Improving your diet can help you achieve your exercise goals faster. For example, the kinds of foods and macronutrient ratios you take in prior to and following exercise determine how quickly you recover from the workout. Inadequate nutrition not only limits your exercise success, it can also lead to injury and immune depression. Always consult with your doctor before drastically changing your diet.
Significance
Exercise performance, energy levels, body composition and ultimate fitness results hinge on your dietary choices. Nutrient timing plays an important role in a diet because when you eat determines how your body processes and uses the proteins, carbohydrates and fats you ingest. For example, fast-digesting proteins like whey make an excellent source of pre and post-workout nutrition. Slow-digesting carbs and healthy fats provided sustained energy. Whereas, fast-digesting carbs speed muscle recovery following your workouts, say "Xtreme Lean" authors Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman. Eating the wrong foods at the wrong times can limit your exercise results, no matter what kind of training program you follow.
Function
The foods you eat fuel your workouts with the vitamins, minerals, sugars, amino acids and fats needed for optimal performance. For example, carbohydrates containing low-glycemic starches and sugars fuel the body with a stable source of energy for hours, according to "The Fat Burning Bible" by Mackie Shilstone. In addition, your diet also determines how much muscle damage you incur during workouts and how quickly your muscles repair in response to exercise. Prolonged neglect of proper exercise nutrition can cause injury, over-training and stagnant fitness results.
Misconceptions
One common diet misconception suggests that you avoid eating after exercise to increase fat burning. In fact, this practice may limit your fitness results and can lead to muscle loss. Whether you participate in aerobic exercise or anaerobic weight training, you must refuel your body with both carbohydrates and protein as soon as possible following your workout, say Lawson and Holman. Missing this nutrition opportunity slows your muscle recovery and may keep you from training with the frequency required to produce optimal results. Abstaining from eating altogether before and after workouts can lead to injury, over-training and even a loss of strength and/or endurance.
Workout Nutrition
To support your exercise program, "The Abs Diet" by David Zinczenko recommends taking in one gram of protein per pound of your body weight daily. Up to 25 percent of this total may come in the form of a protein shake immediately after training, says "Optimum Anabolics" author Jeff Anderson. In addition, include post-workout high-glycemic carbohydrates in amounts varying from 40 to 100 g or more, says "The Carbo Rater" by Jordana Brown. She reports that dextrose, maltodextrin or sucrose sugars provide the best sources of post-workout carbohydrates. Avoid high intake of fats following exercise because they slow down the digestion and delivery of much-needed nutrients to muscle cells.
Daily Nutrition
Dividing your calories and nutrients among several smaller meals and snacks provides optimal continuous nutrient delivery to fuel your exercise goals, according to Lawson and Holman. For example, a 150-lb. male might divide his total 150 g of daily protein into five separate meals, each containing 30 g of protein from various sources. Carbohydrate intake varies among individuals based on your personal metabolic rate. However, you might start with twice the carbs as your daily protein intake and adjust as needed to fit your type of exercise or activity. Anderson warns against taking in fewer than 25 percent to 30 percent of your calories from healthy dietary fats, which can limit production of important hormones that influence exercise performance.
References
- "What to Never Eat After Your Workout"; Cassandra Forsythe-Pribanic, PhD, RD, CSCS & Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS; 2010
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; Mackie Shilstone; 2005
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2005
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
- "Optimum Anabolics"; Jeff Anderson; 2004
- "Muscle & Fitness Presents 2010 Edition: The Ultimate Supplement Handbook"; The Carbo Rater; Jordana Brown; January 2010
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