In this article, Pre and Post-Workout Nutrition, we will take a close look at an effective nutritional and supplement approach that will encompass the hours surrounding your workout. If you want optimal results, this is an article you need to read! Without further delay, let’s get started!
The Pre-Workout Meal
One of the most important keys to a good workout is the meal (or meals) you have in the hours leading up to your session. This really begins the day before. Starting late-afternoon – early evening, you will want to begin consuming complex carbs and protein. This ensures you will have stored glycogen for energy the next day, and will ensure you maintain a positive protein balance.
Now, to be clear, I’m talking about small feedings. Going into your training day, make sure you consume several small meals in the hours before your workout, with the last meal eaten about 2 ½ hours before you hit the gym.
Pre and Post-Workout Nutrition: Protein Foods
As mentioned, consuming protein in the hours before training keeps your body in a positive protein (or, anabolic) state. With that said, the best protein foods to eat during this time include chicken breast, lean ground beef, egg whites, Greek yogurt, and protein powder. Go with the meat and poultry the day before, and eat egg whites and/or Greek yogurt in the meals before your workout. Use protein powder for convenience wherever it’s needed. (1)
Pre and Post-Workout Nutrition: Carbohydrates
We know that carbs are the source of energy (as ATP) your muscles need for your workouts. You should consume medium-slow burning carbs the day before, and fast burning carbs on your training day. I advocate that 50% of your total carbs for the day should be consumed in the hours around your workout, with most of your simple carbs consumed within this timeframe. This is especially true if you follow a low-carb diet. (2)
Food Sources
Your food sources should come from whole grains, brown rice and oats the day before, and white potatoes, white rice, and yams on training day. Your morning meals could also include rice cakes, which absorb quickly.
Pre and Post-Workout Nutrition: Fats
As far as fats, they tend to occur naturally in the foods you eat. Make sure you read labels and keep trans fat and saturated fat as low as possible (think single-digit to zero grams for any serving of food). One good reason to keep fat low in your pre and post-workout meals is because fat digests slowly. There is nothing worse than a meal sitting on your stomach when it’s time to take your pre-workout.
Pre-Workout Meal Timing
As noted, the best time to consume your last (or only, depending on your schedule) pre-workout meal is 2 1/2 hours before your workout. If this is your only meal, and you have time, you can go 3 hours, but I would not go any more than that. You don’t want to walk into your workout with your stomach growling from hunger.
If you’re pressed for time, you have a couple of options. Try one of our Meal Replacement Powders, which gives you a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat, along with micronutrients. Or, go with a whey protein such as Hi-Tech Precision Protein. Mix it up in a blender and add fruit to it, and you’ve got a great shake!
Pre-Workout Supplementation
It’s safe to say that a lot of lifters do not really understand what a pre-workout supplement is. Some of these people are the ones that claim all you need is a cup of coffee. Well, no one loves coffee more than me, but it is not the answer for a great pre-workout experience. Your objective is to choose a good brand with a balanced formula consisting of effective ingredients that are generously dosed and clearly labeled. Buyer beware, there are a lot of underdosed prop blend-based pre’s out there, avoid them at all costs.
Here’s What A Good Pre-Workout Can Do For You:
- Increases Energy
- Elevates Focus
- Improves Endurance
- Supports Strength
- Promotes Huge Pumps
- Improves Performance
The Best Pre-Workouts Also:
- Increase Motivation
- Promote The Mind-Muscle Connection
I’d say that’s a little more than you’ll get from a cup of coffee. With that said, here are some great pre-workout formulas:
Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode
This is one of the very best pre-workouts on the market. This pre came out of nowhere and completely changed the game.
Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode Stim-Free
This is a stimulant-free version of Gorilla Mode for anyone that has a hard time with caffeine or other stimulants.
Alpha Supps Pre
At the time I wrote this, prices were high across the board, including supplements. In response to this, many companies have come out with streamlined pre-workouts (often called “Core” or “Basic”) that are budget priced. I think it’s a great idea, and Alpha Supps Pre is a great choice.
Here’s A Look At Some Of The Best Pre-Workout Ingredients
Caffeine
I think it’s safe to say that most people know what caffeine is and what it does. When you’re talking about pre-workouts, many lifters assume they contain caffeine. And, the uninformed think that’s all a pre-workout is. Of course, there are stim-free options, and there are extreme multi-stimulant options. But energy in the gym is a big deal, and to that end, you can find pre-workouts with varying amounts of caffeine. You can also find multiple sources of caffeine, such as:
Caffeine Anhydrous
This is caffeine with all the moisture removed. This results in a concentrated powder.
Infinergy Dicaffeine Malate
Here’s a trademarked blend consisting of 75% caffeine and 25% malic acid. The caffeine absorbs more slowly, reducing jitters and any “crash” effect. Some pre-workouts combine quick and slower digesting caffeine sources to provider a smoother experience.
Green Tea
This is a natural form of caffeine that also contains the potent antioxidant EGCG.
Guarana
Here’s one that originates in Brazil and is a natural source of caffeine.
Betaine
This impressive ingredient is an osmolyte, which means it helps pull water into the muscle cells. The ingredients creatine, glycerol, and taurine are also osmolytes. You should look for these compounds if you want a great pump. Betaine works similarly to creatine. Betaine, like creatine, is also thought to help improve strength and power. It’s thought that these two compounds work extremely well together. (3)
Glycerol
While this is not in too many pre-workouts, I feel it should be. I have not been this impressed with an ingredient since creatine hit the market back in the early 90’s. This is a very effective cell volumizer (water-based pumps) and hyper-hydrator. Also, I have found it significantly extends endurance. I suggest Raw Nutrition Pump2, which supplies 6g of glycerol. Mix it in with your pre-workout and get ready!
