Fuel for Exercise and Recovery

Here at your request.  The girls are doing homework and it's not time for dinner yet.  I am also having a fruit fly invasion that is driving me bonkers.  That's what you get for having more fresh fruit around.  humpfh.

Food is fuel.  It matters what we eat before and after a workout, as well as when we eat before and after.

We exercise for three reasons: 1) to burn fat and lose weight, 2) to increase fitness and endurance, and 3) to maintain our hard-earned goal weight and fitness level.

These three reasons we exercise require different types of fuel or nutrient timing.

Weight Loss:

Your body will burn fat more rapidly if you exercise fasting, ideally first thing in the morning.  Not a 24 hour fast, just after the longest period that your body has gone without food.  This technique helps your body burn fat for exercise, saving glycogen (or sugar stores) for use when they are more needed.  Bonus!

After your workout you should eat your breakfast and make sure it is high in protein: tuna, turkey bacon, turkey sausage, Canadian bacon boiled eggs, protein shake, green smoothie with protein powder added, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt cup, deli ham, etc.  Make an omelette or crust-less quiche, or breakfast burrito on a whole wheat tortilla.  Don't forget your whole-grain cereal and 1/2 cup of fruit!  This helps your body refuel and repair and build muscle.  Exercise doesn't mean free-for-all: count your calories, and stick to our plan.

If you do not exercise fasting, just fit in exercise in the three hours between one of your main meals and one of your snacks.  Calorie counting is the most vital aspect of weight loss, so timing your workout this way will keep you energized enough to exercise hard, and utilize your calories at the right time to beat the post-workout grumbles, without over eating.

Increasing Fitness & Endurance:

This goal requires constant fueling, before, during, and after exercise.  Think body builders.  Think endurance athletes.  By endurance I mean any exercise of more than two hours.  I don't eat on my bike unless I am gone for longer than 90 minutes.  Complex carbohydrates mingled with protein are best for a pre-workout meal one hour before you exercise.

Eating during a long endurance workout ensures that your muscles won't run out of gas, so your heart and lungs can practice functioning at high rates for long periods of time.  This is where Clif bars and energy gels and blocks come into play.

Eating a meal high in protein 30 minutes afterward will aid in muscle building and recovery, and adding complex carbs aids in refueling your glucose levels.

Maintenance:

Wouldn't we all love to be here!  This goal requires a normal eating schedule, still mostly complex carbs like veggies, whole grains, fiber from fruit, and protein.

Eating before is not something to worry about unless you feel hungry, but you should eat something high in protein within 30 minutes after your workout to help your muscles recover and build.  Protein shakes are ideal, as are green smoothies with protein powder added.  Some brands market a "recovery drink", like Gatorade.  Unless you like gross drinks, a smoothie or shake will do fine.

Just to clarify, your schedule should look something like this:

Breakfast
Workout
High-protein Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner

OR

Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Workout
High Protein Snack
Dinner

You get the idea!

Remember: 

"Muscles are made in the gym 

& 

revealed in the kitchen"

30% Exercise - 70% Diet