If you love fitness or an athlete, good nutrition can boost your body’s performance and reduce recovery times after every workout. Proper nutrient intake before exercising is just as important as after the workout.
With the right nutrients, you will have the strength and energy to do more and improve your performance. The correct ratios are essential when you are taking a pre-workout meal. Too much or little or a macronutrient will affect the balance.
Before we jump into the meal plan ideas for your pre-workout, here are the macronutrients they should at least contain.
Important Macronutrient in Your Pre-Workout Meal
Each macronutrient plays a specific role before the workout session, and the ratios in which you consume them will depend on your needs and the type of exercise you are doing.
- Carbohydrates
Carbs have glucose, and your muscles use them as fuel—your body processes and stores glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
Your glycogen stores are a source of energy for your muscles while you do short, high-intensity workouts. The glycogen in your body is limited and depletes throughout your workout session.
- Protein
There are a lot of studies indicating how the consumption of protein pre-workout improves your athletic performance.
Additional benefits of eating protein before working out are:
- An increase in strength and body mass
- A better anabolic response, or muscle growth
- An increase in muscle performance
- Improvement in muscle recovery
- Fat
Unlike glycogen, an excellent fuel source for short, high-intensity exercises, fats are more suitable for longer, low-intensity workouts.
6 Pre-Workout Meals You Should Consider Before Exercising
- Fruit Smoothies
Apart from tasting delicious and being fun to take, smoothies are a very healthy option for pre-workouts. If made well, they contain several micronutrients beneficial for your health and general well-being.
Because they’re full of sugars, smoothies are high in calories and can be meal replacements. Consuming a fruit smoothie pre-workout can provide you with a good source of glucose. You could also add some protein powder into the mix to increase the nutrient content.
Paring up the right supplements with your fruit smoothie is enough to give you results. Anavar Canada is an excellent example of supplements that will help you build muscle and achieve a well-toned look.
- Plain Greek Yogurt with Granola and Berries
Berries and granola are quick-digesting carbs that will fuel your exercises. Greek yogurt, on the other hand, gives you the necessary protein to prevent muscle breakdown. Avoid fruit-flavored yogurt as much as possible, and stick with plain.
The best granola should have nuts, seeds, and wholesome carbs such as amaranth, oats, and millet.
- Rice, Chicken, and Vegetables
These ingredients are easy to whip up before your workout session, and they will provide you with enough energy for a prolonged workout. It’s a classic pre-workout meal, as it combines a great source of lean protein with complex carbs.
This pre-workout meal can provide the essential amino acids that enable anabolism. You should eat this meal, preferably 2-3 hours before your workout.
- A Protein Bar
Protein bars are a quick snack right before you hit the gym. They fuel your exercises and are a great source of protein. Look for protein bars with carbs for the preferred balance of nutrients.
It should also have low-sugar content if you are especially watching your waistline.
Going the homemade option is also allowed. Protein bars are easy to make at home, and the best part is you can control the contents. You can make the protein and carbs content as high or low as you desire.
You can even add some nuts, seeds, dried, and chocolate to them. You should consume your protein bar an hour before your workout session. That way, you optimize your energy output.
- A Banana
Bananas are the perfect source of natural sugars. They also contain simple carbohydrates and potassium, which is also crucial for your body—eating a banana before a workout boosts your glycogen stores. Additionally, throw in some peanut butter for a protein boost.
Bananas are easy on the stomach, especially if you wake up feeling nauseous before your workout. Potassium stays in the body for a limited amount of time, so you can eat a banana 30 minutes to or an hour before you start working out.
- Toast and A Mini Egg Frittata
Frittatas, also known as egg muffins, are a great way to take eggs. Frittatas can be premade, and you don’t have to cook them when you wake up or before exercising. They are made with meat, cheese, and veggies.
They are a healthier option for a pre-workout meal and will give you the necessary fuel for your exercises. Making many during your meal prep and storing them in the fridge will save you a lot of time, and you can pop them in the microwave or eat them as is before working out.
Final Thoughts
You must focus on foods rich in carbs, modest in protein, and low fat and fiber for your pre-workout nutrition. It’s also essential to remember that the heavier the meal, the more time you need to digest it to help you during your workout.