Leveraging Nutrition to Boost Training Gains

Optimizing nutrition for workouts and performance is a universal concept among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. To enhance your performance, support muscle mass, and boost your energy levels, it's crucial to fuel your body with the right nutrients at the right time. However, it's essential to keep in mind that your overall food intake should focus on supporting your overall health, while individual needs may vary depending on various factors such as exercise intensity, duration, age, health status, and lifestyle. It is crucial to consume enough around your training sessions and throughout the day to support muscle growth and repair. The amount of fat, protein, and carbohydrates that you should consume does vary based on individual needs. Still, it is generally recommended to consume whole foods that are rich in various micronutrients and chew them thoroughly, ensuring they are combined like a well-rounded meal is a great way to not over complicate it.

When it comes to pre-workout nutrition, it is essential to focus on carbohydrates to fuel your body and brain, along with healthy fats and protein to stabilize energy, muscle support, and mental drive. A complete meal consisting of proteins, fats, and carbs should be consumed 30-45 minutes before training to allow enough time for digestion. There is of course a ton of individuality on how we “feel” with eating certain foods in your GI tract which should be noted and eating a meal 1-3 hours before exercise will generally cover your needs for a session. However, if you prefer a smaller meal or snack, consuming it right before training can still be beneficial.

Recovering from a workout or competition is vital for an athlete's overall performance. Consuming a post-workout meal or snack within 45-60 minutes after training is essential to help the body recover, return to a restful state and support beneficial recovery mechanisms. Additionally, the post-workout meal should focus on replenishing energy stores with carbohydrates and supporting muscle repair and growth with protein. Adequate consumption of the right nutrients can help blunt the effects of stress hormones such as catecholamines and cortisol, which is elevated for good reason with exercise but needs to be in check after exercise, ultimately improving performance, recovery, and reducing the risk of injury. 

Below are some examples of pre and post workout meals for more ideas see more of our recipes the website Nutrition-4-op.com/recipes

Pre-Workout Meal:

Option 1: Peanut Butter Banana Toast

  • 2 slices of whole grain bread

  • 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

  • 1 small banana

Option 2: PB & J Yogurt Bowl

  • 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt

  • 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

  • 1/4 cup of jam

  • 1 small apple, chopped

Post-Workout Meal: Primarily focusing on proteins and carbs with fats being more of a preference at intake post exercise. 

Option 1: Grilled Salmon Salad

  • 4 oz salmon fillet

  • 2 cups mixed greens (60g)

  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (93g)

  • 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (45g), such as cherry tomatoes and cucumber

  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds

  • 1 medium orange, peeled and segmented

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Option 2: Vegan Buddha Bowl

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa (185g)

  • 1 cup mixed vegetables (91g), such as sweet potato, broccoli, and bell peppers

  • 1/2 cup chickpeas (82g)

  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds

  • 1/4 avocado, sliced

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • Salt and pepper to taste

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