When spring arrives, people start to feel sporty again. Especially after those long winter months, many people want to get fitter, lose weight or build muscle. But exercise alone is not enough if you want to achieve your personal training goals effectively and healthily. The right (sports) nutrition is crucial. We present some pre- and post-workout snacks that will help you improve your performance during exercise and speed up muscle recovery.
Effective training: These pre- and post-workout snacks will help you.
First of all, timing is everything. You should generally not eat huge meals immediately before exercising. It’s not so easy to train on a full stomach. The body first needs rest to digest the food it has eaten. So after your last big meal, wait at least two or even three hours before you start strenuous exercise.
But you should definitely not miss out on a small pre-workout snack shortly before your workout begins, as it ensures more effective performance. For this we recommend easily digestible carbohydrates that are not heavy on the stomach and provide energy, such as a banana, homemade granola bars, dates with a little peanut butter or a delicious smoothie made from pear, cucumber and spinach. This way you can prevent a drop in performance during your workout and start your training with maximum energy!
If you also need a perk-up, coffee or a small cup of espresso will help. The caffeine it contains activates the nervous system and gives you more stamina.
Caution: Individual tolerance must be taken into account here. Caution is advised when consuming energy drinks and tablets that contain caffeine.
This is what you should eat after training.
Even after a sweaty workout, a good post-workout snack is important to speed up muscle regeneration. Within the first hour after your workout, protein-rich foods are ideal to help your stressed muscle fibres recover.
Complete your workout routine with a healthy diet. We recommend a combination meal of complex carbohydrates and good protein sources. How about a delicious baked potato with quark, a green protein-rich smoothie, home-made protein bread with cottage cheese or salmon on green vegetables? Alternatively, prepare a delicious bowl of leftover vegetables. That will get you the valuable nutrients you need.
Here are the most important foods that provide you with high-quality, natural proteins:
- Meat (poultry or beef)
- Fish (tuna, salmon)
- Eggs
- Dairy products (low-fat curd, cottage cheese)
- Legumes (white beans, peas)
- Soy products (e.g. tofu)
If you wait more than two or three hours to eat after training, you risk undersupplying your muscles. The body’s energy stores should be replenished within an hour after exercise.
When you’re in a hurry.
If you want to consume proteins quickly and easily, you can occasionally use a ready-made protein bar or shake. Make sure the list of ingredients is short and understandable – with no artificial additives or sugar. When it comes to protein powder, you should also make sure that it contains high-quality protein, such as whey protein. For those who follow a plant-based diet, there are now numerous vegan protein powder alternatives that are free from animal ingredients – e.g. soy or peas.
Stay hydrated.
In addition to eating, make sure you drink enough before, during and after training. An adult loses around 2.5 litres of water a day (e.g. through urine, breath or skin), so the fluid loss during exercise is correspondingly high, which can become apparent through symptoms such as tiredness, lethargy and headaches. As a healthy adult, you should therefore drink at least 2.5 to 3 litres per day.
Find your recipe.
In conclusion, not every one of these pre- or post-workout snacks is tailored to your personal training goals – after all, you need very different portions for building muscle than for a healthy diet. The primary goal here is to give your body the fuel it needs with the right foods and timing so you can achieve your personal training goals and accelerate muscle regeneration.
Which snack is your favourite? Or do you have other snack favourites you would like to share with us? Please tag us under your favourite recipe with Experience Fresh DE or use the hashtag #panasonicfresh.
