THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL
PRE-WORKOUT
If I asked you what you thought the most important meal of the day is, you'd probably either give me the "Mom" answer or the "Bro" answer - namely, breakfast or post workout. However, in my eyes, either way - you'd be wrong.
No, I'm not being crazy, I'm just being logical. The most important meal of your day is your PRE-WORKOUT meal. Why? Simple - the pre-workout meal is the one that determines how hard you can work in the gym. You can't drive a car without anything in the tank, right? So how is your body any different?
I don't care how much you bench or how fast you run. While you can push your body to perform near-miraculous feats, there is one thing you can't do - and that is defy digestion.
Though supplement companies, and yes, even your good bros at the gym, have been pounding the importance of post-workout nutrition into your head, what they fail to realize is that the meal you eat before you workout hasn't even been fully digested by the time you're running to your car to slam your whey isolate and dextrose shake.
You can spike your insulin through the roof after lifting, but it's not going to change what's already working its way through your digestive system.
And just for clarification - by pre-workout meal, I don't mean the creatine-caffeine colada you slam while in the locker room. I'm talking about an actual meal, about one and a half hours before you hit the weights.
No, I'm not being crazy, I'm just being logical. The most important meal of your day is your PRE-WORKOUT meal. Why? Simple - the pre-workout meal is the one that determines how hard you can work in the gym. You can't drive a car without anything in the tank, right? So how is your body any different?
I don't care how much you bench or how fast you run. While you can push your body to perform near-miraculous feats, there is one thing you can't do - and that is defy digestion.
Though supplement companies, and yes, even your good bros at the gym, have been pounding the importance of post-workout nutrition into your head, what they fail to realize is that the meal you eat before you workout hasn't even been fully digested by the time you're running to your car to slam your whey isolate and dextrose shake.
You can spike your insulin through the roof after lifting, but it's not going to change what's already working its way through your digestive system.
And just for clarification - by pre-workout meal, I don't mean the creatine-caffeine colada you slam while in the locker room. I'm talking about an actual meal, about one and a half hours before you hit the weights.
What Would You Eat For This Meal?
So what's the magic formula? I guess I'll admit it now. I don't have one. The most important thing to do is eat a balanced meal, meaning one consisting of carbohydrates, protein and fats.
I'd suggest making the bulk of the calories in the pre-workout meal from carbohydrates. Because your body relies on glycogen stores to power you through your workout, you'll need something to fill those stores. And that something is carbohydrates. As you'll be leaving some time before you workout, choose some low-GI carbohydrates to ensure a steady flow of energy and avoid a crash before you even reach the gym.
You'll also want to include protein in your pre-workout meal. Why? Because protein contains amino acids, the building blocks of muscle. Choose a slow-digesting protein, such as meat or casein, as this will keep amino acids in your blood throughout and after your workout. And this is where I'm going to directly oppose the post-workout pushers.
The protein you consume before working out is more important than that which you consume afterwards. Really? Yep - consider this: "Delivery of amino acids has been shown to be significantly greater during the exercise bout when consumed pre-workout than after exercise (Tipton, 2001)1."
Fat is also important to include as it is, among other things, delicious, supports an already healthy blood-sugar level and slow down digestion. Fat is also used for energy, which you'll definitely need for your workout.
Oh, and one more thing - don't forget dessert! That's right, dessert. About an hour after your meal, grab a piece of fruit or some other simple sugar. Why? Because it "can reduce the amount of glycogen used during exercise. This can prolong performance. More importantly, [it] appear[s] to create a hormonal milieu favorable to anabolism (growth)1."
BONUS QUESTION:
Do You Plan Your Meals In Advance? If So, How Do You Plan Your Meals And How Far Ahead?
With school and work, I'm a pretty busy guy, so it's difficult to plan out all of my meals in advance. I can also be pretty impulsive, so if I'm in the mood for something, I'm going to eat it. However, there is one meal I always plan in advance, and it is, you guessed it - pre-workout.
