GYM > If you want to stay healthy, the most essential
thing to keep in mind is to combine a good diet
with proper exercise. Although many people might
consider eating less before and after workouts so
that they can lose more weight, it is actually
easier to lose weight and increase your muscle
tone when you choose the right foods to eat. It
should be noticed that meals take up to four
hours to digest, and hence you need to plan what
to eat in advance. Fatty foods are usually difficult
to digest, so you should opt for some high-
carbohydrate and low-protein meals on days you
plan to exercise.
1. Morning workouts.
A lot of people find it difficult to have a full meal in
the morning, but it is essential to have at least a
small snack prior to the exercise. You can choose
from a slice of toasted brown bread, a glass of
orange juice or a banana, which all provide energy
for your morning workouts. As it is very important
to rehydrate in the morning, you need to drink
some water or fruit juice before you start the
workouts. After your morning workouts, please
make sure to eat properly so that you will not feel
tired later during the day. Generally, a low-
carbohydrate meal could increase the insulin
absorption, which is important for your body to
metabolize sugar, thus, a protein-rich breakfast is
your best choice. For example, you can eat
scrambled or boiled eggs, or fruit smoothies made
with oats and yogurt.
2. Midday workouts.
If you are going to exercise at the lunch time, you
need to plan a high-carbohydrate breakfast earlier
in that morning so that you will have enough
energy for the midday workouts. You can eat
something like oatmeal or porridge containing
fruits and nuts. Also, you can have a snack
around 10 a.m. to assist maintaining your energy
level. For instance, good snacks include fruit, juice
or energy bars. Have your lunch after the midday
workout. Have some foods with leafy salads, which
can help replace the fluids lost during your
workouts. If your workout is particularly intensive,
you need to eat a larger lunch to stop hunger. To
sustain your energy level, eat a brown bread
sandwich, a chicken salad with the soup.
3. Evening workouts.
If you would like to exercise before dinner, you
need to eat a hearty lunch containing lots of
protein and have a healthy snack in the afternoon.
The high-protein foods can be chosen from eggs,
nuts, seeds and chicken. If you have the lunch
pretty early, you can eat a large healthy snack like
fruit salad, granola or trail-mix. After you finish the
evening workout, have a healthful but not overly
large meal, especially when you have had
afternoon snacks, because this will negate the
workouts ‘benefits. Some recommended foods are
fish, lean meat, and vegetables and don’t forget to
drink large quantities of fluids.