Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

Your ability to have a great workout/run can be affected by what you eat before and after you train. Not only that, but your ability to refuel yourself after your workout will have an even greater impact on your future training sessions/runs.

Whether you train in the morning, afternoon or evening, your body relies on its main fuel system (glycogen) to give you the energy your body requires. Glycogen is our energy "bank" and it is "stocked" with glucose (blood sugar). Glucose is the simplest form of carbohydrates available to us. In order to provide our bodies with a constant flow of energy, it is better to have a carbohydrate such as oatmeal, sweet or red potatoes, berries, or whole-wheat bagels. If you don't have an hour to wait then a better choice would be some fruit such as an apple or banana. Drinking some Green Tea before your workout can also provide you with some caffeine (about 1/3 of the amount found in coffee) as well as some important antioxidants. Antioxidants will attack Free Radicals that are trying to destabilize a healthy cell.

Immediately after your training session it is very important to replenish your energy bank (Glycogen) by having some simple carbohydrates (fruits) with a little bit of protein. The ratio of carbohydrates to protein should be 4:1. A good example of this would be some low fat cottage cheese with some grapes. Protein shakes, as long as some fruit is added to them, can also be a good choice. It is more important to have carbohydrates after a training session than protein.
At Body For You, I will customize a pre and post workout nutrition plan that will enhance your training and allow you to train more effectively with greater results.
Email me and get started today!
gregdcruz@rogers.com