What to eat before or after a workout. What can and should you eat before and after a workout in the gym? Post workout nutrition options

Friends, hello everyone. Today, a very important topic is on the agenda: proper nutrition after training.

Important, because we all have known for a long time that training destroys our muscles, but will they grow?

After all, they grow, firstly, only after training and all the subsequent time, and only if the necessary building materials are provided. I recommend that you read everything carefully without scrolling down.

We will consider all options for nutrition schemes after the training. From classic to alternative. There will be tons of research on each post-workout meal plan.

I guarantee you will learn a lot from this issue. Well, let's go.

After a workout (or after 10-15 minutes), it is recommended to take fast (simple) proteins + carbohydrates. Or something else! For during this period of time, a protein-carbohydrate window opens in the human body (post-workout or anabolic, different names, but the essence is the same) and such nutrition will be used to restore muscles and activate their growth. I think many people already know about it (or just heard about it).

Note that carbohydrates should be simple (fast), those with a high glycemic index. This is sugar, banana, some kind of sweet juice, snickers, chocolate, everything that is very, very tasty.

This is the only time (after a workout) when you can afford such carbohydrates (fast). The required amount is approximately 60-100 grams. Why fast?

Fast carbohydrates (simple) those with a high GI (glycemic index) quickly raise the level of insulin in the blood. Insulin is a hormone that has anabolic and anti-catabolic properties.

This is what we need. You also need carbohydrates in order to restore energy after a workout, because you spent a lot of energy on training (during physical labor).

And if the body does not receive enough carbohydrates, then destruction will begin. muscle tissue(muscles) under the influence of catabolic processes (catabolism).

Protein (protein) after training

There is practically no difference between a protein and a gainer. Just protein - no carbs. And the gainer has both protein and carbohydrates. You can take protein + bun and you will have the same gainer.

The required amount of such a substance is about 20-30 grams. In general, taking such a drink will increase the secretion of the anabolic hormone insulin and will have a restorative effect on the muscles.

Alternative opinions

Everyone knows that after a workout, the so-called protein-carbohydrate and other window (protein / anabolic, post-workout) opens, they are called differently, but the essence is the same: supposedly protein (proteins) are used to build muscles! We talked about this a little higher.

So this is pure lies. (MYTH). I also tend to agree, it's true! It's just a myth!

Yes, this is being teased in various glossy magazines, and there they vitally recommend “after training you need protein”, etc. The whole thing is very profitable for them (producers sports nutrition) because they make money on people who buy all this in the hope of becoming a hulk.

Recovery after a workout begins with the elimination of oxygen debt and the restoration, first of all, of energy homeostasis, which is disrupted during strength training!

After training (for several minutes and even hours), our body feeds on restoring the level of high-energy phosphates and ATP in the cell, due to the activation of oxidative processes (in the first place).

Also, within 12-48 hours after training, glycogen resynthesis occurs in the muscles and liver in the body! And this increases the energy potential of muscle cells. Those. by this I mean that until the body restores the level of ATP in the muscles, anabolism (that is, muscle growth) = will not begin !!!

Conclusion: The need for protein (protein) after training occurs no earlier than 24-48 hours after training. This means that taking protein after a workout will not bring you absolutely any benefit.

It will only benefit the sports nutrition manufacturers that sold it to you. And yes (if you haven't figured it out yet) there is no anabolic window (which lasts for the first 20-30 minutes). It is a myth. There is an anabolic window that lasts 24 hours after a workout.

And there are studies by Koopman and his co-authors, who found that after strength training, the addition of carbohydrates to the whole body (15 or 0.6 g / kg of body weight) did not affect the overall protein balance in the human body (including muscle tissue) within 6 hours after training, compared with the intake of protein (protein) solo. Those. only one protein (protein).

Other studies (Staples published a paper) showed that after weight training the legs, the increase in muscle protein synthesis with 25 grams of whey isolate remained exactly the same if, in addition to protein, athletes also took 50 grams of maltodextrin (fast carbohydrate).

My opinion and research (scientists)

Other experiments have shown that solo carbohydrates immediately after training increase glycogen by 16% more effectively than plain water. In my opinion, this is rubbish. For water generally costs a penny (it does not contain any nutrients) what can not be said about carbohydrates.

For those not in the know, glycogen is a complex carbohydrate that is used up in training as energy. Therefore, they believe that if a lot of energy was spent during training, it needs to be restored with fast carbohydrates after training.

