The Best Pre and Post Workout Meals for Fat Loss and Muscle Gain

My Top 3 Meals to Eat before and After Workout to Gain Muscle and Lose fat.

A big question for a lot of us is what to eat before our workout or should we just wait until after we finish?

A more important question for you all though is wouldn’t you like to know 5 foods that you can eat before and after you exercise that will help you build muscle and lose fat quicker?

Do you want to feel full of energy in your workout and recover a lot quicker after you finish so you can continue to train each week without experiencing any muscle soreness?

Did you know that if you don’t get this part of your training right then you could be wasting a lot of time. Therefore you need to read this article to learn 5 foods that can help you get fitter, stronger and leaner.

If you had read my previous blog post about pre and post workout nutrition then you will know the importance of both carbohydrates and protein before and after your workout and how much of each you need to consume so this post might be seen as a continuation of how to reach the correct amounts.

Did you miss that one?

If you want to know exactly how much carbohydrates and protein you need to get strong and lean then you can read that post first by clicking here.

So lets jump in by looking at 5 foods or meals that you could eat prior to performing a workout.

One thing that’s important to note here is that we will all be different in our ability to metabolize the food that we can consume meaning different people may need to eat at different times.

But one thing will remain the same. We all need readily available energy to perform at our best during a workout. Do you ever go into a workout feeling tired and lethargic?

Then you aren’t eating the right foods at the right times. Many of us need to eat at least 1-2 hours before our workout because we feel we need the time to digest the food properly. But is this right? Yes and no.

Here’s why…

Lets say that you had eaten a meal around 1-2 hours before you workout and this meal provided you with at least 20g and upwards of protein and around 1g of Carbohydrate for every 1kg of your body weight. This meal should provide you with adequate energy to perform effectively. But how can you take this to next level and train even harder?

By eating closer to the start of your workout of course! This doesn’t mean you need to eat a big heavy meal that is going to make you feel full. This is where we need to carefully select the correct foods that provide you with instant energy ready to push you through the workout and perform at your best. So we are in search of fast digesting carbohydrates and protein.

Consume these fast digesting proteins and carbs somewhere around 30 – 60 minutes before you workout for best results.

So what foods should you be looking at for fast digesting proteins and carbohydrates? Well here are my top 3 foods/meals to eat 30 – 60 minutes before your workout:

11.    White Bagel with 6 egg whites (Scrambled)

Protein – 21.6g

Carbohydrates – 42.7g

Both of these food sources can be digested very quickly making them perfect to fit into that 30 minute window if it is whole foods that you want to consume.

22.    Whey Protein Isolate (Gold Standards Whey) and Dextrose (My Protein)

Protein – 24g (1 scoop)

Carbohydrates - 28g

Probably a lot easier to consume (and prepare) if you want to go in this direction of having a shake as your pre-workout meal.

Not only is whey protein isolate the fastest digesting protein available but when combined with a supplement like dextrose, which is essentially a sugar. This causes an insulin spike, which provides us with instant energy as well as helping deliver the protein to the muscle cell at a much quicker speed.

33.    150g Chicken Breast & ½ Cup White Rice

Protein – 33g

Carbohydrates – 26g

Another great option if you prefer whole foods rather than a supplement. We all know that chicken is a great source of lean protein and white rice is a high glycemic food meaning it is also digested very quickly providing you with fuel for the workout ahead. Aim for something like this about 60 minutes before training.

Any other tips?

Another great option 30 minutes before you train is a banana! Full of natural sugars that will boost your glycogen stores and give you the energy kick you are looking for.

So how about post workout?

I’m sure some of you will have heard about there being this ‘magic window’ where you must consume your post workout nutrition in a certain time frame. Well is this true?

Sort of… Research shows that when you consume a post workout meal combining foods high in protein and high in simple carbohydrates immediately after training you are more likely to build muscle more effectively.

This is because once again you need something that can be digested as quickly as possible. Due to the fact our muscle glycogen stores are completely depleted during an intense workout and in order to kick-start muscle repair and growth we need to spike our insulin and blood sugar levels so that the essential nutrients our body needs can be transported in to the muscles.

When does this magic window end?

Although you will benefit more by consuming your post workout nutrition immediately research shows anything up to 2 hours is sufficient.

Do you want to know exactly how much fast digesting simple sugars and protein you need? Then take a read of my previous blog on pre and post workout nutrition by clicking here.

