Fuel your Workouts –Pre, Post Workouts, and Protein Info & Game/Race Fuelling
When we workout and give so much of our energy to ourfitness and training we should be giving the same energy and thought into fuelingour workouts. I find that a lot of people don’t know what they should be eatingbefore their workouts or training session and likewise after it also and I myselfonly really getting it right as to what I should be eating pre and post workoutto gain the best benefits. As everyone has different goals for themselves whattype of food and how much of it will differ slightly. Unsure as to whether we shouldbe eating carbs or protein or how much and from what source. So I have givensome examples as to what benefits your workouts and wards off that hunger pangpost workout. Remember we need to eat food to get our bodies to look good, themore clean and regular you eat the better your metabolism is. You need to fuelthe machine before you start its engine.
Firstly let’s get this out of the way: How much protein do we require:
The RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of lean bodyweight (U.S.Food and Nutrition Board, 1980) for sedentary adults.(70kg man – 56g Proteinper day is the RDA. How was the amount come to: The RDA is only a rationed 0.8grams per kilogram? Well it seems they concluded that 0.36 grams per kilogramof lean bodyweight in protein is lost per day. With a safety margin in place,it has been bumped up to 0.45 grams per kilogram of lean bodyweight, and thenbumped up again to approximately 0.75 grams per kilogram. This is to replacethe amount which may be lost during digestion, as well as making up for a lackin quality of protein.
The general protein requirement for sedentary adults is justenough that if one follows this guideline they will supply themselves withenough amino acids to replace each day's loss without allowing for exercise andthe growth of muscle tissue therefore needing to fuel our bodies more withprotein while exercising and muscle building/repairing.
· For those looking to lose weight (body fat%) and general tone:
Pre workout:
A light protein snack mixed with a carbohydrate – this willgive you energy for your workout and also keep a supply/store of protein forwhen you are working those muscles (you don’t want muscle loss/just fat loss.
e.g. 2 rice cakeswith peanut butter and some veggie sticks
Half of asmall Protein Shake
Half of asmall wholegrain wrap with half of a banana and a teaspoon of peanut/almondbutter.
Some Almondsand natural yoghurt
Post Workout:
Light snack to curb your hunger until your get home for yourmain meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
E.g. some raw nuts / vegi juice / carrot sticks / homemadenatural mini granola square
· For those looking to build lean muscle –Hypertrophy
Pre Workout:
You are going to require some protein for your muscle build,and all depending on how big of a muscle build you are going for and what sizeyour body is, your protein requirements change. The recommendation for musclebuilding and strength training is 1.6 g - 2.2 g of protein per KG of bodyweight.Fueling: you want to have enough energy so that your body does not eat intoyour muscle supply and only eats into your Carb and Fat supply.
e.g. Protein and blended Banana shake made on 80% water, 20%skim milk
Small portion WholemealPasta/Tuna/Broccoli
Protein Pancakewith raisins and wholemeal flour
2 Egg whitesscrambled in half wrap
Post Workout:
This is the most crucial time for you time get protein intoyour body. The biggest absorption happens within 30 mins after your workout sohaving food/shake on hand to assist this and to ward off hunger until you haveyour main meal is ideal.
e.g. Low Carb/Whey Protein Shake made on 1% milk
ChickenBreast/Rice or Quinoa/Spinach & Broccoli
Turkey andspinach roll ups
3 x Scrambled eggwhites made with 1% milk and broccoli
· Sports Specific / Pre Game Nutrition
Fueling up before an important game or race is vitally importantto your performance and body. You don’t want your body to fail you half waythrough because you didn’t take in the correct nutrients for your peak performance.
Depending on the type of sport or race it is, the energy youwill be exerting and the distance you will be covering will ultimately affectthe amount of your intake. Carbohydrates will play a major role in this,fueling your body correctly and with nutrients and minerals such as Salts, Sugar,Iron, and in particular B Vitamins for energy metabolism as depleting these canall lead to poor performance. Protein of course for your muscle recovery. Youdon’t want your nutrition to be your downfall after months of training.
