Exercise and nutrition are kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It just isn’t right to have one without the other! A peanut butter and jelly sandwich would not exist if we did not have both ingredients, just like a healthy and strong body isn’t realistic without good eating habits and physical activity. A popular question I receive on a regular basis is: What are the ideal nutrition strategies to maximize exercise benefits? The answer to this question can be quite different for each person, however let’s begin by looking at the proven research, the common ground and staple recommendations that can benefit each and every one of us.
Let’s say your goal is to gain lean tissue and reduce body fat. You are putting forth 110% effort at the gym, even working with a personal trainer. At the same time unknowingly, you are under fueling in calories and/or macronutrients. In this circumstance, you would most likely find yourself spinning your wheels and still not obtaining your desired results.
If you wish to have gold standard, individualized recommendations to fully understand your exact calorie and macronutrient needs, request to have METABOLIC TESTING performed at St. Petersburg Nutrition today. Let’s now gain a better understanding the basic starting strategies.
Nutrition Strategies
Pre- Workout
In general, for a pre-workout snack, it is best to avoid high fiber and high fat options and choose carbohydrates paired with touch of protein (5-10 grams). A great example is a banana with one tablespoon of peanut butter or a Greek yogurt with or without a handful of fruit. Snacks are meant to fuel your workout properly and get you to your next meal not feeling ravenous.
A snack may not be required if a pre-workout meal can fuel the entire workout and lead you to your next meal with controlled hunger. An ideal pre-workout meal is balanced. This means it consists of 50% vegetables, 25% carbohydrates (ideally a fibrous choice such as brown rice) and 25% lean protein. A side salad paired with a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread is a great example of a balanced meal.
A general guideline for timing your meals before workouts:
- Large meals – Eat these at least three to four hours before exercising
- Small meals – Eat these two to three hours before exercising
- Snacks – Eat these an hour before exercising
Post-Workout
In the 20 minutes after training is completed, it’s imperative to refuel and recover with effective post-workout nutrition to help replace muscle glycogen, repair muscle damage and rebuild muscle tissue.
In general, eat a balanced meal (or a snack to hold you over to a meal) as mentioned in the pre-workout section as soon as possible. Ideally, 10-30 grams of protein paired with 15-60 grams of carbohydrate would be consumed directly after your workout is finished. Supplemental shakes can be a practical way of ensuring adequate and quality protein, carbohydrate, vitamin and mineral intake for athletes. My my favorite post-workout or snack protein shake is: Orgain Clean Nutrition
Macronutrients – Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates
It is the position of the International Society of Sports Nutrition that exercising individuals need approximately 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. Limit protein intake to no more than 30 grams during one sitting and spread protein intake out over the day in each meal and snack. Appropriately timed protein intake is an important component of an overall exercise training program, essential for proper recovery, immune function, and the growth and maintenance of lean body mass.
Carbohydrate requirements range from 3-12 grams per kilograms of body weight per day. The specific amount required depends on the athlete’s total daily energy expenditure, type of sport, gender, and environmental conditions. Carbohydrates maintain blood glucose levels during exercise and replace muscle glycogen. Carbohydrates provides key fuel for the brain and central nervous system and a versatile substrate for muscular work where it can support exercise over a large range of intensities due to its use by both anaerobic and oxidative pathways.
The dietary fat guideline is set at 20-35% of your total calories, or 44-77 grams each day based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Choose fat sources primarily coming from plant based foods. Avocados, olive oils, nut and nut butters are a few great examples of plant based fats. Fat is a necessary component of a healthy diet, providing energy, essential elements of cell membranes, and facilitation of the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Hydration
Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water may seem obvious, however majority of us do not apply the recommendations we know about. Let’s put our knowledge into action!
Here’s what the American College of Sports Medicine recommends:
- Drink roughly 2 to 3 cups (0.5 to 0.7 liters) of water during the two to three hours before your workout.
- Drink about 1/2 to 1 cup (0.12 to 0.23 liters) of water every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. You may need more the larger your body is or the warmer the weather is.
- Drink roughly 2 to 3 cups (0.5 to 0.7 liters) of water after your workout for every pound (0.5 kilogram) of weight you lose during the workout.
Stick with water–unless your workout is over an hour. Then you might benefit from a sports drink to help maintain your body’s electrolyte balance. My personal favorite for electrolytes supplementation is NUNN Sport
In Summary:
- Carbohydrates are imperative to fuel your working muscles and provide immediate energy
- Protein helps build and repair
- Fat plays a crucial part in maintaining energy during exercise
- Get a combination of protein and carbohydrates in your body 1 to 3 hours pre-workout and within approximately 20 minutes post-workout.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
- Every person’s calories and macronutrient needs and goals can vary tremendously, let a Registered Dietitian measure and/or calculate your body’s specific needs and help apply your nutritional needs into your life.
