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The 5 Best Before Workout Meals H2
We are always trying to force ourselves to run quicker, leap higher, and lift heavier while we exercise. Unfortunately, we also have less free time in today’s world. Because of this, it’s not shocking that athletes are always trying to get the most out of every workout.
Working out comes down to science and your success at the gym can be influenced by what you fuel your body with. Therefore, you might be curious about what the best before workout meal is for you.
Fortunately, we have compiled a list of our favorite pre workout meals for you below! These are guaranteed to have you killing your next exercise session.
What Makes a Great Before Workout Meal? H2
To truly understand how to fuel your body before a workout, you must first know how to break down various foods into their micronutrients. During vigorous exercise, these micronutrients play a particular role in your body.
Carbs, proteins, and fats are generally three micronutrients you should be searching for when considering a before workout meal.
YOUTUBE Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xiiou51ySXM
Carbohydrates H3
The first and most important nutrient is carbs. The body breaks carbs down into sugars called glucose when eaten. Your body will then set aside this glucose for later in the muscle tissue.
Experts have discovered that when you work out, this glucose accumulation is the primary source of energy for your muscles.
This means your muscle strength and stamina are impeded when the body’s glycogen levels are reduced.
Athletes sometimes use a procedure called carb-loading to increase their muscle abilities. To do this, before a workout, you should increase the amount of carbohydrates you eat so that your glycogen levels are raised.
Proteins H3
Another factor that can limit your fitness ability is protein intake.
Studies have shown that before a workout, consuming protein and carbohydrates together will intensify the synthesis of muscle protein.
This protein synthesis tends to reduce injury to the muscles while increasing post-exercise recovery. with an abundance of protein, the muscles will heal themselves better after heavy exercise.
Fats H3
Although carbs and glycogen are used for muscle energy, it is short-lived and burned quite quickly. Fats, on the other hand, can be a perfect pre-workout food to retain energy during activities of longer duration.
For endurance athletes, this type of before workout meal will be more useful. For example, a high-fat diet is perfect for runners, hikers, or bikers.
5 Best Before Workout Meals H2
1. Rice and Chicken H3
A meal like rice and chicken is great for those who sometimes work out late at night. It’s no accident that this is the most common meal for bodybuilders.
This meal is well balanced since eating rice before a workout is the ideal source of carbs and nutrients. As well, the chicken is the perfect lean meat addition with its high amounts of protein and fat.
This meal will supply you with fast-burning sugars, protein to assist regeneration, and long-lasting fats to help you through a difficult workout.
2. Oatmeal H3
It can be hard for individuals who work out early in the morning to eat a ton of carbohydrates right as they wake up.
If you are attempting to successfully fill an empty stomach in the morning, the grain properties of oatmeal are great for slow burning energy. Throughout the whole exercise, this pre-workout meal should keep the body nourished and energized.
3. Supplements H3
If you’ve been working out for a while, supplements should be no mystery to you. Individuals often take a range of supplements from BCAA’s to pre workout.
If you are looking to get hyped up, it is obvious that pre workout supplements will do this best. You can take your exercises to the next stage with ingredients like caffeine, creatine, and electrolytes.
It should be remembered, that these are not complete before workout meals and are mostly taken in combination with other snacks.
If you are thinking about taking your fitness to the next level, you can read this list of the best pump pre workoutsaround today.
4. Sandwich with Peanut Butter H3
Before a workout, if you want to eat something fast and simple, then a peanut butter sandwich could be just what you’re wanting. For people on the go, this is the ideal before workout meal!
It’s necessary, however, that the bread you chose is whole wheat. This will provide you the right type of carbohydrates and energy during your exercise.
To further minimize muscle weakness and protein degeneration, the peanut butter on the bagel also serves as a healthy combination of fat and protein.
You may also want to put bananas and honey on top as an extra boost. This would add natural sugar in the body to further raise blood sugar and energy.
5. Protein Bars H3
This last one is for people who don’t necessarily have time to spare. Protein bars are named this for good reason. They are filled with grains, energy, and sugars the body craves before a workout.
Picking a protein bar that has large levels of carbs and fats is essential. Nutritionists typically say they’re searching for a bar with least 25 g of protein.
Energy bars are not the best before workout meal you could have, but they do still work.
When to Consume Before Workout Meals H2
Fitness experts agree that deciding when to eat pre workout meals is almost as important as deciding what to eat.
Obviously, depending on your body the effectiveness of the food you are consuming will change. However, we know that if food is carb-heavy it should be eaten sooner than nutrients with less substance like pre-workouts.
A simple rule of thumb is that if you eat a complete meal of carbs and protein, you should consume it roughly 2 hours before your exercise.
This will allow you more time to digest the food and to convert the carbs into glucose for your body.
It is recommended that you consume protein bars or oatmeal closer to an hour before your workout. Since you are eating a smaller meal, this will save you from feeling hungry throughout your exercises.
No matter which you choose, the research backs up these claims that having a meal before a workout with mixed macronutrients is important for better gains and muscle growth.
Conclusion H2
Although the topic of before workout food might be a complicated one, I hope you have found some clarification in this post.
Let us know which before workout meals you decided to try below!
Author Bio
Josh Lafond is the owner and operator of healthygymhabits. After receiving his PT certification in 2014 he became a personal trainer at his local gym. Since then Josh has been bettering his understanding of fitness to help others achieve their health goals online and in person.
For people who love the world of Food & Fitness. This blog brings together recipes, ideas, knowledge & articles from both of these exciting areas! 