Exercise gives you some significant benefits, especially when done on a consistent basis. Exercise will help improve your mood and will combat chronic diseases such as osteoporosis, depression and cardiovascular disease. Exercise, which will help you maintain your weight, improve your energy level, and promote better sleep, can actually be fun. You will get the most out of your workouts when you provide your body with the optimal nutrition before and after working out.
Carbohydrate Requirements
Carbohydrates are the main fuel for your body's muscles and brain. However, the amount of carbohydrates you require will depend upon the type of workout you'll be doing and whether you are an endurance athlete doing strength workouts regularly or you are only an intermittent exerciser. The intensity of the exercise and the time spent doing a particular exercise will also impact the amount of carbohydrates required in order to fuel your body. You can estimate how much carbohydrates you'll need daily depending upon the number of hours you spend working out. If you spend one hour per day training, you'll require between 2.7 and 3.2g of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. When you train for two hours per day you will need 3.6g of carbohydrate per pound of body weight and that number will go up as high as 5.9g of carbohydrate per pound of body weight when you exercise for four or more hours per day. This means that a 150-pound athlete will need to between 405 and 480g of carbohydrates working out one hour per day.
Protein Needs
Your protein needs will depend upon your activity level. Physically active adults will require 1g per kilo of body weight of protein per day while athletes who perform strength building activities require between 1.4 and 1.8g of protein per kilo of body weight per day. Because vegetable proteins are less digestible and their amino acid composition is different than animal protein, vegetarians will require about 1.3 times the amount of protein. This means that the same 150-pound athlete will require 68g of protein if they are physically active and up to 122g of protein doing strength training.
Breakfast
If you have the opportunity to eat breakfast two to four hours before a workout, your meal should be rich in carbohydrates and low in proteins and fats. This gives your body time to allow for digestion and prevent heartburn. People who have a sensitive stomach or will be eating within the hour of exercise should drink a liquid meal that is rich in carbohydrates. Liquid meals can include a low-fat smoothie or a carbohydrate replacement beverage purchased from the grocery store or pharmacy. If you have time for a larger sized breakfast at least two hours before you exercise, a whole grain bagel with low-fat cheese and fruits are excellent choices for breakfast.
Lunch and Dinner
When your workouts are planned for later in the day and you have the opportunity to eat lunch or dinner, the same concepts apply. This means that a large meal should not be eaten sooner than two hours before a heavy work out. High carbohydrate foods that can help to load your muscles with the energy they require include English muffins, apples, applesauce, bagels, bananas, bread sticks, cold cereals, cheese pizza, large potato, pretzel, raisins, refried beans, rice and spaghetti. One cup of fruit yogurt will contain 42g of carbohydrates and thus is an excellent source of fuel if you have less than two hours in which to eat before working out. Remember to fuel your muscles after your workout with protein as well. Protein breakdown can increase during exercise and cause a negative net protein balance. Post exercise meals should also include protein, and your overall daily intake should meet your protein requirements to reduce the potential that your body will break down lean muscle mass to acquire protein amino acids.
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