However, again, who doesn’t know, glycogen itself is restored (even if you didn’t eat a damn thing after a workout, and not only after a workout, but even if 1-2 hours have passed), it still recovers.

And very active! My opinion is that glycogen is not restored immediately after training, as someone believes, but gradually over the course of a day. And the maximum accumulation of glycogen requires about 24 hours after training.

Therefore, taking carbohydrates after a workout (does not matter) I do not want to say that it is harmful, I want to say that it is so minimally useful that you can safely score on it.

Here only the total intake of carbohydrates during the day matters.

And this means that it is most important to eat right during these 24 hours (days) when glycogen accumulates. And after a workout, eating is not particularly important. They can be safely ignored. It's up to you (it doesn't hurt, but it doesn't play a particularly important role either).

As for the intake of solo protein (read a little higher) in the alternative opinion subsection (I wrote it in detail there), in short, I repeat again, there is not any anabolic (post-training, protein-carbohydrate window) that lasts 20-30 minutes after training.

There is a window that lasts 24 hours for both protein and carbohydrates. What matters is the amount of meals per day, and not a single intake of a large dose of carbohydrates or proteins after a workout.

And there is a classic protein + carbohydrate scheme (combined together) and immediately after training to absorb. At first glance, this makes sense, because carbohydrates better contribute to the release of insulin, which utilizes both carbohydrates and proteins.

But then again, I did find experiments (experiments that were conducted on gainers) where it is said that when you eat a lot of carbohydrates + a moderate amount of protein = protein synthesis is 30% lower than if you took regular food after a workout. That's how to buy and drink these fucking additives.

General conclusion

I came to the conclusion that the anabolic window (post-workout or protein-carbohydrate, variously called) really exists.

However, it is not narrow (it does not last the first 20-30 minutes, as everyone says). It lasts 24 hours.

Therefore, in bodybuilding, only the overall quality and quantity of carbohydrates and proteins consumed per day is of particular importance. And the time of prima does not play a particularly important role.

Therefore, it makes no sense to chase after sports nutrition (proteins, gainers, amino acids) and drink them after training, because the need for protein (protein) solo occurs no earlier than 12-48 hours after training.

And there is no need to combine carbohydrates + proteins (classic) when buying a gainer because it reduces protein synthesis by as much as 30% than if you took regular food.

In general, just protein = no point. Combining protein + carbohydrate \u003d also makes no sense (and especially buying sports supplements, such as gainers), but solo simple carbohydrates (only carbohydrates, without protein) will speed up the process of glycogen recovery by 16% more efficiently than ordinary water (in my opinion, this is a trifle ).

The result is that the meal after training is not important, the most important thing is the total amount of food (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) consumed during the day.

Therefore, we eat 30-40 minutes after the end of the workout slow (complex) carbohydrates + proteins. For example, I most often use rice + chicken breasts (or some other source of protein, such as eggs or fish). Which is what I recommend!

P.s. Guys, don't forget about protein intake (before going to bed) no carbohydrates, only protein. And a special protein - casein (slow protein that will supply you with building material all night). Casein is found in cottage cheese, so eat it!

P.P.s. by the way, if you somehow woke up in the middle of the night (well, it happens that you wanted to go to the toilet) do not miss the opportunity to eat cottage cheese again. It works very well, there are a number of studies that confirm the effectiveness. This meal will increase your anabolic activity in your muscles. Well, if you have already got up, then why not.

In the field of sports nutrition, there is a term nutrient timing- this is a special nutrition scheme in which it is important which nutrients, in what quantity and at what time entered the body. But experts from the organization of professional trainers and nutritionists Precision nutrition came to the conclusion that an ordinary person who exercises regularly does not need any supplements and a special regimen.

Athletes have special needs

Nutrient timing makes sense if:

You are training for endurance. Participate in competitions high level, run many kilometers at high intensity every week. Then during training you can drink drinks with the addition of proteins and carbohydrates (P + C).
You are a bodybuilder. Raise big weights and work on the growth of muscle mass, want to gain weight. Sports drinks will also help.
You are preparing for a fitness competition. You train for hours on end. You want your body fat percentage to be written in one number. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) help to achieve this goal, which stimulate and maintain muscle fibers.

