Whether you want to pack on muscle or slim your waist, exercise is key to reach your goals. However, a lot of people don’t know which foods are best to eat during their workouts.
You need enough energy to complete your workouts and feel energized, but a carb-heavy diet full of simple carbohydrates may weigh you down and make you tired instead of invigorated.
Below, you can find a list of foods that are good for workouts, with adjustments depending on whether you want to slim down or bulk up.
Learn which meals you should proceed a workout with and which foods help best with recovery.
Supplements
Before starting your new workout diet, you also can start taking a supplement that helps your muscles and endurance. Nitric oxide already exists in your body, and it affects your circulatory system.
A supplement provides amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline, which expands the diameter of your blood vessels. This improves the blood flow to your muscles, ensuring they perform better, withstand more weight, and heal faster.
Therefore, nitric oxide is used to increase your endurance and heighten your strength. For the best nitric oxide supplement, you should look for high levels of L-arginine and at least 480 mg of L-citrulline.
Nitric oxide supplements that contain natural muscle stimulants like beetroot and fenugreek are a bonus, too. Compare supplements and their ingredients on Analyze That to choose the best supplement available.
Chicken Breast
This may be nothing new to you, but protein is super important when building muscle. Lean protein like chicken breast or turkey is filling and doesn’t slow you down.
You can pack in protein after a workout when your body is in recovery mode and is still burning calories. To receive all the nutrition benefits from chicken, bake it or put it in a slow cooker instead of frying.
Fried foods add more unwanted saturated fats and decrease the nutrition content of the food overall.
Alternative: If you are bulking up, you need to increase your protein intake; to calculate how much protein you need, try to eat 1 gram of protein to 1 pound of your body weight.
This may seem like a lot, but you can increase your protein intake and not worry about gaining large amounts of fat.
Greek Yogurt And Granola
Plain flavors of greek yogurt and the added crunch of granola provide long-lasting energy and are a good source of protein.
Yes, more protein. Add berries or vanilla for added sweetness without adding sugar to your snack. Granola mixes are best when including dried fruits, nuts, and oatmeal.
You can eat this before or after a workout, as your body requires protein before a workout, not just afterward. Your muscles are built from amino acids, which last in your system for three or four hours after a meal.
Then, during your workout, you will have lots of energy, and you’ll have enough protein to help with recovery when you’re done with your run.
Alternative: Bulking up your muscles, you need an increase of protein throughout the day. Bring a parfait or oatmeal smoothie to drink during your workout so you won’t waste time preparing a meal that includes protein for you.
Whole Grain Pasta
Even if you’re trying to lose weight, you need carbohydrates to work out, and complex carbohydrates are the best.
Instead of unbleached white flour products, pick whole grains so you can get more vitamins and minerals. For example, whole wheat pasta contains:
● B vitamins, which boost your nervous system and increase your metabolism
● copper which helps your heart and nervous system
● selenium which increases your thyroid function
● magnesium, which assists in building bones and regulating your blood pressure
● fiber, which lowers your blood sugar and cholesterol
Athletes know to fill up on carbs before a competition, so you can ensure to eat pasta before a heavy training session. Fueling up for a workout can work either if you’re trying to lose weight or build up your frame, so we have no alternative options here.
Salmon
Salmon is rich in omega-3, which has many benefits for keeping fit, such as regulating your circulation, boosting your metabolism and reducing inflammation.
Maintaining good circulation and reducing inflammation helps your muscles recover more quickly from strains lessen the feeling of soreness after a particularly hard workout.
As with most foods, salmon is best fresh than canned or frozen. If you’re looking to lose weight, salmon is a great lean protein that speeds up your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories and drop pounds.
Alternative: Salmon is actually a suggested protein to consume if you’re trying to build muscle, but ensure you’re eating fats along with it. Cook your salmon in butter or coconut oil, combining your protein with healthy fats.
Conclusion
As you know, protein and carbohydrates are the most important when you’re gearing up for a good workout or winding down from a cardio session.
Get your protein from lean meats like chicken, turkey or salmon. Fresh fish also gives you the added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids, which help with reducing inflammation and increasing your blood flow.
Don’t forget to employ the help of supplements like nitric oxide, which can increase your muscle mass and allow you to recover more quickly.
Finally, remember to personalize the recipes so you can enjoy these foods prepared in your style, allowing you to look forward to something pre-or post-workout.
