Hey Guys,
I received a lovely e-mail from Amy asking if she could guest post on my blog and I was really happy to do that as I want my blog to help other people. Amy is a literature and biology graduate from Melbourne and loves talking about health. She has written for a number of other lifestyle blogs and has a wide knowledge of nutrition and workouts. I hope you enjoy this post and would love to hear what you think of the post.
You really are what you eat. No matter how persistent and serious your are, and despite the exercise plan that you choose, nutrition plays a major role in the effectiveness of the workouts and in your performance. Pre and post workout nutrition diet makes a difference between reaching your goal and failing. So, while devising a workout plan, make sure to establish a proper dietary routine, as well, which will help you perform better, achieve more permanent results, and recover faster.
Read the following examples to get an insight into what you should and should not eat while trying to lose weight or build muscles.
1. Pre Workout
Pre workout nutrition determines whether you will have enough energy to complete the entire training session with maximum potential. It should include a proper meal and proper supplements that will increase your endurance and muscle strength and help your burn more calories. Depending on your metabolism, you should eat an easily digestible meal (digested within 15 to 20 minutes) 1 to 2 hours before the workout, to give the blood time to leave the stomach and go into muscles.
Always include a fruit (e.g. bananas, oranges, apples). Fruits decrease blood pressure, by dilating blood vessels, and thus reduce stress on the heart. Simple sugars contained in fruits will boost your energy, while vitamin C will prevent cramps. Combine bananas with a whole wheat toast and cinnamon to gear up. Effective pre-workout supplements should be taken on an empty stomach at least 20 minutes before the workout. Multivitamin supplement the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly. B-vitamin abundant multivitamins release energy while you are working out, improving your performance. Another great stimulant is caffeine, which also builds your energy. If you are looking to lose extra weight, ephedrine HCL is an excellent fat burner.
2. Post Workout
You might think that you are building muscles while you are training, but it actually happens in the post workout phase, during the recovery. Since your body uses proteins to build muscles, replenishing them is of an utmost importance if you want your workout to have any effect. Otherwise, lack of protein means less muscles that could have been gained, and even the loss of the existing muscle mass. To avoid this, have a protein drink straight after a strength-training session. You will not only fail to reach your goals in your last workout, but it will also have an impact on your performance in the next training session.
Foods rich in protein are any kind of low-fat meat, like chicken or turkey breasts, or lean beef, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and nuts (particularly almonds) that contain good fats. Hydration is crucial, especially after a cardio, to replenish lost electrolytes, so drink plenty of pure water. Glycogen is an essential part of re-hydration because it attracts water to your muscles. This being said, you also need to replenish glycogen stores to prevent muscle soreness. If you wish to avoid an insulin spike, eat low-GI carbohydrate foods that lead to a slow and gradual rise in insulin. These foods are: pasta, whole wheat breads (not the processed ones), sweet potatoes, brown rice, and vegetables.
As you can see, proper pre and post workout nutrition is an integral part of an effective workout plan. But it does not have to be complicated. It just requires a little bit of planning ahead and discipline. You can read more about pre and post workout nutrition at Killcliff blog.
I hope to see you and thank you to Amy for guest posting