Diet not for athletes

Are you exercising to improve your overall health and fitness?
you do not have far-reaching goals;
you have no special physiological needs;

…then you don’t need a special nutritional strategy. It cannot be said that the regime is good or bad. It's just a tool that you need to know how to use.

The mode is not needed for office workers who have never been involved in physical education and have brought themselves to a pre-diabetic state, but professionals need it.

In fact, only athletes can benefit from a tight nutrient schedule. The mode is not a magic wand, it will not have an instant effect on well-being and appearance. Especially if you stick to it only from time to time.

First, let's figure out what happens in the body before, during and after training, and then find out what you need to eat to get the maximum in each case.

Before workout

Three hours before exercise, you need to eat something that will help:

stock up on energy;
increase activity;
protect against dehydration
maintain muscle mass;
recover quickly.

Squirrels, eaten before a workout, help maintain or increase muscle size, avoid too much muscle damage and fill the blood stream with amino acids at the time when the body needs them most. It is important for everyone who improves health along with body proportions.

While you haven’t rushed to do it yet: protein before training is important, but the speed of its digestion no longer affects the result so much. So any protein product eaten a few hours before a workout will lead to the same effect.

Carbohydrates provide fuel for long hours of training and accelerate recovery after intense training, stimulate the production of insulin. They also store glycogen in the muscles and liver, thanks to which the brain receives satiety signals, so that the body calmly spends energy on muscle growth.

Influence fat the quality of the upcoming training has not been confirmed. But they slow down the digestion process, which helps maintain a constant blood glucose level and a stable state, they are involved in the absorption of vitamins and minerals, which play an important role in any diet.

Nutrition before training: practice

Eat lunch (or breakfast) a couple of hours before your workout. Or take a smaller portion almost before class (and if you want to gain mass, then eat twice).

2-3 hours before training

Eat a set lunch and drink something non-caloric (preferably plain water).

For men, lunch should consist of the following products:

For women, the composition is slightly different:

One hour before workout

Some people prefer to eat something light just before a workout. One problem: the less time left before the start, the faster you need to digest food. Therefore, it is better to use something liquid type.

Recipe example:

1 scoop of protein powder;
1 cup vegetables (spinach is great in smoothies)
1 cup carbohydrate foods (eg bananas)
1 teaspoon fatty foods(nuts or flax seeds);
water or unsweetened almond milk.

Or a tastier version:

1 scoop of chocolate protein powder;
1 cup spinach;
1 banana;
1 teaspoon peanut butter;
chocolate almond milk (no sugar).

It may not be worth mentioning, but before training, you should only eat foods that do not irritate the stomach. Otherwise… Well, you know what could be different.

Nutritional requirements during exercise

List of nutritional goals during training: prevent fluid loss, provide immediate fuel, increase activity, maintain muscle and recover quickly.

Admission proteins saves from damage to muscle tissue, helps rapid regeneration and increases the effectiveness of training in the long term. This is especially important if more than three hours have passed since the last meal. To maintain muscle, you need a little, 15 grams per hour. But this advice is only relevant for hard-training athletes who train daily and on a varied program, or for athletes seeking to gain mass.

Carbohydrates, eaten during training, is a source of energy that will be used here and now. The result is activity and a high recovery rate. Plus, carbohydrates reduce the production of the stress hormone (cortisol), but increase it. But! Again, only the pros. How many carbohydrates do you need? See why. The maximum that the body can process during exercise is 60–70 grams. But if you mix carbohydrates with proteins, then 30-45 grams of the first will be enough for you.

Fats before and after workout is good. But in the process, they must be discarded due to the difficulties of digestion. Fats combined with exercise put too much stress on the stomach.

Nutrition during training: practice

If you work on yourself for less than two hours, then all attention should be paid to the flow of water, especially if you have properly organized nutrition before and after training. for classes that do not reach up to two hours are not needed.

Exceptions:

you train in the heat and sweat a lot;
in less than eight hours, another workout awaits you;
Are you working on gaining mass?
you drink a few sips at the very end of your workout to keep your energy up.

If you spend more than two hours exercising in the heat, don't rely on water alone. Otherwise, you risk critically lowering sodium levels, which will cause interruptions in the work of the heart.

Nutritional Requirements Post-Workout

List of targets:

recovery;
replenishment of fluid reserves;
refueling;
muscle formation;
improved endurance in the future.

