The effectiveness of your workout depends on many factors, including proper nutrition. Moreover, it is important to eat not only after playing sports, but also before them. In this case, you should definitely take into account the general rules of eating for those who train their body, the purpose of the classes, as well as the characteristics of their body.
Why is it important to eat before exercise
Exercising on an empty stomach can exhaust a person not only physically, but also emotionally. As much as you would like to lose weight faster, in no case should you combine intensive training and a rigid diet. The fact is that the body receives energy, which is necessary for any activity, exclusively from food. When there is nowhere to take energy during training, the body begins to "eat" it from the muscles. As a result, the latter remain at the same level as before the start of classes, which means that the training was wasted.
In addition, it is more difficult for a hungry person to concentrate on exercising, and he is able to withstand much less stress. A scientifically proven fact - a person who ate the right food at the right time before training will always be able to exercise 7-15 minutes longer than someone who is on a diet. Thus, playing sports on an empty stomach, at best, will not give any effect, at worst - harm the body.
When and what to eat before exercise
There are two phases in the pre-workout diet. The first one starts 1-2 hours before it, depending on the metabolism of a particular person. At this time, it is very important to eat carbohydrate or protein foods, which will serve as a kind of fuel for your body.
Moreover, it is important to consume complex carbohydrates, which are digested for a long time and do not increase blood sugar. They will provide the body with energy throughout the entire training process. The most suitable dishes will be boiled or baked potatoes, brown rice, durum wheat pasta, and oatmeal.
As for proteins, they are a kind of "building blocks" from which future muscles will be built. So they should also be included in the diet before training. The most optimal protein dishes will be turkey, chicken white meat, eggs, lean fish.
But fats are not recommended before exercise, as they slow down the rate of digestion. Fatty foods usually stay in the stomach for much longer, which can cause nausea during exercise, colic or flatulence.
The second pre-workout phase starts 45 minutes before and lasts about 15 minutes. For those looking to build more muscle mass, specially formulated nutritional supplements can be consumed during this period to provide a quick burst of energy. They usually contain arginine or caffeine.
For people who want to lose weight, during this period, it is better to limit yourself to some kind of fruit that contains fast carbohydrates. For example, eating a banana, apple or orange is helpful. In addition to carbohydrates, they contain ascorbic acid and electrolytes, which are also beneficial for the body and necessary during sports.
