Pre-Workout Nutrition

There's a pre-workout window that you can follow. Some people like to do carbs before their workout and some don't do carbs before their workout. I'm one of the believers of no carbs before I workout. The serotonin levels would kick in and you'd feel very relax. These are things you should follow:

. Enrich the body with amino acids to combat catabolism which is inevitable in the gym 

. Curb hunger because you won't perform well if you are hungry 

. Increase overall energy and MENTAL sense of feeling energized 

. Set your body up hormonally as optimal as possible in relation to your body type and goals i.e. cortisol management etc

Here are the pre workout meal "rules" -

1. Have a high protein meal before training, from an EASILY digesting source such as fish or chicken rather than beef for instance. This will give the amino acids you need and the ease of digestion is CRUCIAL to maximizing performance, nutrient uptake and ensuring you don't feel discomfort

2. You can typically utilize carbohydrates AND fats for the following reason - carbohydrates alone, along with protein will typically lead to a more aggressive climb in blood sugar levels/insulin response and then lead to a more aggressive crash as well. This can potentially mean energy levels will suffer in the gym. Having SOME fats present will help manage this. You don't need too much fat though as this will effect digestion

3. The carbohydrates will help mediate the cortisol response from your training as it forces insulin levels up which I feel is beneficial for most people as MANY people are poor at managing stress on their body outside of the gym

4. Timing is also important, typically I want the meal eaten 60-90 minutes pre-workout depending on how YOU find you digest food and how you feel afterwards. You DON'T want to feel hungry going into the gym and you don't want to feel as though you've JUST eaten and be lethargic. Monitor when you feel best!

These are general points which I have found to work well in regards to pre-workout nutrition. SOME will find they do prefer not consuming carbohydrates as they may feel lethargic and that is fine, HOWEVER I feel having carbohydrates present will often help protect muscle tissue better so TRY the tips above to see if they help manage your blood sugar levels in the gym rather than just remove carbs completely pre-workout.

 

Related Post

Build Muscle All Day & While You Sleep