Use squirrel after exercise leads to growth or at least maintenance of the amount of muscle tissue. There are still proteins in your blood from the food you ate before your workout, so the speed at which you get a new portion is not too important. This leads us to the conclusion that fast-digesting proteins from protein powders are no better than normal food. But nothing worse either. What you like - choose for yourself. For speed and convenience, make a protein shake, and if you want a "real" meal, make a high-protein lunch. For men, the norm is in the range of 46-60 grams, for women - 20-30 grams.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary to consume refined carbohydrates and to ensure insulin release and muscle recovery after exercise as soon as possible. In fact, a mixture of minimally processed carbs (whole grains, for example) and fruit will work better because it's better tolerated, helps maintain glycogen levels for about 24 hours, and results in more energy the next day. Athletes who do two hard sessions in eight hours are of course the exception. For everyone else, a normal lunch and fruit is preferable.

Fats after training, it is strictly forbidden to use: they slow down the absorption of nutrients. This is the truth, which in most cases no one needs. Because the rate of nutrient intake is not important, as we have already found out.

Nutrition after training: practice

No need to skip to the refrigerator, barely leaving the gym. But you should not forget about food either: you need to have time within two hours after completing the exercises.

What you eat before a workout will affect the nutrition after it. If you just had a pre-workout snack, or there were several hours between lunch and exercise, then it makes sense to hurry up with reinforcements and have time to eat within an hour. If you exercised on an empty stomach (for example, did exercises before breakfast), then you need to chew something as quickly as possible.

But if you've followed the nutrition tips in this article, you might want to wait an hour or two after your workout to get the most out of your nutrient intake.

Immediately after training

The approach is the same as for pre-workout nutrition: a balanced diet.

Approximate diet for men:

2 cups of protein products;
2 cups of vegetables;
2 cups carbohydrates;
a teaspoon of fat;
non-caloric drink (water).

The approximate diet for women is exactly the same, just smaller in volume.

Sometimes after a workout, the feeling of hunger does not arise. In this case, back to smoothies.

Conclusion

There are no uniform recipes for nutrition before, after and during training. This is obvious and has been said many times.

Nutrition always depends on individual conditions. A runner who weighs 70 kg cannot eat the same as a bodybuilder whose weight has passed over a hundred. They have different needs and different types workouts. The duration of classes also dictates the conditions and needs of the recovery period. The same bodybuilder will change his diet when he starts preparing for a competition.

For you and me, people who do not have participation in a sports competition on the horizon, there will be enough high-quality varied food, in which all nutrients, vegetables and fruits, vitamins and microelements, antioxidants will be proportionally present. Such food will fill you with energy, give material for building muscles, relieve irritation and dramatically speed up recovery. You can eat regular food or drink smoothies. You can eat more or less depending on your feelings and preferences.

As for time, we have two hours before training and the same after. And the total amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that are consumed throughout the day has a much greater effect on our body, mass, fat percentage and endurance than a clock-based regimen.

Eat and exercise with pleasure.

Not always regular and hard training contribute to weight loss. Eating cakes and pastries after class, it is impossible to remove extra pounds, because the calories consumed can be several times higher than the energy spent. Therefore, to lose weight, start eating right. But when compiling a diet, be sure to consider that there are foods that it is advisable to consume a certain amount of time before training. There is also food that should be eaten immediately after exercise for weight loss.

The basis and principles of proper nutrition

If you want to lose weight forever, then remember that you need to give up food that is harmful to the body not for a while, but forever. Food is the foundation for the normal functioning of all systems and organs, the main source of energy for the human body. If during training for weight loss nutrition is rational and comprehensive, then you will maintain health for many years.

The basics of proper nutrition:

