Don’t forget that your body needs nourishment to continue functioning properly. Fueling (eating) before a workout is important. Everyone is different on their food tolerance going into a workout. Some people can’t eat for hours before, while others can stuff themselves and are good to go. Personally, I hate working out with a full belly. If you can’t eat much before a workout, be sure to have a gel, small bar, or some kind of energy blocks. This will help give you some much needed energy, but not make your stomach full. Pair this with water as being dehydrated is another serious problem.
On a different note, what you eat after a workout is even MORE important than your pre-workout food. Once you have depleted your system and broken down your muscles, it’s important to refuel as soon as possible. The easiest way to do this when you’re on the run, is a shake. What you should be eating post strength workout is protein and healthy fats. This is what will help your muscles recover and get stronger the most efficiently. A protein shake should have protein as well as carbohydrates in it, especially if you’ve done an endurance workout. The bottom line is this: Don’t starve your system after you’ve broken it down. It actually does matter what you eat post-workout. Don’t workout to “earn” donuts. Save the splurging for a different time. Post-workout give your body what it’s craving.
*note: I am a BIG fan of donuts, just not on a regular basis, and not post-workout:)
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