Creatine
Not everybody includes creatine in their pre-workouts, but it is important, and should really be in there. First, creatine is the original cell volumizer. It pulls water into the muscles for insane water-based pumps. Secondly, creatine supports increased strength. Finally, it occurs naturally in the body as phosphocreatine, which is used to make ATP. By taking supplemental creatine, you optimize this process. There are more benefits, but these are the two that will help optimize your workouts. (4)
Citrulline
Citrulline promotes the production of nitric oxide which stimulates the pump. It’s an amino acid that converts into arginine once it’s in the body. The advantage of citrulline over regular arginine is that it absorbs better than arginine. This means it beats arginine at its own game. Citrulline is considered to be one of the most effective nitric oxide boosters available.
Some products use citrulline malate, a complex of citrulline and malic acid. Since malic acid is involved in ATP production, this complex supports training endurance. While that’s great, that’s not the reason you’re taking citrulline, so I advocate buying a pre-workout that contains pure citrulline. (5, 6)
Alpha GPC
This ingredient is 40% choline by weight. Alpha GPC is a premium form of choline because of its enhanced absorption. Choline is known to enhance focus. Additionally, it promotes the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which enhances learning and memory. (7)
I just scratched the surface with this list. There are many more effective ingredients you will find in pre-workouts. Now, it’s time to look at post-workout nutrition.
Post-Workout
Your post-workout goal is threefold. First, to consume enough macronutrients to restore glycogen used for muscular energy. Second, repair broken-down muscle tissue. Third, to stimulate protein synthesis. This will be accomplished with a post-workout shake followed by a meal a couple hours later.
Replenish Glycogen
It should be understood that there are two types of workout energy, the central nervous system energy you get from caffeine and stimulants, and the cellular energy you get from glycogen. When you go through a workout, muscle contractions use glycogen to provide energy in the form of ATP. As your muscles use glycogen, stores are depleted. The amount used is based on how hard and how long you train. Research indicates that as much as 40 percent of total glycogen stores might be depleted in a one workout. Restoring glycogen post-workout ensures you will have enough for your next workout. (7)
The Post-Workout Shake
Of course, the best way to replenish glycogen stores is by consuming a post-workout shake within 15 minutes of your workout. This shake should consist of fast-digesting whey protein and simple carbs, such as a banana and/or other fruit. This gives you an insulin spike right at the time you need it.
Why Is Insulin Important?
Insulin is one of the body’s primary anabolic hormones. It regulates blood sugar by transporting nutrients to your muscles. Insulin spikes during any other time of the day occur because you’re consuming too many sugary carbs. This can lead to unwanted fat storage. However, an insulin spike post-workout kick-starts recovery and, ultimately, gains.
Repair Muscle Tissue
When you train hard, you cause micro trauma to your muscles. This causes muscle soreness over the next several days after a workout. Gains happen when the body repairs this micro trauma.
Protein Synthesis
For me, the most important thing post-workout is stimulating protein synthesis. This happens when the signaling protein mTOR signals protein synthesis to take place. mTOR is activated by several factors, such as amino acids (primarily leucine), insulin, and exercise. (8)
For these reasons, as noted, you’ll want to consume a post-workout shake consisting of a quality protein powder and a carb powder or fruit. You can even add in Greek yogurt. I recommend Hi-Tech Precision Protein because it enhances protein synthesis. If you prefer a carbohydrate powder, I recommend EFX Sports Karbolyn. While you’re shopping illpumpyouup.com, check out all our deals! We have something for everybody!
Countering Current Trends
A point I want to make here concerns the current trend advocated by some “experts” – skipping the post-workout shake. Instead, they will tell you it doesn’t matter when you consume your protein and carbs, and you can wait 2-3 hours if you want. If you’re like me and many others, you’re tired, hungry, and maybe a little shaky after you train. Why wait to get in some much-needed calories? Take in your macros right away, you’ll feel the difference.
The Post-Workout Meal
Ok, so about 2 hours after you’ve had your shake, you’re no doubt getting pretty hungry. At this time, sit down to a high-quality meal consisting of lean protein and complex carbohydrates. For example, the classic chicken and brown rice works well. Or if you’re like me, a lean burger (no bun if you’re watching bodyfat) and sweet potatoes. Whatever combination works for you, enjoy it.
Summary
In this article, I have attempted to give you a complete picture of pre and post-workout nutrition. Zeroing in on your nutrition and supplementation in the hours around your workout will promote optimal recovery and accelerate gains. That sounds like a great game plan to me!
References:
- Tipton, K. D., Elliott, T. A., Cree, M. G., Aarsland, A. A., Sanford, A. P., & Wolfe, R. R. (2007). Stimulation of net muscle protein synthesis by whey protein ingestion before and after exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 292(1), E71-E76.
- Nutrient Timing: What to Eat Before and After a Workout – NASM
- https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/80/3/539/4690529
- Feldman, E. B. (1999). Creatine: a dietary supplement and ergogenic aid. Nutrition Reviews, 57(2), 45-50.
- Figueroa, A., Wong, A., Jaime, S. J., & Gonzales, J. U. (2017, January). Influence of L-citrulline and watermelon supplementation on vascular function and exercise performance. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27749691
- https://examine.com/supplements/citrulline/
- https://examine.com/supplements/alpha-gpc/
- Robergs, R. A., Pearson, D. R., Costill, D. L., Fink, W. J., Pascoe, D. D., Benedict, M. A., & Zachweija, J. J. (1991). Muscle glycogenolysis during differing intensities of weight-resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 70(4), 1700-1706.
- Wang, X., & Proud, C. G. (2006). The mTOR pathway in the control of protein synthesis. Physiology, 21(5), 362-369.