What to Eat Before and After a Workout?

Before the Workout

Carbohydrates are definitely the muscles’ favorite. It is less demanding for them to use glucose circulating in the blood than to consume proteins or fat. Before training, carbohydrates are therefore king. The further from the training, the more elements can be added to the meal.

In any case, dishes rich in fat are not the best choice, since they are slow to digest and detract from performance.

• 3 to 4h before the workout : Normal meal, but moderate on fat
• 2 to 3h before the workout : Light meal containing carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein, and little fat
• 1 to 2h before the workout : Appetizer containing mainly carbohydrates, a little protein, and almost no fat.
• 30 min to 1h before the workout : Snack containing mainly carbohydrates

After the Workout

Since carbohydrates stored in the muscles are exhausted, it is time to replenish the reserves! It is within 30 minutes after the workout’s end that the body is most able to fill up with glycogen, which is why it is good to take a snack quickly after training. A target ratio of carbohydrates / proteins of about 4 to 1 is used for endurance sports. Protein will accelerate the regeneration of muscle fibers.

There is often a tendency to overestimate the energy spent on training. If you are in the process of losing weight, it would be a shame to negate all your efforts with a superfluous snack. Post-workout snacking is only necessary for intense, long-lasting efforts and especially if training times are short.

The Beet Trend

There is growing discussion about the value of beet juice in sports performance. The nitrates contained in it apparently have vasodilating effects and therefore make it possible to use less oxygen for the same effort. The amount needed appears to be high and the effects vary from one person to another, but nothing prevents us from adding beet to our beverages, whether it be for its taste, its color, or its potential impact on our sports performance!

The following recipe can be consumed after intense endurance training, but it could also be useful a few hours before training by omitting the coconut and protein powder.

Portions

2

Ingredients

• • 2 cooked beets
• • 1 ½ cup (375 ml) frozen raspberries
• • 2 well-ripened bananas
• • 1 measure (30 g) of vanilla protein powder
• • 1 cup (250 ml) of milk

Garnish

• • 1 fresh sliced banana
• • ½ cup (125 ml) fresh raspberries
• • 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain yoghurt
• • ¼ cup (60 ml) Elan organic coconut

Preparation

1. In a blender, purée all the ingredients for the smoothie.
2. Pour the smoothie into a bowl and garnish with the rest of the ingredients.

Nutritional Value

410 kcal, 75 g of carbohydrates (including 14 g of fiber), 21 g of protein, and 6 g of fat.