After training, a brutal appetite wakes up. This is normal: the body demands to replace what it just spent - energy. To restore it, you need calories, that is, food. In order not to negate the results of intense exercise, it is necessary to organize proper nutrition: specifically determine what you can eat after training.
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Why you need to eat after a workout
The best time to eat after a workout is the first 20-40 minutes, so it’s good to prepare food in advance so as not to miss this wonderful period. Why wonderful? Here's why. Immediately after training, the so-called anabolic window (or carbohydrate-protein window) opens in the body for the most beneficial consumption of proteins and carbohydrates (not fats!). The absorption of these nutrients occurs in these minutes 3-4 times faster than usual. This is due to the powerful energy consumption during physical activity. This ability persists for those 20–40 minutes, which are commonly called the anabolic window. Everything you eat during this period of time will be purposefully used to restore muscles, and not a single calorie of what you eat will go to fat. This is extremely important.
Another reason for the advisability of eating food immediately after training is that intense physical activity provokes a kind of stress in the body and an increased release of hormones (the most famous of which are adrenaline and cortisol).
Hormones rearrange metabolism so that stress does not cause excessive damage to the structure of the body and energy (they take care), they transform the biochemistry of the body into a different way, in which a person receives a special mood, feels sports excitement and a surge of strength. If you don't eat after training, i.e. If you don’t give the hormones a signal that everything is over, everything is fine, then their effect will continue for a long time after exercise. And this is fraught with the fact that the body will continue to retain everything possible and spend the savings very reluctantly, including fats.
Carbohydrate window
Their biochemical antagonist, insulin, can neutralize the effect of stress hormones. It is able to transfer metabolism from a state of alarm to a mode of calm recovery. With the help of insulin, the process of replenishing the body's energy resources spent during training and restoring muscle proteins begins. A well-known and completely natural way to increase insulin levels in the body is by eating carbohydrate foods.
Nutritionists advise consuming carbohydrates after workouts in liquid form, from elemental sources that have a high glycemic index. In this case, there will be a sharp jump in insulin levels, which have anabolic and anti-catabolic qualities. Simply put, drink grape and cranberry juice after exercise because they are known for their high glucose to fructose ratio.
Calculate the amount of juice you need according to this scheme: 1 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of ideal weight. For reference: a glass of grape juice contains 38 grams of carbohydrates, cranberry juice – 31 grams
It is also recommended to eat fruits and any carbohydrate foods that do not contain fat:
- Boiled potatoes
- boiled rice
- boiled or steamed vegetables
- pasta
- sugar
- jam
- marmalade, etc.
It is clear that portions must be reasonable. Consumption of these products will lead to additional release of insulin, which will normalize metabolism in this case and replenish the energy spent during training.
Protein window
Bodybuilders and bodybuilders consider the best option after training to be consuming protein shakes made from ready-made protein powders (sold in pharmacies and sports nutrition stores). Owners and builders of beautiful, sculpted bodies are convinced that drinking a cocktail after an intense workout increases protein synthesis in muscles by 3 times (compared to fasting). So you can take a bottle of powder and juice cocktail with you if you are not working out at home, and drink it immediately after finishing your workout.
The amount of protein powder per 1 kg of ideal weight is 0.55 grams. If for some reason you cannot drink protein shakes, use egg whites
If you do not want to take powdered shakes, eat any protein food, having previously calculated the amount you need. The simplest scheme is this: the portion should fit into your palm. Since nutrition after training has one important goal - to restore muscles as efficiently and quickly as possible and ensure an increase in pure muscle mass (instead of flabby), protein foods should not contain fat. Not a single gram. Fat will delay the flow of proteins and carbohydrates from the stomach into the blood.
Hello girls!
I started training on Thursday and was puzzled about the nutrition before and after.
I found an article, if anyone is interested, please come in.
I’m also very interested in the advice of seasoned veterans, help!