So now that we know the types of food that we need to consume. What are the best post workout meals? Here is my Top 3: -

11.  Whey Protein Isolate (Gold Standard Whey) and Dextrose (My Protein).

Protein – 24g (1 scoop)

Carbohydrates - 28g

Why is this my number one choice? Now that we know after our workout speed is everything. This combination ticks all the boxes. Simply for ease of preparation, transportation and delivery of the vital nutrients into the muscle cells.

Hence the simple sugar in the form of dextrose is vital! But why is this better than sugar we get from fruit?

Sugar is found in fruit in the form of fructose the breakdown of this by the body in the liver takes much longer so there is a slight delay in that insulin spike we are looking for.

22.  ½ - 1 Cup Mashed Sweet Potatoes and 1 Tin of Tuna with Salad.

Protein – 31g

Carbohydrates – 29-58g

Fast becoming a favourite food in most households. Sweet potato is a great post workout choice. Although it is not as high on the glycemic index compared to options such as white potatoes it will still help to restore glycogen levels and give you that insulin spike without the higher fat content that you might get from regular mashed potatoes. Combine it with tuna and you have your high protein serving post workout meal that is also easy to pack and transport.

33. Chicken Breast (150g) in 1 / 2 Tortilla Wraps with Salad.

Protein – 33g

Carbohydrates – 30-60g

Easy to make and easy to carry! Another whole food source of fast digesting carbohydrates to restore glycogen stores (the tortilla wrap of course) as well as shuttle the protein from the chicken into the muscle cells to help aid recovery and keep us anabolic. Why is this a good option? It tastes good too!

Are these the only foods you can eat pre and post workout?

The most important lesson to take is that our pre and post workout meals should be our most important meals of our day. Providing us with the fuel and energy to train for maximum results and recover and restore muscle glycogen levels as quick as possible after training.

As a London personal trainer I know how essential it is to have easily accessible foods with you to take on the go at all times.

Do you want a full weeks worth of pre and post workout nutrition?

Then why don’t you get a your own meal plan designed by me. Just click here.

Now you know exactly what to eat and when.

Until next time…

EJP

5 Stretches to help with lower back pain

My Top 5 Stretches to Help with your Lower Back Pain.

If you struggle with lower back pain and want some tips on quick and easy pain relief or simply want to reduce the possibility of experiencing this common issue then you need to read this…

Lower Back Pain is becoming such a common problem amongst so many of us having a huge impact on how effectively we are able to walk, run, sit, exercise and even sleep.

But why is it so common? How can we prevent it? How can we make it go away?

Let me start by saying studies show there is an 80% chance that you will experience lower back pain at some point in your life. Scary eh! So follow some of my advice and don’t let it ever bother you.

This doesn’t mean that it is instantly going to disappear but it definitely means you will be on the right path to improving how you feel if you are consistent in what I’m telling you.

So where to start…?

Lets look at and identify the common causes first. A great chance to see if you are at risk.

Modern Day Lifestyles

It’s no secret that a lot of us live a deskbound lifestyle at work and spend so much time sitting down but on average we all spend between 8 – 15 hours of our day sat down!

Why is spending a lot of time sat down associated with lower back pain?

When we spend prolonged time sitting down a lot of our major muscle groups such as our hamstrings, Glutes (Bum) are affected becoming less flexible also making our hip muscles shorter. The result of this is our lower back having to do the dirty work to keep us upright. This added workload on the lower back almost guarantees us lower back pain at some point in the future!

Although this is the main cause just the way of modern living plays such a big factor and even the simplest of things can contribute to a sore back. The list could go on but just to pin point a few;-

-       Bending

-       Twisting

-       Sleeping Positions

-       Standing for Long Durations

-       Heavy Weight Lifting

-       High Intensity Interval Training

Are you guilty of any of the above? More than likely as the list seems almost unavoidable. Especially as fitness and exercise is being pushed to the forefront in society.

Do You experience lower back pain when performing abdominal exercises?

A common issue related to fitness is the inability to perform core/abdominal exercises effectively without complaining of a sore back. 

The core and back muscles are required to work in tandem but if we haven’t developed enough strength in our lower back then the workload is predominantly done through our core making the muscles become tighter and tighter pulling more on the lower back leading to the end result of lower back pain.

How should we correct this muscular imbalance?

Simple… Train and exercise your lower back as well as your core. Strengthening both of these areas will give your spine the muscular support it needs to function properly.

Keep lower back pain at bay with these stretches..

This then leads me on to the main focus point of this topic how can we reduce lower back pain through stretching? Here are my top 5 stretches for lower back pain, include these into your daily routines and ease that pain and keep it away for good.