Diversity. It is important that nutrition during and after losing weight is balanced, because the body must be saturated with micro and macro elements, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. Most effective method to get all the substances is to introduce a sufficient amount of cereals, vegetables, fruits, legumes into the diet.
Regular Schedule. Every day you need to eat at the same time, so that during weight loss the body gets used to the processing of products at certain hours. But do not forget that the last meal is spent 3 hours before bedtime.
Frequent and small meals. Some people believe that in order to lose weight faster in training, you need to eat less frequently. But this is not the case, if you want to lose weight during training, then eat, including snacks, up to 6 times a day.
Small portions. The average capacity of a human stomach is 250 ml, therefore, adhering to proper nutrition, you should not eat more foods at a time so as not to overload the digestive tract organs, testing them for endurance.
Daily calorie content. For weight loss, it is necessary that the calories consumed per day are less than those consumed. Do you attend training in gym or lead a passive lifestyle - take this into account when calculating daily calories. A weight loss diary, which is desirable to keep daily, will help control the calorie content of food.
Refusal of junk food. The stomach is not a trash can, so you shouldn’t put anything in there. Chips, ketchup, hot dogs, mayonnaise, sugar, beer and similar food will bring nothing but harm to the body. Be sure to refuse such food during weight loss, if not immediately, then gradually.
More vegetables and fruits. Be sure to include vegetables and fruits in your daily diet - this is a guarantee healthy lifestyle life. Plant foods have many benefits: big amount useful substances, quickly and completely digested, cleanses the intestines of toxins, as it contains a lot of fiber. The daily norm of fruits and vegetables for weight loss is 750 g.
The body needs water. This is talked about everywhere, but people do not listen to the instructions of doctors and nutritionists. For wellness and fast weight loss during training, consume 30 ml of water per kg of body weight per day. Tea, coffee, milk, compotes and other drinks are not included in this amount of liquid. Water stimulates metabolism, improves metabolism, cleanses the intestines of toxins.

How to eat before a workout to lose weight

Women during sports want to become owners of a slim figure. But if you do not think over the right nutrition program before and after training, then the efforts made to lose weight can easily be nullified. Proper Diet when training in the gym, it involves a clear definition of the last meal time in order to lose weight faster, fixing the result for a long time.

Why is it important to eat before a workout? The body needs a certain amount of energy to burn a lot of calories during weight loss exercises. During strength training, the muscles experience a strong load, therefore, they require additional energy, the main source of which is carbohydrates. In their absence, the main physical load falls on internal organs Yes, and burning fat cells on an empty stomach is difficult. Attending workouts for weight loss with a full stomach is also not worth it. It is necessary to eat food wisely, because your goal is not to work on the wear and tear of the body, but to effectively reduce weight.

The ideal option for weight loss is to eat a carbohydrate meal 2 hours before class and drink a cup of coffee, because caffeine helps burn fat. After a small carbohydrate load, the body will have enough strength for both strength and cardio exercises, and in order to get the missing energy, for example, when training an endomorph, the body will begin to break down fat reserves. The calorie intake before weight loss exercises should not exceed 300 kcal for men, and 200 kcal for women to start the metabolism.

Pre-workout food:

Light porridge (oatmeal or buckwheat).
Vegetable salad.
Fruits (avoid bananas, dates, grapes).
Bread or whole grain toast.

Is it possible to eat during a workout for weight loss

If it is necessary to eat before training for weight loss, then only those who prefer long-term loads (long-distance runners or cyclists) are allowed to eat during classes. They use special carbohydrate supplements to replenish their strength, which are sold in small bags or 50 gram chocolate bars. If you go to hour-long workouts for weight loss, then there is no need for additional energy, because it is in your interest to lose those extra pounds and restore a slender figure.

Post workout nutrition to burn fat

If you want to lose weight quickly and permanently, it is important to know how to eat before, after and during training. After class, there is a so-called protein-carbohydrate window, energy continues to be expended.

The diet after training involves abstaining from food for 1.5 -2 hours, so that the breakdown of adipose tissue is more efficient. Those who cannot stand the feeling of hunger are allowed to eat one green apple to reduce their appetite, but nothing more. The preferred food 2 hours after a workout is lean meat, omelettes, fish, low-fat cottage cheese. As a side dish, vegetable salads seasoned with unrefined vegetable oil will be useful.

Since carbohydrates are processed during sports in the first place, after an active workout for weight loss, they should be excluded so that the living molecules that are released during power loads do not stop breaking down and do not come back. If you are training for weight loss late in the evening, then it is better to stick to a light diet in the form of cottage cheese and tea, and if early in the morning (at 5 am), then eat some fruit and drink coffee half an hour before class.

Sample menu for the week

Making a weight loss menu the same for everyone is not an easy task, because you should take into account gender, age, weight, daily calorie consumption, the number of workouts per week individually. It is also desirable to keep in mind the preferences in food, so that the food is balanced and brings pleasure to the person. Not everyone eats hated oatmeal before training, so the process of losing weight will be quickly interrupted. We offer an approximate diet menu for a week for proper weight loss when losing weight:

Monday.

