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What are the best foods to eat pre and post workout?

1 min read • August 23, 2020

The preworkout meal is crucial for providing energy, fuel, and stamina to last through a lift or cardio session.

I often get asked this question, and although there is not a cookie cutter solution, there are guidelines to follow to help consume an optimal meal. More personalized solutions to this question vary depending on the type of activity performed and the lifestyle, body type, and goal of the athlete.

The pre-workout meal is crucial for providing energy, fuel, and stamina to last through a lift or cardio session and as carbohydrates are the most important nutrient for energy production, carbohydrate consumption should be emphasized in the pre-workout meal. The amount of carbohydrates you eat depend on the length of a workout and what type of workout you are performing. Because carbohydrates serve as your muscles fuel during exercise, if you plan on a more intense or longer workout, you will need to eat more carbohydrates beforehand to provide adequate energy!

Carbohydrates should be combined with a lean protein that is fairly low in fat. The function of protein is to provide the necessary amino acids to assist in building and repairing the muscles used during a workout.

In most cases, higher fat foods are avoided pre-workout because they take much longer to digest and can cause an upset stomach and bloating throughout the workout. Because food tolerance varies between individuals, sometimes it takes some trial and error to determine which protein and carb combination digests most comfortably and provides the most energy.

On the other hand, the post workout meal is crucial for providing the necessary nutrients to help with recovery and to refill the energy stores used during the workout.

On the other hand, the post workout meal is crucial for providing the necessary nutrients to help with recovery and to refill the energy stores used during the workout. A meal consisting of a protein and carbohydrate is also equally, if not more, important post workout.

During exercise, your body uses stored carbohydrates for energy, therefore, consuming adequate carbohydrates in your post workout meal is important for replenishing the lost carbohydrates and keeping energy levels high! Protein is crucial in building and repairing the muscle tissue used during exercise. Fats are generally better tolerated post workout than pre workout so feel free to include a higher fat protein, peanut butter, avocado, or eggs into your meal!