycling events, marathons, hybrid sports like basketball and soccer.
Top Macronutrient: Carbohydrates for replenishing muscle glycogen, maintaining stamina and energy during event.
- 2-4 hours pre/post: balanced, full meal consisting of carbs and protein, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target body weight for both protein and carbs
- During (for every hour of endurance activity): liquids or gels, 8-15 g protein, 30-60 g carb
- 30-60 minutes pre/post: liquid or semi-liquid carbs for easy digestion, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target body weight for both protein and carbs
Recommendations for Strength/Power Sports
Strength and power activities are those which last less than 60 minutes. Now, keep in mind the session may last 2 hours or more, but the actual work that is being done in that time is usually 45-60 minutes. Muscle glycogen is not depleted like that of endurance. Most recreational activities fall into this category.
Because of this, protein tends to be more important for support, strength, and growth. It is not to say that carbs should not be consumed, however less consumption is needed because total daily calorie goals are normally met.
Examples: Olympic weightlifting, football, powerlifting, bodybuilding, throwing events in track and field, etc.
Top Macronutrient: Protein for optimizing muscle recovery and growth and minimizing muscle damage.
- 2-4 hours pre/post: balanced, full meal consisting of carbs and protein, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target body weight for both protein and carbs
- 30-60 minutes pre/post: liquid or semi-liquid protein and carbs for easy digestion, 0.2-0.25 g/lb target body weight for both protein and carbs
These guidelines can be used with weight loss as well, depending on how you approach your workouts. Generally, making sure you are at a caloric deficit in order to lose weight. However, it is not always that simple. You need to make sure you know how many calories are coming in and going out, and you want those calories to come from a healthy source. For the purposes of this article, we focused on intake based on activity. Keep posted in the future for more on guidelines for weight loss based on exercise.