1.    The Two Knee Twist

 

-Lying on your back with your arms spread out either side of you so that your body is in a T-shape, place your knees together then draw them up to your chest.

-Now, with your shoulders pressing down firmly to the ground, slowly lower your knees to your left.

-Hold for two minutes and bring your knees back to center, and repeat on the other side.

-If you find your knees are making your shoulders rise from the ground, lower your knees further down.

2.    The Cobra

 

- Lying on your stomach, with your forearms propping you up and elbows under your shoulders, press your weight down through your palms and the tops of your feet.

- Squeeze your pelvis bone into the ground. Breathe deeply and hold for two to three minutes.

3.    The Seated Twist

 

- Holding the left hand armrest of your seat, and keeping your back straight, turn the right side of your body towards the armrest, and hold for one minute.

4.    Legs up The Wall

 

- With your backside right up against a wall, raise your legs up and straight against it.

- You’ll feel all the muscles of your lower back and upper thighs relax. Hold for 10 minutes.

5.    Thread the Needle

With your knees together facing the ceiling, cross your left leg over your right so that your left ankle is touching your right knee.

Now, interlocking your hands underneath your right knee, with your hands slowly draw your right knee towards your chest.

Feel the stretch in your left glute then hold for three minutes, before swapping sides.

Now put it into Action!

Now you know put these to practice. Don’t be the guy or girl that thinks they’re invincible. A wrong move could just be around the corner and there goes your exercise routine out the window.

Any questions or suggestions are welcome as always.

E

What To Eat Pre and Post Workout for Strength Gain and Weight Loss

Are you making the simple mistakes of eating the wrong foods before and after your workout?

Or are you not eating anything at all?

If so then you could be breaking down muscle or stopping your muscles and body from repairing properly and efficiently meaning all your hard work is for nothing.

Don’t you want to know exactly what to eat before and after your workout to get better results quicker than ever? Good! Then reading this post can make sure you get the most from your exercise.

Lets Jump in right at the beginning to see how we should structure our nutrition before we workout.

How much protein should you eat? What happens if we don’t eat carbohydrates? How long before we train should we eat? When and why should we train fasted? All of these questions are answered right here:

So its no secret that the amount of protein we eat is related to our body’s ability to build muscle and how quickly we recover. But do we need to consume protein immediately before working out? This is answered simply by when our last meal was.

When we work out it is important for our plasma amino acid levels in the blood to be quite high. Amino acids are the building blocks for protein in the body and hence we want to keep them high.

With this in mind lets say we had eaten a meal 1-2 hours prior to working out that contained upwards of 20g of protein then this would more than likely be deemed a sufficient enough amount to help us build muscle and support us during our workout.

On the other hand if it had been several hours since you had consumed a meal containing protein of 20g and upwards then looking to get a protein fix in at least 30 minutes before training is going to be crucial if you want to reap the rewards.

Rule of thumb: Aim for at least 20-40g of protein 30 minutes – 1 hour before working out if you haven’t eaten for several hours.

But… What are the best sources to get your pre-workout protein from?

If you do find yourself in the situation where you need that protein hit 30 minutes before training then you need to aim for something that is digested as fast as possible for your muscles to utilize it.

Protein that is digested and absorbed fast will then raise your plasma amino acid levels to ensure your body is in an anabolic state, which means it is going to build muscle and not break it down.

For Short-Term muscle building effects then Whey Protein is the “Whey” (Way) to go. Sorry I had to put that in! Simply because your body will digest and absorb it quicker than any other option. If you don’t have this readily available or want another option then look to any of the following: -

1. Protein Bar

2. Grilled Chicken

3. Eggs

Moving on…. How important are carbohydrates?

Very!! One thing’s for sure about the relationship between carbohydrates and exercise. They will 100% improve your performance.

Unlike protein they are not directly linked to increased muscle growth consuming them prior to working out but a good source of carbohydrates will fuel your entire workout and help you reach optimal performance giving you the energy to get that extra repetition and train harder for longer.

Now we have established that pre workout carbohydrates are so important then which ones are best and when should you eat/consume them?

Depending on the type of exercise you are going to do will determine what source of carbohydrate you should choose.

If your training usually lasts for 2 or more hours then a lower Glycemic Index Carbohydrate (Slower Digesting/releasing) is going to be more beneficial as they provide you with a longer lasting supply of energy. These include foods such as:- Wholegrains, Foods high in Fibre, Sweet Potatoes, Quinoa, Beans.

