Written By Sam Henselijn
Foods That Fuel Your Fitness Plan. To be fit, you have to exercise. Exercise requires fuel for your body, and that recommended fuel needs to be consumed before you exercise, as well as afterward. Here are some foods that fuel your fitness plan.
Prior to exercise you need to consume food containing glucose for energy, and protein for muscle support; afterward you also need to consume foods rich in glucose and protein to replenish the energy you used, as well as to rebuild muscle.
Excellent food sources for glucose are dried fruit; and when you add these to nuts, or Greek yogurt or any other protein rich foods, you have the perfect dietary support for your fitness workouts.
Pre workout: Carbs and Protein fuel your fitness plan
Research has shown that if you do not eat enough carbohydrates and protein before exercising, you run the risk of dizziness, nausea, and lethargy during exercise, which increases the possibility of experiencing an accidental injury.
Dried fruit supply the carbs needed
Dried fruit is not only rich in complex carbohydrates, but in fiber
as well. The need to chew on dried fruit slows down intake and extends the digestive process. As a result, the complex carbohydrates provide the needed glucose, but without rapid spikes in blood glucose.
Muscles store glucose in the form of glycogen. Consuming enough carbs in advance of exercising ensures that our glycogen reserves are sufficient to maintain muscle strength and stamina.
L’Orenta has a particularly good selection of dried fruit to augment your diet to ensure healthy pre-and post fitness sessions:
Dried Apricots, Seedless Raisins, Whole Jumbo Medjool Dates and, as a fat-free souce of glucose: 12 Flavor Gummy Bears Candy
Protein sources
Consumption of protein is also recommended before exercising, especially if lifting weights, and other strength-training is involved. The stress of these exercises create micro-tears to our muscles, and our body needs this extra protein for repair.
Excellent sources of protein as a pre-exercise snack food include nuts, greek yogurt, and granola.
Ideally, the best time to eat is between 30 minutes and 3 hours before exercising, to ensure that you are not still digesting food when you start working out, but still have the benefits of recent carb and protein consumption.
Post Workout
Dried fruit was listed among the “Top 6 Foods for Post-Workout
Recovery” in an article published by U.S. News and World report. The author, Brendan Brazier, noted that the carbo-protein combo is equally effective for post-workout recovery as for pre-workout prep.
He recommended a 4-to-1 carb-to-protein snack, stating that it speeds the uptake of glycogen back into muscles and initiates muscle building.
There were several other recommendation for a healthy recovery after a strenuous workout. Rehydrating as soon as possible. Eating extra protein a little later if your workout was particularly vigorous.
Some suggested snack foods that fuel your fitness plan: post workout:
- Peanut butter with sliced fresh fruit
- Dried fruit, sliced hard boiled eggs, toast
- Oatmeal and raisins
- Nuts
Enjoy healthy snacks while you fulfill your fitness plan!
What should you eat before and after a workout?
Before and after a workout, it’s recommended to consume foods rich in glucose for energy and protein for muscle support. This combination helps to replenish energy used and rebuild muscles.
Why are dried fruits recommended for fitness enthusiasts?
Dried fruits are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber, providing glucose without rapid spikes in blood glucose levels. They help to maintain muscle strength and stamina by ensuring glycogen reserves are sufficient.
Sam Henselijn Author’s Biography – Meet L’Orenta Nuts CEO
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