NOTE: (While the typicalathlete has about 80 to 120 mmol glycogen/kg muscle, a carbo-loaded athlete canhave about 200 mmol. This is enough to improve endurance by about two to threepercent)
Pre Game/Race(that will last longer than 90 minutes):
In the 2-3 days leading up to your game/race you shouldstart Carb loading your body, letting your body store up Glycogen. You shouldhalt any long last minute training sessions a few days before your race. Althoughremember: Drastic changes can easily leadto upset stomachs, diarrhea or constipation. For example, carbo-loading on anunusually high amount of fruits and juices might cause diarrhea. Too many whiteflour, low fiber bagels, breads and pasta might clog your system. Try noteat a huge amount of dense Carbs late the night before the race as this mayhinder your performance, try carb loading for one or two days before(trainless/ eat a little more carbs) and then the day before try get your largercarbs in at breakfast and lunch.
Day of the race: lay off the heavy carbs, eat regular, proteinand nutrient meal for breakfast and fuel throughout the race.
E.g. Wholemeal Pasta/Brown Rice/Quinoa/Oatmeal/Fruits
Pre Game/Race(last under 90 minutes)
The correct of balance of Carbs, Protein and Nutrients arejust as important but you do not need to carb load as much as the above. If yousufficiently carb load for a day before you game/race and lay off training theday before; morning off, fuel up with carb rich/protein and nutrient rich mealyou should be storing a sufficient amount of Glycogen to fuel you for yourgame. Make sure you refuel and rehydrate throughout to keep optimum enduranceand power (Water and Isotonic drinks to prevent muscle fatigue)
E.g. Wholemeal Pasta/Brown Rice/Quinoa/Oatmeal/Fruits
Post Game/Race(FOR BOTH)
You want to refuel your body back with Glycogen, Mineralsand Nutrients that you will have lots and also your protein for muscle recovery.
Protein & Energy Bars
Protein Shake & Vegi Juice
Chicken/Tuna/Egg Wrap with vegi’s
Wholemeal/Chicken and Vegi Pasta Bake & fruit.
ANDREMEMBER at all times to continually REHYDRATE - WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Emma any tips on protein shakes without using the likes of whey powder protein? Is it possible to use any organic natural alternative and achieve same outcome?
ReplyDeleteHey Tony,
DeleteYes there are defintaly alternative's for sure :).
It depends on whether you still want to use protein shakes but organic shakes, in that case, there are some comapnies that produce organic whey protein shakes (now the thing is with protein shakes is that there will always be some form of chemicals put into them even if they are organic as they are a man made product but it does mean that the whey(milk) comes from grass fed animals that are regualted organic animals. Here are some links for sites that you can purchase them on: http://www.nationalnutrition.ca/detail.aspx?ID=3663 , http://www.nationalnutrition.ca/detail.aspx?ID=4219, http://www.nationalnutrition.ca/detail.aspx?ID=2440 , The only thing is aswell with some not most but sine of these you may need to take in two scoops to the same amount of protein as one scoop of regualar whey supplement.
There is also Soy Protein shakes which are made for vegetarian's and made from Soy beans and egg white protein shakes made from dehydrated egg whites.
On the other hand if you are looking to gain the same benefit without taking a protein supplement you can do it by diet, it just will take quite alot of eating and being totally vigilant on when and what you eat. You will need to be taking in 1.6g - 2.2 g of food protein per KG of body weight, also depending on the muscle building you are doing (if higher end 2.2g) or if you have already reached the build you want and you are maintaining. (1.8 - 2 g). Your timing for eating will be crucial aswell, as it takes a little longer and little more time to prepare and eat the food but it is totally possible to do it by food if you did not want to take shakes.
So a few options there to whey protein, has this helped?