Pre and post-workout meals are essential. Pre-workout meals are responsible for boosting the energy of the body. These meals play a significant role in supplying what the body requires to perform efficiently. For the performance during an exercise, a snack before is substantial. When physically active, the body converts glycogen to glucose used during muscle contraction. The muscle glycogen depletion is initially reduced. Foods rich in protein help to reduce amino acid production in our blood. It helps in boosting muscle building. Foods like lean meat, fish, nut, and beans are rich sources of proteins. Besides, carbohydrates help in the growth of muscles by fueling our bodies. Recommendations state that 30-60 g of carbs is enough. Eating carbohydrates before a workout fuel and gives your body enough energy helpful in the recovery process.
Having a meal after being physically active is very crucial. It reflects your next-day performance and fitness of the body. Since the body is a building stage, it requires refill and recovery. During exercise, a lot of calories and nutrients are used. The post-workout meal helps to repair the body. Failure to have a meal after exercise will lead to your body using the available proteins. Also, pre-workout meals, foods, and snacks rich in protein and carbohydrates are essential. Whole grains and vegetables serve as the best examples of sugar and vitamins. They reduce muscle soreness and fatigue. Besides, it reduces protein breakdown. Fruits like apples with peanut butter are rich sources of these nutrients (Fischer, 2017). Adding some fats in your meal may help in maintaining blood glucose and insulin levels and makes slow the digestion process.
Consumption of the appropriate amounts of fluids and nutrients before and after a workout is essential. It helps in maintaining blood glucose, improves the time for recovery, and maximize the performance of your body. Consuming the right drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes helps in fueling your muscles and contributes to maintaining the thirst mechanism. Moreover, it helps in maintaining blood glucose. It also reduces the risk of getting dehydrated and hyponatremia. A well-hydrated body with enough fluids is capable of balancing fluid losses before and after exercise. To maintain fitness and body weight, consumption of energy and macronutrients, mainly carbohydrates and proteins, is vital. Tissues are worn out during physical activity, which needs to be repaired. The nutrients, fluids, and electrolytes help in restocking glycogen stores and improving the muscles. Also, before the workout, the body requires the energy to perform best (NCBI, 2000). Moderate amounts of energy from fat recommended is 20-25 percent.
Having a healthy eating plan is accrued by many benefits. For physically active individuals, getting an appropriate eating plan is crucial. It lowers the chances of heart disease and health implications. Eating plans with 1500 – 1,800 calories on an average day are recommended for men and women who are physically active. A healthy and appropriate eating plan should contain vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products are sources of carbohydrates and fats. Foods like lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts are rich sources of proteins. The plan should limit drenched and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars. One should choose an appropriate combination of the food categories before and after the workout (NIH, 2014). A choice like having fish with whole grains and dairy products before an exercise is sufficient.
In conclusion, Nutrition plays a significant part in maintaining strength, body weight, and fitness. Also, it contributes to having proper and healthy health conditions. Need for educating people on the correct eating plans and timing is drawn. One needs to be aware of the right eating patterns and timing. They are knowledgeable on each food category and the importance of every meal. Many ignore the pre-workout meal. They believe the post-workout meal is the only one vital, which is wrong. A physically active person needs all the knowledge on these patterns to maintain his body’s’ fitness. Efficiency and effectiveness of the body are achieved by this.
References.
Fischer, M. M. (2017). The Importance of Pre and Post-workout meals. Sweat. Retrieved from https://www.sweat.com/blogs/nutrition/the-importance-of-pre-and-post-workout-meals#:~:text=Fuelling%20Your%20Body,workout%20meals%20are%20for%20recovery.
NCBI. (2000). Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. publmred.gov. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11145214/
NIH. (2014). Healthy Eating Plan. U.S. Department of Health &Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/calories.htm