Breakfast - buckwheat, green tea.
Lunch - an apple, a glass of yogurt.
Lunch - stewed vegetables, steamed chicken fillet, dried fruit compote.
Dinner - fish soup, bran bread, herbal tea.

Tuesday.

Breakfast - muesli with yogurt, natural coffee.
Lunch - cottage cheese with sour cream (low fat), berry broth.
Dinner - vegetable soup, classic vinaigrette, juice.
Dinner - grilled fish, vegetable salad, tea with honey.

Wednesday.

Breakfast - baked apple, oatmeal, natural coffee.
Lunch - homemade yogurt with nuts.
Lunch - borscht, fish cutlet, mashed potatoes, fresh juice.
Dinner - vegetable stew, steak, tea with a spoon of honey.

Thursday.

Breakfast - cottage cheese casserole, natural coffe.
Lunch - a protein (protein) shake with a raw egg.
Lunch - chicken cutlet, buckwheat porridge, compote.
Dinner - Chicken fillet, vinaigrette, tea.

Friday.

Breakfast - rice porrige with honey and milk, natural coffee.
Lunch - banana, a glass of yogurt.
Lunch - vegetable soup, goulash, pea mash, fresh juice.
Dinner - raw vegetable salad, boiled chicken, tea with honey.

Saturday.

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with cheese, toast, cocoa.
Lunch - yogurt, marmalade.
Dinner - chicken bouillon with egg, vinaigrette, compote.
Dinner - boiled chicken breast, mashed potatoes, tea.

Sunday.

Breakfast - oatmeal, natural coffee.
Lunch - a glass of fresh yogurt, biscuit cookies.
Lunch - Buckwheat soup, meat baked in the oven with vegetables, juice.
Dinner - rice, boiled fish, vegetable salad, tea with honey.

Drinking regimen during classes

When exercising for weight loss, it is important to avoid dehydration. The amount of fluid drunk during strength or aerobic exercise directly depends on the duration and intensity of the workout, so each person needs an individual water consumption plan. During sports, it is better to focus on your own feelings and do not forget how to drink properly during sports, because excess water can negatively affect full-fledged muscle efforts.

It is better to drink water during a workout for weight loss in small portions, holding it for a while in the mouth, and then the thirst will disappear faster. To properly lose weight in training, we use non-carbonated water at room temperature. It is allowed to take sports drinks during intense power loads for weight loss.

Video: proper nutrition during training in the gym for women

Nutrition for fat burning workouts for women is different from the male diet for weight loss, because on average they weigh 20 kg less than strong half humanity. The need for energy, proteins and trace elements in women is also lower than in men. Find out more in the video, what should be the right diet for weight loss during fitness training for girls:

Diet for girls and men from Sergey Yugay

Sergey Yugay has been in bodybuilding for 23 years, so this person knows everything about rational nutrition in strength training for weight loss. The principle of proper nutrition, according to the bodybuilder, directly depends on what kind of sport a person does, how many workouts he has per week, what loads are carried out and even what blood type. Sergey Yugay believes that each person who wants to lose weight should have an individual diet, so it is better to consult a nutritionist how to eat before, during and after sports.

For drying the body

Drying the body means getting rid of subcutaneous fat while maintaining muscle volume. The diet for burning fat during such training is different from the diet for losing weight, since in this case it is not advisable to restrict yourself too much in calories. You will learn more about what you can eat when drying your body from Sergey Yugay from the video:

For muscle relief

The nutrition program during training to improve relief muscles contains important rule: per 1 kg of body weight, consume 2 g of protein (protein). The main protein foods are white fish, lean meats, legumes, and cereals. It is necessary to refuse dairy products, but not glucose, because it is the basis for the normal functioning of the brain. See in the video what kind of nutrition for muscle relief girls are offered by experienced bodybuilder Sergey Yugay:

The result depends on what to eat before training and in what quantity. Food can both increase work capacity and reduce it. The combination and the right ratio of products at the right time will accelerate the result, no matter what goals you set for yourself.

How long before a workout can I eat and what foods

Each macronutrient plays a role for the body during physical exertion. However, the ratio in which you should consume them depends on the individual and the type of exercise.

