Supercharge Your Workout with Food!
Exercise is an important component of your health and wellness, but as your Los Angeles personal trainer will tell you, fitness isn’t just found at the gym – it’s found in the kitchen too. Food fuels your body and helps to fuel your gains at the gym too. If you’re supporting your exercise plan with a balanced and healthy diet, then you’re only doing half of what is needed to meet your goals. Here are a few simple ways you can supercharge your workout with food!
Carbohydrates
“People think that carbs are bad,” says Los Angeles personal trainer Lalo Fuentes, CSCS, “But the truth is that carbs are essential for energy.” Fad diets over the years have led many to believe that carbs are terrible for you, but rest assured that your body needs them to work optimally and perform at its best.
Carbohydrates provide something called glycogen to your muscles during physical activity. If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates, then you’ll definitely hit a wall during your workout.
Try some slow-digesting carbs before your workouts such as sweet potatoes, beans, or brown rice. After your workout, you should replace glycogen stores with a snack such as a piece of fruit, a whole grain wrap with turkey and cheese, or even a glass of low-fat chocolate milk.
Other good sources of whole grains include:
Quinoa
Brown rice
Ezekiel bread
Oats
Ancient grains such as freekeh, farro, barley, and buckwheat
Protein
Los Angeles personal trainers recommend that you eat a fast-digesting protein before your workouts, such as chicken breast, tuna, or eggs. But the place where protein really makes an impact is after you’re done exercising.
As you exercise, you break down your muscle fibers. For your body to repair and rebuild even stronger, you need protein. Pair it with some whole grain carbs, and you’ve got a winning combination.
You can have a snack after your workouts such as yogurt with fruit or a smoothie, but the meal you have after will be crucial to your body’s ability to restore. Los Angeles personal trainers like Lalo Fuentes recommend that you eat a post-workout meal within an hour or two after the gym. The meal should offer a lean protein such as salmon, pork, eggs, lean beef, or chicken paired with complex carbohydrates.
Hydrate!
It doesn’t matter if it’s before, during, or after your workout – you always want to stay hydrated. Keeping your body properly hydrated allows for it to not only perform at its best but also helps you to recover and be ready to do it all over again!
Los Angeles personal trainers recommend you drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day, perhaps more if you’re having an intense sweat session at the gym. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, you should aim to drink 60 ounces of water every day. Sip smart and sip often!
Let your Los Angeles personal trainer be your guide and devise an eating plan that’s right for you, helping you meet your goals and feel your best along the way!