Thursday, July 29, 2010

Top pre-workout foods



No matter what your doing in the gym you need to make sure you are eating the right foods to maximize your results and performance. Because glucose is the preferred energy source for most activities, I would recommend eating foods that are high in carbs and easy to digest. Complex carbs are best since they take a longer time to digest and therefore will give your body long lasting energy without the crash effect.


Protein is also important in order to help your body deliver amino acids into the muscle tissue. . Working out after breakfast or lunch would be fine as long as either of those meals did not include too much fat. But if your workout falls somewhere between meals and you need a quick energy source before throwing around some weight or hitting the bike then try out one of these below.



1. Trail mix-any kind and any mixture is ok, just make sure it is high quality and not loaded with sugars and preservatives. The dried fruit will provide you with natural sugar and the quick energy surge you will need and the nuts will give prevent your insulin from dropping. Trail mix is a great source of phosphorous which promotes muscle growth and provides energy.



2. Fruit-the best choices are bananas, apples and grapes. Bananas are very digestible and the high levels of potassium will help maintain proper muscular function during your workout



3. Energy bar- There are tons of options out there so just make sure to pick a bar that has low sugars, higher carbs and protein. Powerbar, Gatorade bars, Cliff bars all are good options. Energy bars do not absorb as quick as gels but they are loaded with nutrients.



4. Protein shake with fruit- Some like to drink this post-workout but it is also an option pre-workout



5. Yogurt-The magnesium can give you an energy kick and the protein will aid as well. Go for greek yogurt



6. Oatmeal-Helps you with lasting energy throughout the whole workout and is loaded with Vitamin B which can help convert carbs into energy.




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