In this article, you will find information on proper nutrition before, during, and after exercise. Find out which products will help you achieve the desired result. You've decided to go in for sports, and that's just great. But did you know what, sport is a small part of achieving a good result. In order for the final result to please you, you need, first of all, proper and balanced nutrition. After all, if you miss this moment, then even a few hours of exercise will not be crowned with such success if it were training with a properly selected diet.
First of all, remember the most important rule of any sport - do not overeat. But at the same time, it is not necessary and much to get carried away with various diets, it is simply necessary to eat, because this is the main source of energy, which is necessary to support the body in good shape. Athletes of rather high professional levels are serious about their diet, and already training is relegated to the background. To get the most out of your workouts, and not a hungry fainting during exercise, first read and remember what, when and how much you need to eat.
Principles of nutrition during exercise
- Do not under any circumstances allow complete or even partial starvation during exercise. This will severely deplete the body, which will leave you with no desired result, and most likely no result at all.
- An important point in training is to exclude overeating, and of course it is necessary to forget about the absorption of food in a hurry.
- It is best to consult a dietitian or trainer, they are knowledgeable enough in this to give good advice on changing or choosing a diet.
- Food should only be food. You do not need to talk or watch TV while eating, you need to concentrate on the processes of eating.
- Eat only when you are really hungry, and not so simply out of nothing to do or for company.
Harmful foods during exercise
- It is not recommended to drink tea, especially black tea or coffee with sugar, and even worse, a sugar substitute. If you are already very unable to drink unsweetened, then you can add a little honey. Let's just say that you will definitely not become slimmer from this product, but there will be much more benefits than from sugar.
- A bun, loaf or any other flour product, fluffy and fragrant, is very harmful to your health, and especially to your figure. If you want to achieve good results in sports, then exclude even bread from your diet.
- We also refuse sweets, especially caramels. If chocolate can forgive sports, then caramels, alas, no.
- Probably, everything is already clear about cakes, you should never and under no circumstances eat them. They contain just a colossal amount of fast carbohydrates and fats.
- And now about pasta, this product can be divided into two varieties. 1st "sprawling" pasta - cheap muck that you can't eat; 2nd - this is pasta made from durum wheat, they not only can, but also need to be included in the diet of a person who plays sports.
The main aspects of nutrition during exercise
- Pre-workout meals. There are 3-4 hours left before the start of the workout, you can safely eat a portion of regular food, but this does not mean in any way (a plate of pasta, fried potatoes or dumplings), it should be a hearty and healthy dish that fits into the general concept of a basic diet. Such a dish should combine a certain amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Those people who prefer morning workouts, and who do not have the opportunity to eat a few hours before sports, need to consume a protein shake at least an hour before training, which contains 15–20 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of protein.
- Meals a maximum of 30 minutes before training. Some people are convinced that eating before exercise is strictly prohibited, but this is false information. Immediately before training, you can not only eat, but also need to. It's just that the calorie content of a given portion of food should be no more than 200 kilocalories. This can include carbohydrate foods, salad, or some kind of fruit. If your workout involves stronger loads, then you definitely need to eat a little protein food.
- Meals directly during training. As a rule, it is forbidden to eat during training, but there are exceptions: if you exercise for several hours in a row or feel a sudden and very strong feeling of hunger. Also, if you are going on a several hour hike in the mountains or a long bike ride, do not forget to take food with you, nuts are perfect here. After all, it is this product that maximally allows you to restore strength in a short time.
- Proper nutrition after exercise. Never deny yourself food after exercising. The body simply needs to recuperate, and first of all, due to carbohydrates. The post-workout food must contain proteins, trace elements and, of course, vitamins. A great option in this situation would be a small bowl of rice, oatmeal, buckwheat, or legumes (beans, peas, lentils). After playing sports, it is necessary to organize food so that the break in time is not more than 45 minutes, between the workout itself and the next meal.
- A liquid that is simply necessary for a person, especially an athlete, is water. As has long been known, the human body is 80% water, and it needs constant replenishment of its reserves. So, it is very important and vital to replenish the loss of water, both before, during, and, of course, after. Mineral, still water, natural juices, uzvar or vitamin and mineral drinks are best suited. The best way to replenish fluid reserves in the body is to take in small portions, about 25-50 ml. during class. The fluid that has entered the body during training can be 200–250 ml. But after the end of the workout, you need to replenish the fluid reserves by at least 350-400 ml.
After studying this article, you can safely start playing sports, and following the advice from it, in the near future you will achieve your goal.
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