You Are When You Eat at He's Fit

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You Are When You Eat

Posted May 24, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Donnell Peavy

Section: His Health, Mental Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Diets

man eating crawfish I don’t think there’s any real dispute about the fact that in order to be healthy, you need to eat healthy, even if you work out. You will never be in tip top shape if you are filling your gullet with cheesecake and bacon (mmmm…bacon…). However, something a lot of people still have questions about is when to eat what types of foods in relation to their workout - what to eat before a session, how soon before the session should you eat, etc. Being armed with that information could mean the difference between strength and size gains and hitting a plateau.

Pre Workout Nutrition
There are actually two different schools of thought on this. One is that you will need energy during the workout, which means carb consumption. Eating simple carbs before a session can reduce the amount of glycogen that is used during a workout, which translates to you having more energy while training. There is also an anti-carb school of thought. The logic behind that is that you want to burn fat during your workout – something that won’t happen if your system is saturated with carbs, as carbs are the primary fuel source. If there is plenty of it, there is no need to burn fat. Members of this group favor whole foods which are low in carbs. Whole foods will remain in the system longer, slowing digestion and leaving you with a satisfied feeling, as opposed to hunger in the middle of the workout.

After Training
After your workout has ended, your muscles are fatigued and in need of repair. You have depleted your self of your primary form of energy – carbs – so you will need to replace them. The muscles also need protein for recovery and growth, so be sure to add some of them as well. You want to consume this meal right after your workout – ideally, within an hour of finishing.

The pre and post workout meals are two of the most important meals of the day, so be sure to not to omit them and be sure to consume the right types of food at the right time. Remember, you are when you eat.