Pre-workout nutrition. Nutrition during training. Post-workout nutrition
For whatever reasons you decide to take up fitness, one thing is certain: it is impossible to achieve results only by following a training schedule and following the instructions of the instructor. If you are determined and take issues of health and beauty seriously, then you are probably thinking about proper nutrition, which can be a good help in getting into ideal shape. How to eat before and after training? What can you eat and what can you not? And is it even possible to eat if you intend to lose weight?
In any business, and especially in the matter of your health and well-being, it is important to respect the boundaries of reason. Don’t go from one extreme to another: if today you don’t eat anything, and tomorrow you overeat to your heart’s content, then there will be no benefit from such a “diet”. But on training days, the issue of nutrition should be approached with even greater responsibility.
Before training
You should eat food before training no later than 2 hours before it starts. This is a matter of safety and comfort of training. In this case, you can allow yourself food that is rich in carbohydrates and does not contain fat, since fats slow down digestion and can cause colic and nausea during exercise. Carbohydrates, on the contrary, charge muscles with the energy necessary to perform exercises. As for proteins, they are also useful before training, since protein is a source of amino acids for working muscles. Before training, it is best to combine the consumption of veal, poultry or egg white omelet with rice, oatmeal or potatoes.
Immediately before training, you should not eat a large amount of food - you will not achieve results if your stomach is full. Physical activity is known to slow down and even stop digestion, so go on an empty stomach. If you cannot tolerate the feeling of hunger, then you are allowed to eat a little - no more than 250 kcal. This is approximately the amount of calories you would get from eating 4 slices of whole grain bread, ¼ cup of whole grain cereal with ½ cup of skim milk and 1 piece of fresh fruit. If you are forced to take a long break from eating before training, you can also drink a protein shake 20 minutes before training that does not involve extreme intensity, significant straining, or standing upside down.
To increase the intensity of your workout, burn more fat and stay tired longer, drink a glass of strong green tea or coffee 30 minutes before your workout.
During training
During strength training, you must drink non-carbonated mineral water - at least 500 ml per hour. Drink little by little throughout the session, taking small sips. Do not focus on the feeling of thirst; for many people it is dulled, and during intense exercise it decreases in absolutely everyone. Replenish your water supply immediately if you notice that your lips are dry or cracked, your mouth is dry, you feel dizzy, you lose your appetite, or you begin to feel tired or irritable.
In addition to water, you can drink special nutritious sports drinks and freshly squeezed fruit juices during training. It is very good to drink freshly squeezed orange juice, diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.
When visiting aerobic classes, it is better to drink liquid after training - at least 200 ml of water.
After training
Eating after a workout also depends on whether the training was strength training or aerobic exercise. After aerobic training aimed at fat burning, it makes sense to refrain from eating for 1-1.5 hours. After strength training, eating, on the contrary, is mandatory - it is advisable to eat after 20 minutes. Moreover, if the body does not receive nutrients within 20 minutes after a workout, it can be considered practically useless. You will burn some fat, but your muscles will not gain any strength or size. The reason is simple: in the first 20 minutes after training, the so-called “anabolic window” opens in the body for the consumption of proteins and carbohydrates. Therefore, everything that is eaten within twenty minutes after exercise will go towards muscle recovery and growth. This is very important because you can be sure that not a single calorie from your food will go to fat.
After training, you need to consume proteins and carbohydrates and avoid consuming fats (the exception is fatty, unfried fish, which can and should be eaten more often). The best source of carbohydrates at this time is considered to be cranberry or grape juice. A glass of grape juice contains 38 g of carbohydrates (155 kcal), a glass of cranberry juice contains 31 g of carbohydrates (115 kcal). Please note that the dose of juice consumption should be such that 1 g of juice carbohydrates per 1 kg of ideal weight. Also good sources of carbohydrates are rice, potatoes, pasta and sugar, vegetables and fruits. The protein supply can be restored with any protein food (veal, chicken breast, egg whites) or a powdered protein drink. The latter option is especially suitable for you if you train outside of your home, since a bottle of protein shake can be easily taken with you to a fitness club or outdoors if you work out outside.
Avoid any caffeine-containing foods for two hours after your workout, as they will inhibit the processing of proteins and carbohydrates. You will have to be patient a little before eating your favorite chocolate bar or drinking a cup of strong coffee. Keep this in mind if you work out in the morning - it’s better to drink coffee before training, it will invigorate you and give you more energy.
