Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
Though many people separate themselves into camps trying to prove whether workouts or a proper diet is the most important factor in maintaining a fit body, the truth is that both are equally important. And in this post, we look at three diet tips that can help you make the most of your workout.
Meal Size
When taking large meals, ensure that you do so at least four hours before you start working out. If you end up with a huge meal just before the exercise, then you will not only feel sluggish, but can also develop bowel issues, and your exercises won’t have the effect you expect. In contrast, if you eat too little, then you may burn out quickly before even completing the workouts. And this is where snacking becomes important. You can take snacks about an hour before workout. Ideal snacks to take prior to starting your exercises include a banana, fruit smoothie, diluted juice, low fat granola bar etc.
Post Workout Meal
After your workout, what you should eat will depend on what type of body you are looking to build. Generally, the meal must be taken within two hours after the workout and must contain both protein and carbohydrates. Now, if you are trying to build a muscular body, then you should consume about 30 grams of protein and carbs within 15 minutes of the exercises. And if you are only looking to stay fit, without a goal of building muscles, then you can eat after an hour or more.
Hydration
Drink lots of water, before, during, and after workouts. It’s amazing how many people overlook this simple thing. You must drink at least two to three cups of water about three hours before a workout. Plus, ensure that you take in at least half a cup of water for every fifteen minutes of the exercises. Without maintaining your body’s fluid levels, you will suffer from dehydration and feel weak from the intense exercises you have been practicing. But one thing to keep in mind is to avoid sports drink.
Though drinks like Gatorade are heavily publicized and positioned to be an ideal drink to take after workouts, this is not really the complete truth. These drinks have high sugar content in them. And in all likelihood, you will be taking in more calories than what you just burnt off working out. Such drinks are mostly used by people who engage in workouts while maintaining a high heart rate for an hour or more. As such, for the average guy who is working with a normal heart rate, and that too for less than an hour, such sugary drinks are a strict no-no.
In short, doing a workout along with a diet is the best way to keep yourself in shape. While the workout focuses on keeping the body fit, it is a proper diet that actually lets the body receive the maximum benefit of the workout.
