Scheduling exercise into your daily life can be a challenge in itself, but planning meals and snacks around your fitness regime can be equally as challenging. In order to help you narrow down healthy options for pre and post workout meals, we have come up with a short list of meals and a handful of handy tips that you should try to get the most out of your workouts.
Pre Work Out Tips
Try to avoid having a fatty meal or snack before you go for your workout. This is because they are likely to hang around in your stomach for longer periods of time causing you to feel uneasy during your workout.
The meal that you choose to have should contain some protein. It should at least satisfy your hunger so you aren’t running on the treadmill thinking about your rumbling tummy.
Try drinking lots of fluids. This doesn’t just mean water – you can make smoothies or fruit shakes for something more exciting.
Different meal sizes will require different amounts of time to digest. For light meals allow 30 minutes before exercising, but for larger meals try and wait 2 hours; this is just to allow your body some time to feel settled and ready to go!
You might have to experiment with your eating schedule to see what suits you best depending on the time you go to exercise and how long and hard for.
Pre Work Out Meal Ideas
1. Eggs and toast – try 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs with 1 slice of whole-wheat toast. This will satisfy someone with a healthier appetite.
2. Fruit it out – Don’t have time to prep anything? Why not try some fruit. Chuck some berries into a bowl along with some melon, banana and oranges – yum yum.
3. Yogurt and berry shake – Combine 1 cup of low fat vanilla Greek yoghurt with half a cup of fresh blueberries. This will have more protein and probiotics than the usual plain yoghurt and tastes great!
Post Work Out Tips
Post workout you really want to load up on carbs and proteins within 20 minutes to an hour after exercising. This will build up your energy reserves for the next day and rebuild any tissues damaged during your workout. Try not to wait too long though; otherwise you’ll miss the window. To avoid that prep your meal prior to going to the gym or doing your workout and take it with you; this way you are ready to eat within the window. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water once you’ve finished your workout to rehydrate yourself.
Post Work Out Meal Ideas
1. Black Bean Omelette – beat four egg whites with 28grams of low-fat cheese, half a cup of canned black beans and add in some salsa once it’s done cooking!
2. Mediterranean style chicken – Toss together 2 tablespoons of each of these: sundried tomatoes, crumbled feta and olives (all chopped) with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic pine nuts and balsamic vinegar. Rub the chicken breast with some olive oil, salt and pepper before cutting a slit into the thickest part of the breast and add the stuffing to each. Bake these beauties for 15 minutes at 230 degrees – why not serve them up with some mash and spinach?
3. Peanut Butter and Banana Shake: combine one medium sized banana with a table spoon of peanut butter and a cup of low-fat chocolate milk and some ice –now that’s a great way to treat yourself post workout.
Remember your diet is equally as important as your workouts. Remember to fuel up, recharge and allow yourself time to recover. Eating well, snaking healthy and excising regularly is the recipe to a healthier you.
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