WHAT TO EAT TO MAKE YOUR WORKOUTS WORK BETTER

By Vegan Victoria, Certified Nutrition Consultant

I may be a little weird, but I really do enjoy working out.  I realize many people look at exercise as a chore, but if you’re going to put the time and effort into exercising, you might as well do whatever you can to get the best results. That’s why it’s so crucial to fuel your body with the best combination of nutrients.

Pre-Workout Food

I’ve done some research and there’s a few varying recommendations on this topic.  But the majority seems to agree that it’s best to have complex carbohydrates before a workout.  The carbs will give you the fuel and stamina to avoid running out of energy.  Carbs in a whole-food plant-based form are also easy to digest so your body can focus on the workout, not digesting some processed food-like substance.  Good examples would be almost any kind of fruit, like an apple, banana, orange, peach or grapes.  Because its so easy to digest, you can eat this about a half hour before your workout.

Post-Workout Food

After the workout, it’s crucial to have a good amount of protein.  This will help repair the microscopic tears to the muscles that occur during exercise.  The tears help the muscles grow and get stronger, but they need proper nutrition to heal in a timely manner and speed up recovery time.  And since your body used up a lot of carbohydrates during the workout, it’s also important to replenish those as well.  A protein shake or smoothie is a great option since the food is already broken down and the body can quickly assimilate all the nutrients.  You can also try a bean & veggie burrito, or fresh vegetables with hummus.  Some athletes try to eat their post-workout food within 45 minutes of exercise, to take advantage of the “nutrition window of opportunity.” The theory is that consuming healthy food within this time-frame reportedly allows essential amino acids to rebuild the muscles after intense exercise.

Staying Hydrated

Of course, it goes without saying that it’s also essential to hydrate your body before during and after a workout.  Drinking lots of water before working out plumps up all those cells so they’re fully hydrated and ready for exercise.  Drinking water during a workout keeps the cells working efficiently.  But I do have to be careful and not drink too much water otherwise it can upset my stomach a little.  And keeping up water consumption post-workout helps your body recover from its exertion.  Waiting until you feel thirsty is often too late.  I also read recently in “Consumer Health” that the thirst and hunger signals tend to weaken, as we get older.  I definitely prefer just plain water, maybe with a little fresh lemon or lime juice instead of so-called energy drinks.  Unless you’re running a triathlon, you don’t need all those extra electrolytes that come with added sugar and calories.

Whatever exercise you choose to do, don't forget to fuel yourself with healthy food to get the healthiest results!