Compared to pre-workout, post-workout is an after thought; maybe some sushi, whey and cereal, basically whatever I'm in the mood for. Post-workout doesn't really stress me out that much - how is the protein shake I haven't even consumed yet going to help me bang out one more rep?
But pre-workout is pretty consistent. My staple carbohydrate choice is a yam - complex and delicious, can be topped with cinnamon, salt and pepper, almost anything really, very versatile. I also like to get some greens, so I'll usually have a salad, topped with onions, tomatoes and some sort of meat - chicken, tuna, or steak.
If I feel like I need some more calories, I'll throw on some dressing or grab some almonds or peanut butter for fat. That way, I've covered all of the macronutrient bases, but I haven't bogged myself down with a very heavy meal. For my pre-workout "dessert," I'll usually have an apple, an orange, or maybe an energy drink for that little extra boost.
Of course, you can eat whatever you'd like, as long as you're getting a balanced meal that will give you enough energy to dominate the weights. Whatever you decide to eat - dig in!
So what's the magic formula? I guess I'll admit it now. I don't have one. The most important thing to do is eat a balanced meal, meaning one consisting of carbohydrates, protein and fats.
I'd suggest making the bulk of the calories in the pre-workout meal from carbohydrates. Because your body relies on glycogen stores to power you through your workout, you'll need something to fill those stores. And that something is carbohydrates. As you'll be leaving some time before you workout, choose some low-GI carbohydrates to ensure a steady flow of energy and avoid a crash before you even reach the gym.
You'll also want to include protein in your pre-workout meal. Why? Because protein contains amino acids, the building blocks of muscle. Choose a slow-digesting protein, such as meat or casein, as this will keep amino acids in your blood throughout and after your workout. And this is where I'm going to directly oppose the post-workout pushers.
The protein you consume before working out is more important than that which you consume afterwards. Really? Yep - consider this: "Delivery of amino acids has been shown to be significantly greater during the exercise bout when consumed pre-workout than after exercise (Tipton, 2001)1."
Fat is also important to include as it is, among other things, delicious, supports an already healthy blood-sugar level and slow down digestion. Fat is also used for energy, which you'll definitely need for your workout.
Oh, and one more thing - don't forget dessert! That's right, dessert. About an hour after your meal, grab a piece of fruit or some other simple sugar. Why? Because it "can reduce the amount of glycogen used during exercise. This can prolong performance. More importantly, [it] appear[s] to create a hormonal milieu favorable to anabolism (growth)1."
BONUS QUESTION:
Do You Plan Your Meals In Advance? If So, How Do You Plan Your Meals And How Far Ahead?
With school and work, I'm a pretty busy guy, so it's difficult to plan out all of my meals in advance. I can also be pretty impulsive, so if I'm in the mood for something, I'm going to eat it. However, there is one meal I always plan in advance, and it is, you guessed it - pre-workout.
Compared to pre-workout, post-workout is an after thought; maybe some sushi, whey and cereal, basically whatever I'm in the mood for. Post-workout doesn't really stress me out that much - how is the protein shake I haven't even consumed yet going to help me bang out one more rep?
But pre-workout is pretty consistent. My staple carbohydrate choice is a yam - complex and delicious, can be topped with cinnamon, salt and pepper, almost anything really, very versatile. I also like to get some greens, so I'll usually have a salad, topped with onions, tomatoes and some sort of meat - chicken, tuna, or steak.
If I feel like I need some more calories, I'll throw on some dressing or grab some almonds or peanut butter for fat. That way, I've covered all of the macronutrient bases, but I haven't bogged myself down with a very heavy meal. For my pre-workout "dessert," I'll usually have an apple, an orange, or maybe an energy drink for that little extra boost.
Of course, you can eat whatever you'd like, as long as you're getting a balanced meal that will give you enough energy to dominate the weights. Whatever you decide to eat - dig in!