At the other end of the spectrum if your training is a lot shorter and intense like a typical gym session then you will want to aim for carbohydrates that are high on the glycemic index to provide you with that short-term release and instant supply of energy. These would be foods like White Rice, White potatoes, Bananas.

The Big Question… When to take these pre-workout carbohydrates?

Around 90 minutes or more before the workout aim for at least 1 g of Carbs per Kg of body weight to fuel you for optimal performance.

Then about 30 minutes before aim for 25-50g of High Glycemic Index  (Fast Digesting) Carbohydrates.

Using the above principle as a guide will be sure to give you a massive performance edge.

But what about fats?

Fats are not going to do anything special for you before your workout simply because they slow down the digestion of protein, which is the last thing we want!

Finally on Pre-Workout nutrition, fasted training is becoming more and more popular. But does it work? Can you really lower your body fat percentage at a quicker rate if you train fasted?

You can but it comes at a cost.

When we train fasted, which means when our blood plasma insulin levels are considered to be low. This usually occurs once our body has finished absorbing all of the nutrients from our last food intake, typically after at least 6+ hours.

The reason this comes at a cost is because muscle breakdown is going to be accelerated as your protein levels are going to be extremely low and wont be consistent with the information and tips I spoke about above. So if you are looking for strength gain then this is definitely a technique to avoid.

Apart from this is weight loss / body fat reduction is your primary goal then fasted training could be particularly useful as research has shown that when we train in the fasted state fat loss is accelerated.

Therefor if you’re a guy looking to reveal those lower Abs or a Woman looking to tone up your hips, butt and thighs the fasted cardio will more than likely need to be in your routine.

So enough about pre-workout nutrition, Lets look at what we should be consuming after a workout.

What should be the first thing you eat after training? If you don’t get this right you wont make nearly half the results you could and should be getting from your training.

Starting with Protein. Why do you need it and how much do you need?

When we workout muscle protein is broken down and will do so even quicker after we finish our workout. The result of this is going to be muscle loss. Which is going to be detrimental to anyone no matter your goal.

We can of course of reduce this post workout muscle breakdown by getting that quick hit usually in the form of a Whey protein supplement as we already know from above it is absorbed quickest by our body.

Post Workout Protein therefore stimulates muscle growth.

How much do you need?

This could be dependent upon how much muscle you have as you will need more the keep protein synthesis levels high if you have higher muscle mass or are simply more active.

To be clear protein synthesis is where your body can utilize protein levels in the muscles to keep you in an anabolic state preventing muscle breakdown.

Rule of thumb for this is upwards of 20g Protein after your workout. However aiming for a much higher amount of up to 50g has proven to be much more effective in stimulating protein synthesis especially if you are very active or have a large amount of muscle mass as I said above.

Now on to Post Workout Carbohydrates.

What is the benefit of eating carbohydrates post workout?

When we exercise our muscle glycogen stores are completely depleted and if they remain depleted then research has once again shown that muscle breakdown is accelerated.

Thus the importance of including carbs post workout is to replenish these glycogen stores with a high glycemic index (fast digesting carbohydrate) mentioned earlier on such as white potatoes, white rice, bananas etc. Or a post workout supplement called dextrose.

Another reason is that a fast digesting carbohydrate like the ones above provide an insulin ‘spike’ raising our blood sugar levels.

This insulin ‘spike’ has a positive effect on muscle growth as it has been shown to reduce protein breakdown.

That being said we can still get this effect from our post workout whey protein shake but the insulin ‘spike’ we get from carbohydrates will elevate insulin levels at a considerably quicker rate and also sustain this level for much longer hence the importance of carbohydrates post workout.

How much Carbohydrate do we need to eat post workout for this to be effective though?

It has been suggested that around 0.25-0.4g of Carbohydrate post workout per pound (lbs) of body weight is sufficient enough to get the full effects of this insulin ‘spike’ and restock our muscle glycogen stores.

Finally is there a magic window or perfect timing for our post workout nutrition?

Research has shown that consuming your post workout nutrition immediately after exercise promotes better muscle growth and protei synthesis than consuming it at any other time.

However as long as you don’t exceed a 1-2 hour window you will still make sufficient benefits.

To conclude please be aware that these formulas can be applied to both weight loss and strength gain goals. As we know the most important part of either goal is energy balance and working out our daily calorie requirement.

Do you know how many calories you need and how you would fit your pre and post workout nutrition into this intake?

I offer exclusive nutrition plans via my personal website that helps you calculate this and I will coach you to structuring your nutritional intake if required.

If you need help with this and want to get the best results then you need to click HERE to find out more.

Until next time

E