Struggling for Pre and Post Workout Meals? Here's what you should be eating.

In the ever-evolving world of fitness, the importance of proper nutrition has taken center stage. Knowing what to eat, when to eat it and why we’re eating it is imperative to understand to give us the best results possible! While protein is undoubtedly a crucial component of any workout regimen, it's now understood that a post-workout shake alone isn't necessarily the most effective strategy. To truly maximize your gains and support your body's needs, a holistic approach to pre and post workout meals is essential.

In this blog, we're diving deep into the realm of pre and post workout nutrition, debunking the notion that protein alone is sufficient. We'll explore the science behind fueling your body optimally, and provide you with a comprehensive guide on what you should be eating to enhance your workouts and promote recovery. Whether you're a seasoned fitness enthusiast or just embarking on your fitness journey, these insights will empower you to make informed dietary choices that align with your goals. 

Pre-Workout Nutrition:

This blog isn’t designed to give you an exact food or meal plan to follow for your pre and post workout nutrition. We’re only here to give you a slight guideline of what it should be made of for the best results! When we talk about pre-workout meals, we aren’t talking about the drink you dry-scoop to get cracked out of your mind! We’re talking about a meal that you’d have to properly fuel your workout ahead! In this meal, we’re aiming for a carb source that isn’t going to sit in your stomach and make you feel sick during your workout. Super carb heavy meals aren’t going to be the best as it can certainly make your stomach upset.. Especially if it’s leg day. 

As with everything, personal preference and tolerance needs to be taken into consideration. A few examples of pre-workout meals ingested anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours can be a simple chicken and rice, oats and protein, cream of rice and protein or cereal and protein. You can see the common theme of a carb source and some protein in there as well! It’s always best to test yourself and see what makes you feel best in the gym! A source of protein + carb that we have is the EQ Mass Gainer Juice. The reason why this can be helpful is due to the protein total of 30g as well as 100g of carbs! You could even half the serving if you choose to do so! 

Post-workout Nutrition: 

Post Workout nutrition has very much innovated within the last couple of years. In the old school days of bodybuilding, it was seen that you NEEDED to have a protein shake after training due to something called the anabolic window. The anabolic window referred to a specific time after training where protein needed to be consumed or else your muscles would basically deteriorate… I may be exaggerating but it was very important to get that protein shake in after training. Due to new science, it has been shown that the anabolic window actually extends up to a couple of hours after training, not minutes. So rest assured, the muscle fibres you just tore will still recover so as long as you get something in your stomach when you can! As for optimal results, what do we consume? When we finish training, we deplete our glycogen storages as we’ve just utilised it as energy for the gym. The best way we can restore this is with carbs! Yep, carbohydrates. We certainly aren’t saying that protein shakes have been bad this whole time! We’re rather informing you that your options are actually a lot wider than you think. Your post-workout meal may consist of literally anything! It could be exactly the same as your pre-workout meal if you wish. When it comes down to the timing of your post-workout meal, we would still say that it is crucial to consume the meal within the first couple of hours to prevent catabolism. Catabolism refers to when your body starts breaking down its own tissue! If your goal is to build muscle, this is the last thing we’d want. If you’re someone that’s strung for time, our range of EQ Cookies can be a quick snack to have right after training. Since it has both carbohydrates and protein, you’d be hitting that requirement! Did we mention it would taste amazing as well?

Remember that when it comes down to nutrition and training, it is imperative to understand the uniqueness of each individual. Something that may work for myself, may not work for you! With that being said, it’s a good idea to experiment with different timing, methods and foods to see what is going to give you the best results possible! While we aim to give you the best value possible, it is important to consult with a health professional, coach and/or dietician for an exact meal plan.

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