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There are a number of factors you should consider when you are trying to get in shape and one of them is what to eat before or after a workout to lose weight and build muscles.

If you hit the age of 30 you definitely want your weight-loss to be healthy and very long-lasting, because you are not in your 20s anymore when losing weight is not as difficult.

The older you are the more challenging it gets to lose weight as your metabolism slows down.

Since we are talking about metabolism I need to mention the other factor you should consider which is BUILDING MUSCLE, because after the age of 30 you start to lose 3 to 5 % of muscle mass per decade (1.).

But the good news is fulfilling one factor will support the other, which means that if you are focusing on building muscle with regular workouts you will also establish a healthy metabolism.

Building muscles is very important for general health purposes so that is why you should involve functional fitness exercises that mimic the activities of daily living.

REGULAR WORKOUTS are just one side of the coin!

It is also necessary to have the right diet to get the results from the workout you really want.

In order to lose fat, gain muscle, and improve your health and performance you should eat the RIGHT TYPE AND AMOUNT of protein, carbs, and fat.

When you are regularly exercising you should consume the right PRE-WORKOUT and POST WORKOUT meals. This is very important since the pre-workout meal fuels your body and the post-workout meal lets your body recover.

Fueling and recovering your body is required if you want to lose weight and have more energy at the same time.

Today I will cover the most important things you need to know about PRE-WORKOUT and POST-WORKOUT MEALS for WEIGHT LOSS and MUSCLE GAIN.

SO WHAT TO EAT BEFORE OR AFTER A WORKOUT TO LOSE WEIGHT??

PRE-WORKOUT MEAL CONSIDERATIONS

Since you consume the pre-workout meal first let’s start with that and discuss the most important facts you need to know to get the best weight-loss or fitness results.

FUELING YOUR BODY

Fueling your body is the number one rule you have to keep in mind when you are thinking about your pre-workout meal.

You need A MEAL WITH THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS prior to exercise so you have enough energy and strength for better workout performance.

COMBINATION OF CARBS, PROTEIN AND FAT

Since energy comes from carbs, protein, and fat I would suggest you consume a combination of these nutrients before a 30 to 60-minute moderate fitness or dance exercise.

Since each nutrient plays a different role, their ratio in your meal really depends on the type of workout you are planning on doing.

To know which nutrients you should be focusing on consuming prior to exercising, you have to understand what are the main muscles you are using throughout the workout which is known as the ENERGY PATHWAYS.

If you are in your late 20s or in your 30s and you want to lose belly fat, get rid of cellulite, or just simply lose weight it is important to combine high intensity or cardio exercises with strength training.

As we are thinking about this fact it is NECESSARY to focus on the nutrients that FUEL YOUR MUSCLES during these types of workouts.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING CARBS

The first and most needed nutrients of a pre-workout meal are the carbohydrates so let’s talk about them.

When you are exercising at a high-intensity level for a shorter period of time – for example, you are doing a 20 minutes HIIT workout – you will end up using your carbohydrate stores.

You probably see by now that carbs are a main source for a HIIT or Interval Workout.

So it important to focus on eating carbs prior to these workouts.

Generally, if your workout is going to start within an hour or less- preferably in 30 minutes – you are supposed to eat refined carbs. If you plan on doing HIIT or Interval you need to focus on carbs anyway.

BOTTOM LINE: If you do a WORKOUT that includes vigorous cardio and strength training you are supposed to have a meal 30 minutes beforehand.

This meal should be rich in carbs such as banana, orange, nutrition bar, or yogurt with fruit.

COMBINING CARBS AND FATS

A balanced workout routine includes a low to moderate workout session which could be step classes, lower intensity aerobic, or cardiorespiratory classes.

Yoga and pilates belong to this group. Talking about the energy pathways what you need to know is that in these cases the main fuel of energy is the combination of fats and carbs to produce ATP.

On those days when you are doing low to moderate-intensity training, you are supposed to have a meal that includes both carbs and fats. However, this meal has to be consumed at least 2 -3 hours prior to the workout.

If you want to get a good idea about what this meal should look like, you can read my 4 healthiest brunch recipes.

WHAT YOU SHOULD EAT PRIOR TO THE STRENGTH TRAINING

The good thing about having one of the healthy brunches is that they also include protein which is needed for strength training.

Eating protein or combining it with carbs will more likely result in a better anabolic response and bigger muscle growth and strength.

According to some studies, amino acid uptake is higher when you combine carbs and protein prior to a workout than after the workout (2.).

Let’s talk about the most important facts you should consider when it comes to POST WORKOUT MEALS!

POST WORKOUT MEAL CONSIDERATIONS

In the case of a post-workout meal the emphasis is a little bit different, so let’s take a look at what kind of nutrients are able to satisfy those needs.

RECOVER AND REBUILD

After a workout, the most important thing for your body is to recover and to rebuild for future exercise. For your muscles to improve they need to be rebuilt after a workout.

Recovery and repair require focusing on two different nutrients.

COMBINATION OF PROTEIN AND CARBS

First of all, the reason you will need to consume carbs is that your glycogen stores are being used during the workout, especially if you engage in vigorous exercise.

Studies reveal that after a vigorous workout you will benefit from eating 1g carbohydrate per kg of your body weight, 30 minutes after your workout (3.).

Furthermore, studies also show that consuming protein and carbs together after a workout is important because carbs help the recovery of your muscles (replenishment of glycogen stores), and protein gives your body the amino acids that are used to rebuild the muscles (4.).

Although carbs are needed for glycogen replenishment, protein is required for

• muscle repair,
• reduced muscle soreness,
• and for lower cortisol levels.

A high cortisol level does not support your weight-loss journey.

That is why it is important to focus on eating a high protein meal after a workout.

The picture above might shows you a great idea of what to eat after a workout.

Salmon, broccoli and sweet potato is a great example of a post-workout meal.

• In the picture above there is 227 grams of salmon which includes 45 grams of protein
• There is also half sweet potato which has about 20g carbs.

SO WITH THIS MEAL, you will end up consuming both carbs and protein with the emphasis on the protein which is good after a workout.

WHEN YOU SHOULD EAT THE POST-WORKOUT MEAL?

AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN!

The best scenario is to consume a protein shake within the first 30 minutes after your workout, and a balanced meal with protein, carbs, and healthy fat within 2 hours after the workout.

THE SALMON WITH BROCCOLI AND SWEET POTATO IS A GREAT CHOICE.

However, I also recommend adding a few slices of avocado to take care of the healthy fat intake.

If your workout was in the afternoon and you want to eat within 2 hours after your workout, read about the 3 most important dinner eating strategies, because those rules are applicable here as well.

Please note that if you don’t consume a protein shake within 30 minutes after exercising then you are supposed to have a protein-rich meal – like the salmon meal – within the first 60 minutes after your exercise session.

So these are TIPS regarding what to eat before or after a workout to lose weight and tone up at the same time.

Setting up a healthy eating plan alone can be a challenge sometimes especially with a stressful and time-consuming job or business. Click on the image below to register for my free webinar about losing weight with a sedentary job!

Stay safe and healthy,

Eszter

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