It all depends on the food and its speed of assimilation. For example, for morning loads, breakfast food should be consumed immediately after sleep and an hour and a half before class. The total protein requirement before training is 20-25 grams, carbohydrates 40-60.

What to eat in the morning before training?

For short- and high-intensity exercise, your muscle and liver glycogen stores are the main source of muscle energy. In a dream, you spent all the glycogen from the liver, that is, the body has no energy reserves, it can begin to destroy its own protein, since it has nothing to eat yet. To do this, do not go hungry.

fast carbohydrates help in as soon as possible provide energy and complex help to deliver this energy to the muscles for a long time. Squirrels needed as material for new cells. Benefits of eating protein before exercise include:

fast anabolic response or muscle growth;
accelerated .

Breakfast before workout you need easily digestible proteins (eggs, cottage cheese, milk) and carbohydrates (simple and complex).

That's why Pre-workout meals should include the following foods:

cereals (oatmeal, rice - taste), you can use milk with the addition of honey or dried fruits (simple carbohydrates).
As well as eggs, you can cook an omelette, cottage cheese or toast with cheese.

All of your choice, these products will provide you with energy for the entire workout. Since food is quickly digested, start training no later than an hour and a half. Fats will be contained in small amounts in milk, cottage cheese, oatmeal and yolk, so additional intake is not required. The amount of fat should not exceed 3-5 g before training. In addition, fats in large quantities are digested for a long time, contain many calories, and also impair performance.

After training, you will need a second breakfast.

What to eat before training in the daytime and in the evening?

Before training in the afternoon and evening time necessary still proteins and complex carbohydrates. These products are:

lean meat;
fish;
eggs;
dairy products;
cereals;
cereals;
vegetables and fruits.

Simple carbohydrates are still allowed in the day before training, the sugar contained will provide energy and will completely burn out during the workout. But in the evening, exclude them from the diet., especially for those who want to lose weight, since glucose can turn into fat.

Girls Before training, you can eat 20 g of protein and 40 g of carbohydrates.
For men the upper limit of the norm is recommended: b-25, y-60.

Nutritional features for all body types: recommendations

There are several:,. Ectomorphs differ from the rest by low fat content and fast metabolism. Such an organism is able to quickly digest food into energy and not store fat reserves. This type needs to eat an hour before training., since prolonged fasting will harm the muscle mass of this type of constitution. Doses of proteins and carbohydrates are maximum.

Concerning mesomorph and endomorph- here you need to be careful, especially the last one, and not just count the BJU, but consume them from the right products. Such a constitution has low level metabolism and easily stores unused energy in the fat depot. That's why the task of the owner of an average and obese constitution is to protect himself from simple carbohydrates before and after training. Losing weight is allowed simple carbohydrates only for breakfast to raise the level of glucose in the blood. Before morning training, honey, fruits, dried fruits, dairy products are allowed. The rest of the time your diet is:

Proteins - lean meat and fish, eggs.
Carbohydrates - cereals, unsweetened and non-starchy vegetables, greens.

Fortunately, for ectomorph There are no food or calorie restrictions. As for everyone - it is undesirable to use a large number fat before workout, this contributes to a feeling of discomfort to the digestive organs and a decrease in physical activity.

If you don't have time to eat: pre-workout snack

If you are in a hurry to work out from work or at lunchtime and do not have time to eat, for you convenient snack will become:

low-fat drinking yogurt;
loaves;
banana;
cottage cheese.

These foods will provide you with all the pre-workout nutrients and energy you need. And most importantly, they will save you from the desire to have a snack with fast food, rolls and other confectionery excesses.

Pre-Workout Nutrition for Weight Loss and Mass Gain

If you are losing weight, your daily intake will be 2 g of carbohydrate for every kg of your own weight, and sometimes 1 g - for example, during the muscle period. Accordingly, the amount of carbohydrates will decrease, and proteins will increase.

Before workout will increase the need for protein up to 40 g;
carbohydrate - decrease up to 20–30

Concerning mass gain period:

carbohydrate needs are growing up to 4-5 grams per kilogram of weight;
and proteins up to 3-4 g.

You will divide the general norm by the number of meals, and get the BJU norm before and after training.

Pre-workout nutrition is an important meal for performance. If you have enough of all the nutrients, and you use them at the right time, you can increase performance and athletic performance, as well as prevent unwanted weight loss. If, on the contrary, you receive a small share of nutrients, start the process of muscle destruction. And eating immediately before training will not allow the body to fully work, undigested food will cause discomfort.

