Fuelling your body before, during, and after a workout is crucial to any training as this makes up 80% of any fitness regime that gives good results. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced fitness fanatic, it is crucial to fuel your body correctly. Here is what you need to know.
Before your exercise
Fuelling up before your workout will help you sustain your energy levels during your workout. Ideally, you do this 2 hours before a workout to give you the most out of each session. Make sure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. Avoid consuming too much water in a short space of time before your workout as this can cause cramps and not give your body enough time to replenish itself.
Make sure to fuel up on healthy carbohydrates such as whole-grain cereals in the morning, whole-wheat toast, fruits, and vegetables. You can break your meals into six smaller portions throughout the day to give your body enough time to absorb the nutrients. Remember to eat fruits such as a banana or apple 10 - 15 minutes before you start your session.
During your workout
One of the fluids you can include in your workout regime that can protect you against the risk of hyponatremia is consuming drinks that contain sodium such as Lucozade and Powerade.
You can also include carbohydrate-containing energy drinks that prove to be a great source of fuel for muscles when exercising. Always remember to strike a balance of drinking enough fluids.
The general rule of thumb is to consume no more than 30-60g of carbohydrates per hour to prevent gastrointestinal discomfort. Some examples of these are the PVM energy drinks, Octane 4.0 or Octane XTR, which are good sources for fluid balancing. Most sports drinks that are available in-store already have this solution prepared for you but try not to over-use this.
After your workout
The aim is to maintain a healthy diet all around. Giving your body the right nutrients and adequate time to absorb what you feed it can make for better results. When you have completed your session remember to refuel to make up for the sweat lost. Include carbohydrates and proteins in your recovery snacks after a workout to help repair and grow your muscle tone.
Always get enough rest to help your body heal itself. This also includes taking advantage of rest days where you can spend the day stretching out your muscles to get ready for the next session.