Train and eat wisely! Remember that proper nutrition will help you get the most out of any workout. By following these simple tips, you can achieve the desired results much faster and with less physical effort, since now not a single workout will be unproductive and, as a result, in vain.
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During any workout, a large amount of fluid leaves the body. The more intense the workout, the more fluid will be lost. It is impossible to stop its loss, but it is necessary to compensate. Therefore, it is important to know how much fluid you need to drink during physical activity and which post-workout juice will be most beneficial.
In these questions, it is important to focus on the characteristics of the body, the type of physical activity and the purpose of the training. To avoid dehydration, lost fluid must always be replenished, otherwise dizziness, nausea and other not very pleasant consequences will occur. You need to drink until the feeling of thirst passes. For some, it is enough to take 2-3 sips, while others need much more. There is no need to limit yourself here. It is most beneficial to drink 30 minutes before physical activity and immediately after it.
The Best Post-Workout Juices
During training, it is recommended to drink hypotonic juices, which contain no more than 5% of the nutrient. To class you need to take a half-liter bottle of regular water with you and add 25 ml of concentrated juice to it. You need to drink throughout your workout. If you drink before exercise, you can get a good boost of energy due to the carbohydrates contained in the mixture.
The best juice for athletes is from apricot or grape. It has a positive effect on the heart, allowing it to withstand stress. The benefits of apple juice include stimulation of the respiratory system due to the large amount of iron. Vegetable juices (from tomatoes or carrots) contain many trace elements and vitamins, so they are no less beneficial for the body.
- For avid athletes, a hypotonic drink that is drunk during training is suitable.
- An isotonic drink should be drunk immediately after training.
- A hypertonic drink helps restore the body, but it must be washed down with plain water to compensate for fluid loss.
These mixtures are easy to prepare at home.
Hypotonic drink
To prepare a hypotonic drink, you need to dilute 120 milliliters of orange juice with a small amount of water, then add a pinch of salt to the resulting mixture and add a liter of water. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate.
Isotonic mixture
An isotonic drink is even easier to prepare. To do this, add 50 grams of sugar and a little salt to a liter of water. Sugar can be replaced with glucose.
After a workout, the body needs two things: protein and carbohydrates, and eggs have both. They are low in calories, only 70 kcal per piece, high in protein and natural vitamin D, which strengthens bones. By the way, there is a myth that raw eggs are much healthier than cooked ones. This is not true: in fact, the body absorbs twice as much protein from cooked eggs.
QUINOA
Even brown rice can't compare to quinoa in terms of vitamins, nutrients, protein and fiber. Moreover, the vegetable protein contained in this cereal has a special balance of amino acid composition. Thanks to him, quinoa is indicated for both athletes and those who experience great mental stress. And this cereal cooks quickly - only 10-15 minutes.
ORANGE JUICE
Orange juice is called a natural energy drink. It contains vitamin C and potassium, which helps develop muscles, including the heart. Potassium regulates blood pressure and improves oxygen flow to the brain. The result is an instant restoration of energy. For greater workout benefits, mix orange juice with a protein shake and drink during exercise.
KEFIR
One cup of kefir contains 11-13 grams of whey protein. This is a protein concentrate that is obtained after the curdling process. Whey protein helps you quickly build muscle mass and burn fat. Therefore, a mix of kefir, fresh berries and cereals after training helps to quickly achieve the desired shape.
BANANAS
Bananas are a storehouse of healthy carbohydrates. These substances instantly increase glycogen levels in the body and restore muscles damaged during training.
SALMON
Salmon can provide a large portion of protein and omega-3 acids. The latter are responsible for the tone of blood vessels, normalize blood pressure, cleanse the body of harmful substances and reanimate muscles.
BLUEBERRY
Blueberries speed up the body's recovery three times after intense training. It also consists exclusively of dietary substances - proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, so it fits perfectly into the diet of those who want to lose weight.
WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR PITA WITH HUMMUS
This vegetarian dish comes together in just a minute. Hummus is made from chickpeas, which are peas rich in protein and carbohydrates. In turn, pita is a source of slow carbohydrates. This snack is best taken after strength training: muscles will grow faster and energy will be fully restored.
DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS
Don't have time to cook something? Two handfuls of dried fruits and nuts will give you a quick boost of energy. Soy nuts are especially useful for gaining weight: they contain a huge amount of protein - 34 grams per half cup of the product. Therefore, if your goal is sculpted muscles, feel free to introduce soy nuts into your diet.
PINEAPPLES
The main advantage of this fruit is the substance bromelain. This is an anti-inflammatory enzyme that accelerates muscle recovery after injury and damage, heals bruises and sprains. Vitamin C, which is found in abundance in pineapples, will also speed up the recovery of the body and give energy.
SWEET POTATO
Sweet potatoes are especially loved by bodybuilders because they are made entirely of complex carbohydrates that nourish muscles. It has been shown to relieve muscle pain and spasms after strength training. In addition, it contains vitamins B6, C, D, magnesium and calcium.
KIWI
Do not peel the skin from the kiwi - this is the healthiest part of the fruit. It contains the most vitamin C and antioxidants, which help reduce muscle pain.
WATER
Impaired water balance in the body due to training remains among the top most common problems. To avoid experiencing a loss of energy, drink 2-3 glasses of water during exercise.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BODY WITHOUT NUTRITION!
Many girls do not eat after training, thinking that this will make the training more effective. And in vain. The body loses a lot of energy, which needs to be replenished within an hour or two after finishing training. If your muscles can't recover, all the hard work you've done will be for nothing. To make matters worse, not eating can be detrimental to your health.
As you know, within 40 minutes after fitness you need to take protein foods along with carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits. Fitness girls are concerned about the question: is it possible to replace the carbohydrate part with juices, because you are usually very thirsty? Why not?! Usually in this case they drink a smoothie with whipped kefir/cottage cheese or a protein shake, enriching it with juice. We can do the same or simply drink the juice along with any easily digestible protein (for example, cottage cheese, boiled chicken). But here it is important to follow certain rules.
How to Juice After a Workout
- It is better not to buy juices, but to prepare them yourself from fruits or vegetables.
- Vegetables must be fresh (not from stocks stored in the basement or warehouse). But you can take them frozen (they retain maximum nutrients). If this is not possible, choose fruit.
- The juice is not drunk separately by itself. First of all, the body needs protein, and the fiber, vitamins and minerals from juices improve its absorption and help the body recover.
- You can mix several types of fruits, vegetables or berries for better taste and greater benefits.
- Try to drink juices through a straw (due to the presence of acids in their composition, the enamel may deteriorate).
The big advantage of drinking juices is that they are absorbed faster than vegetables and fruits themselves, and you can also combine different types in one glass.
The Healthiest Post-Workout Juices
Grape
- increases the activity of the body,
- promotes weight loss, used in dietetics,
— it contains a lot of sugar, which quickly replenishes the body’s glycogen depots,
– destroys free radicals after active fitness,
- reduces pain in the joints,
- good for heart function.
Carrot:
– increases strength and energy
- promotes muscle recovery,
- removes toxins,
- increases the body's defenses,
- speeds up metabolism.
Pineapple:
- helps with the rapid absorption of proteins,
— contains the fat burner bromelain,
– fights free radicals, which are actively produced after training,
- removes excess fluid,
- somewhat reduces appetite caused by active training.
Cranberry:
- not only contains a lot of vitamin C, which is necessary for restoring the body after training, but also substances that help this vitamin to be better absorbed,
- kills a large number of harmful microorganisms,
– increases the adaptive capabilities of the whole body in relation to physical activity,
- reduces stress levels and relieves fatigue,
— effectively destroys free radicals, promotes rejuvenation and renewal of the body.
But cranberry juice must be drunk diluted with water, or with honey to enhance its beneficial properties.
Apple:
- improves lung condition,
- quickly recovers after fitness,
- improves digestion,
- promotes cell renewal,
- Helps the functioning of the heart.
