Nutrition Rules to Power Your Workout
Jun 10, 2022
By Sophia McDermott, Lifestyle Coach & Fitness Expert.
Staying committed to your regular workout routine is a great way to stay on your fitness journey. However, it may be impossible to achieve your goals if you don’t follow a proper diet plan.
That being said, following a diet plan with proper fitness training does not mean eating less. In fact, it only means eating right and at the correct timings. After all, fitness goals call for the right kind of fuel. You can get this from the beverages and foods you consume.
If you’re looking to power your workout and perform better, read on to learn useful tips.
Nutritional Tips to Power Your Workout
After an injury, poor dietary habits are the second-fastest cause for derailing workout plans. Therefore, you must also commit yourself to foods that are dense in nutritional compounds and your fitness training. Getting the proper nutrition will ensure that you provide your body with enough nutrients to power your workouts and other daily physical activities.
Here are some tips to help any newbie out.
1. Calculate your calories
Most diet plans require you to monitor and calculate your daily calorie intake. Calculating your calories will help you keep track of your fitness progress, especially if you’re focusing on weight loss. You can use a free smartphone app to calculate how many calories you should eat according to your diet, activity, and fitness goal.
2. Keep a food diary
Keeping a food diary might sound stupid, but it can be very helpful. You can journal what, how much, and when you eat. Spend some time writing it down and how you feel after eating each meal. You can then calculate the calories you consumed. Apart from this, you can also track your mood alongside if you tend to have emotional eating patterns.
3. Eat the right foods.
You must only eat the right foods and avoid harmful ones such as sugar and alcohol. Make sure you’re also avoiding processed food items and only opting for minimally processed ones. If you’re trying to lose weight by keeping fit, you might want to focus on complex carbohydrates, fiber, and lean protein.
Meals to eat before and after the workout
Many people new to the fitness realm often find the diet timings confusing. Many have numerous questions regarding pre-workout and post-workout meals. This includes what they can eat and when. Let’s briefly discuss these factors to clear your confusion.
Pre-workout.
Since we’re talking about powering your workout with nutrition, you must know how to do it. Ideally, you should eat at least 1 to 3 hours before exercising. Carbs help with better exercise, while proteins help with the repair. Have a meal rich in carbs and low in protein for gaining mass and vice versa.
Post-workout.
Post-workout meals should aim to refill your energy storage and prevent muscle breakdown. Regardless of your fitness goal, have a protein-rich post-workout meal after 30 to 60 minutes.
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Sources
https://blog.nasm.org/workout-and-nutrition-timing
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise-eating-healthy#breakfast
