WHAT TO EAT - BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER WORKOUTS!

Eating the right foods will provide energy to maximize your workout, allow you to burn more calories and improve your recovery time. Our body is like a vehicle, if you don't have any gas in the tank, you're not going anywhere! We have a tendency to only focus on the exercise and worry about nutrition later. It's important to know especially for athletes, we need both nutrition & exercise to perform at our best. Below are some example foods to eat before, during & after your workouts.

Before: Eat at least 1 hours before you begin your workout. Choose healthy carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread, whole grain cereal, low-fat yogurt, apple, banana, and vegetables. Avoid saturated fats and protein because they take longer to digest and may result in you cramping up and causing discomfort during exercise.

During:

You don't need to eat during workouts that's 60 minutes or less. For workouts lasting more than 60 minutes, eat every half hour of 50-100 calories of carbohydrates such as a banana, kiwi or an energy bar to keep your metabolism burning and maintain a high energy level. It's important to drink plenty of water during exercise. Water acts as your body’s cooling system to ensure your body doesn't get dehydrated. The best way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of fluids with meals, and drink about

2 cups (16 ounces) of water 2 hours before exercise.

After: Following exercise, your body needs to replenish its energy stores and repair muscle tissue. The muscles need both carbohydrates and protein for a smooth recovery after your workouts. Within the first 20-60 minutes is the best time to eat your post-workout meal, eat foods such as a protein shake with bananas, whole grain bagel, baked potato, peanut butter sandwich, brown rice, chicken, etc.

Source:www.self.com