Your body is like a car. You need fuel to run a car. Your body works the same way. Getting proper nourishment will help you get much more out of your workout and help you accomplish your goals. But the question is: what, when, and how much should you eat? Well, there is no fit-for-all answer. Here are a few pointers that could help you get the right nutrition before working out.
Timing is key!
- Early Morning Workouts- If you work out early in the morning and your body hasn’t been nourished in a while, and your body requires something to get fueled up. So, a small snack 30 minutes before a workout could help.
- Big Meal- If you go to the gym in the evening or after a long and tiring day, you should try to have a big meal rich of protein and other nutrients before hitting the gym to replenish the energy lost over the day and enhancing energy for your workouts. Make sure you have it about 2 to 3 hours before the workout, to give your body time to digest the nutrients and give you the energy required for your workout sessions.
- Snack time- You can try having a healthy snack 30 to 60 minutes prior to your workout to give you the energy required. This is the best option if you have a hectic schedule and want to keep the discipline intact of your daily workout and nutrition routine. A protein rich snack is appropriate to help you get started with your workout routine.
Although you should keep in mind that everyone has different tolerance levels regarding how much food they can eat. So, a trial-and-error method could come in handy to see what works best for you.
Eat right
Knowing what to eat is an important part of pre workout munching. If you’re having a snack or drink shortly before a workout, you should try having fast absorbing foods that give you a quick boost of energy. You can mix it up with slow-digesting carbs for sustained energy.
Sweet Potatoes- Sweet potatoes are rich in soluble fibers, which are easier to digest. It is a great source of slow-releasing energy to fuel you through long workouts. Sweet potato also increases the good bacteria in the intestines for a healthy digestive system. This makes it a great pre workout meal source as it takes about 30 to 40 minutes to digest.
Oatmeal- Oatmeal is a great way to fuel your workout. You can consume oatmeal around 2 hours before a workout to fulfil your hunger, and it is also a great source of slow releasing energy to help you with sustained workouts. Oatmeal takes approximately 90 minutes to 2 and a half hours to digest depending on your body tolerance levels.
Bananas- Bananas are the perfect 30 min pre workout snack as they are a great source of natural sugars, simple carbs, and potassium. It can help you boost your glycogen stores and blood sugar levels to give you a quick boost of energy. You can also add a scoop of peanut butter for extra protein content.
Pre-workout Drinks - If you’re looking for drinks that can help fuel your body with explosive energy for intense workout sessions, then the pre-workout sports supplement is the right partner for you. Pre workout supplement drinks help you get an explosive and sustained boost of energy with the help of caffeine. It also helps in increasing muscle endurance, boosting performance and stamina, regulating metabolism, and improving our focus.
There are a lot of brands in India that provide pre workout supplements, but the one making the rounds in the market is ‘Knockout’ by Absolute Nutrition, popularly known as ‘India ka Imported Brand’ with a legacy of 9 years. Knockout is a new brand that offers extreme discounts, and their products are simple to verify because they include a special code that can be checked by their app.
‘Vampire’ Pre-Workout by Knockout ‘Absolute Nutrition’ with 300MG Caffeine for focused and immortal workouts, 6000MG Beta Alanine enhances muscle endurance and performance 2000MG L Arginine for muscle relaxation.
Protein Smoothies and Shakes- Protein shakes are a great on-the-go and in-hurry snack. A good quality protein shake can help you give yourself a boost of energy as well as plenty of nutrients to help you with your workouts. You should choose protein shakes with quick absorbing proteins, such as whey protein, to make it the perfect pre workout snack for you. You can consume it about an hour before hitting the gym to enhance muscle gains.
Check out the best protein shake recipes for your optimal pre workout snack - THE PERFECT PROTEIN SHAKE RECIPE AT HOME
Hungry for more
To conclude, it’s safe to say that there is no perfect pre workout meal, snack, or drink. You need to understand your daily routine to find the perfect pre workout booster for you. However, the most important pre workout could be ‘discipline’ as at the end of the day, you need to maintain the proper mindset and routine to hit the gym and have a proper diet to see the best results.
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