The Importance Of Meal Timing For Workouts

Anyone living in Chamblee, GA, knows that most of Georgia’s iconic foods aren’t diet foods. Nobody would ever mistake pecan pie for a muscle-building weight-loss option. Learning how to eat healthy, while still enjoying the local fare is often the first challenge for Georgians. You can get better results when you time your food intake. There’s a lot of recent evidence that says you can improve the benefits of your workouts by also using meal timing techniques.

Good nutrition is vital to improving your fitness.

Eating healthy food enhances muscle power, increases reaction time, and improves overall performance. You’ll build muscle and burn fat when you have a healthy diet. The percentage of calories from protein, carbs, and fat makes a big difference, too. That composition is based on individual needs, just as exercise programs are personalized. Some factors aren’t unique to individuals and are important for almost everyone. You need whole food; not highly processed food is one factor that never changes. Timing your food intake is another.

Eating a pre-workout meal or snack has value.

Not only should you time your snack before working out, but you also need to ensure it contains two macronutrients, carbohydrates and protein. Carbs provide energy and provide additional energy beyond the glycogen stores in the muscles. Protein helps preserve the muscle mass you already have. Don’t eat a meal or snack high in fat. It’s hard to digest and can make you feel sluggish or sick. Eat a snack 30 to 60 minutes before a workout. If you’re eating a full meal, do it two to three hours before a workout.

Eat a post-workout meal or snack as soon as possible.

Even though you boost the glycogen in your body with a pre-workout snack, your muscles burn it during an intense workout for energy. It depletes the muscles of the glycogen necessary for recovery. Muscle tissues are damaged and broken down and need to repair. That repair causes muscle growth. Eating healthy carbs and protein immediately after a workout reduces muscle protein breakdown, stimulates muscle growth, and improves recovery.

• Hydration, before, after, and during an intense workout is vital. It helps prevent muscle fatigue, improve coordination, and prevent muscle cramps. It helps improve the quality of your workout.
• Split your protein intake throughout the day. Consume some protein every three hours. If you’ve eaten large amounts of protein before a workout, you don’t have to eat as much following it without sabotaging recovery.
• If your focus is building muscles rather than just recovery, you need high-quality protein after a workout to provide the necessary material to develop new muscle tissue.
• Eating snacks and meals high in fat isn’t good before a workout. Studies show it may help improve muscle growth following exercise. Whole milk was more effective than skim milk for muscle growth.

For more information, contact us today at Thrive Fitness Atlanta