Proper nutrition after training in video format

We eat to feel good, move and be productive. To do this, you need to eat a balanced and varied diet - that is, all macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) must enter the body daily:

Proteins are a building material.
Fats are a strategic energy store, and carbohydrates are tactical (stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver).
Vitamins and minerals regulate biochemical reactions in the body.

Particular attention should be paid to the diet if a person trains, since good health and the training process depend on this.

How much to eat

The amount of food depends on individual qualities (age, health status, training experience) and goals. To roughly understand in which direction to move, remember the energy balance:

If the goal is to lose weight, then you need to spend more energy than comes from food.
If the goal is to gain weight, then you need to eat more than you spend.
Maintaining weight - the energy costs are equal to those received.
Increase in muscle mass - you need to control the diet as a whole and pay special attention to protein intake.

How to understand how much energy is spent and how much food you need

There are two ways:

1. The exact method - comparing the energy received with the energy consumed

To do this, we count calories - units of energy. Each product has a certain calorie content, and in order to find out how much energy is supplied daily, you need to keep track of food.

Simple and convenient option:

Download an app like MyFitnessPal or FatSecret.
Enter parameters there - weight, age, physical activity and goal. The application will independently calculate the daily calorie content, which will need to be adhered to.
Bring in all food throughout the day. Applications have already created databases with all kinds of products. The system summarizes the data, and it immediately becomes clear whether you fit into your plan or something needs to be adjusted.

2. Intuitive method

An option for the advanced - you need to listen to the body, which knows when it's time to eat (hunger) and how much food you need (satiation). Three important points:

Eat when you feel like it and don't eat when you don't feel like it.
Chew slowly, then the signal about satiety from the stomach will have time to reach the brain. You stop eating on time and do not overeat.
Make sure that the diet is balanced during the day - for this you can keep a food diary, as in the first method, but in a more free form.

Read also Intuitive Eating: 10 Life-Changing Principles

What exactly to eat before and after training

When planning a diet before and after training, you don’t need to invent anything, you need to understand that the main goals are a full-fledged workout, during which you feel strong, and the restoration of spent resources after it ends.

General rules

Eat carbs

During strength, speed-strength (sprints), explosive training, we mainly spend carbohydrates stored in the form of glycogen. On average, the body absorbs and uses about 400 g of carbohydrates per day. And given the fact that carbohydrates are needed not only for movement, but also for work nervous system you need to eat them daily. So you will feel cheerful throughout the day and in training.

Main sources: cereals, bread, pasta, fruits.

Eat fat

The body chooses fats as its main source of energy during cardio workouts - for example, easy running, in which you can talk and not be out of breath. Fats are needed for movement and synthesis of vital hormones. For example, testosterone, without which muscle mass won't grow.

Main sources: meat, fish, legumes, oils, nuts.

Eat squirrels

This is the main structural component cells. Proteins are needed for the maintenance of body tissues, muscle growth and the formation of antibodies that are responsible for maintaining immunity. At physical activity Muscle fibers are destroyed and rebuilt when protein is taken from food.

Main sources: meat, fish, seafood, tofu, nuts, eggs, dairy products.

1. Eat a full meal 1.5-2 hours before class. So the body has time to digest food, and you will have strength.

fruits, granola (carbohydrates) and cottage cheese (protein, fats);
vegetables, bread (carbohydrates) and eggs (protein, fats);
vegetables, rice (carbs) and turkey (protein, fat).

2. If there is no time, then eat any fruit 30-40 minutes before the start. Carbohydrates from the fruit are quickly absorbed, and the forces will be trained.

3. Don't eat a lot before your workout. Our body cannot digest food and do squats at the same time - it's too difficult. He will choose squats, and everything that you ate will roll in the stomach - this will cause discomfort (heaviness, nausea).

4. Don't Starve. You will not have the strength, the training will be ineffective.

5. Don't eat immediately after class. At the time of training, the body minimizes the process of digestion, as this is an extra expenditure of energy, which is more profitable to spend on physical activity.

In particular, the concentration of the hormone insulin, whose main function is to store carbohydrates in the form of glycogen in the muscles and liver, as well as to synthesize proteins and fats, is reduced. This is logical, because in training you need to spend energy, not save.