How to get the most out of your exercise routine and diet
Diet vs Exercise – which is more important? It’s a question that sparks a variety of opinions, hot takes, and anecdotal evidence. The reality is, they are both important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle! Depending on your goals, you may want to favor one over the other, but generally speaking – we want to move past the argument of which is more important, and instead, discuss ways to utilize them together.
Consider the words of Henry Ford: “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” So how can your exercise routine and diet work together? Here are a few things to remember:
Eating habits affect your workouts
What you eat and when you eat have an impact on the effectiveness of your workouts. It’s important to be well-fueled going into a workout, but not over-fueled. General guidelines suggest eating large meals 3-4 hours before exercising, and waiting at least an hour to exercise after a small meal or snack. Having a small snack prior to a longer workout will give you the energy to continue all the way through and should consist of a healthy carbohydrate and protein. Banana and peanut butter, anyone?
It’s cliché, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day! A healthy breakfast helps replenish your supply of glucose and provides nutrients that keep energy levels high throughout the day. A healthy breakfast generally consists of a healthy carb such as a whole fruit, a whole grain such as oatmeal, a low-fat dairy product, and protein. So maybe throw a small handful of unsalted nuts into that oatmeal. Remember, low-fat dairy options such as Greek yogurt and skim milk also contain a great source of protein.
Eating post-workout
Eating after exercising is very important, but it needs to be the right food to re-fuel your body. Think of it this way: during your workout, your body burns fuel resulting in energy depletion. A post-workout meal is essential in refilling muscle energy stores. But if you think you can chow down on anything after exercising because of all the calories you just burned, think again.
Many believe that your post-workout meal is the most important meal of the day, because the nutrients are essential in rebuilding structural aspects of the muscle. These nutrients include, you guessed it – healthy carbs, protein and healthy fats! Healthy fats are those unsaturated fats that are often liquid at room temperature and commonly found in avocados and nuts. An example of a simple post-workout meal that has all of these components would be a whole grain sandwich with avocado and sliced turkey. Find more suggestions on pre and post-workout nutrition here.
Building Muscle
If you’re strength training or trying to build muscle, you should be eating a mix of protein and carbs within 15 minutes after your workout. Recommended intakes vary depending on your body size and exercise routine (between 1-1.5 g/kg body weight), but post-workout protein is helpful for everyone for muscle repair, recovery, and growth (RDA is 0.8 g/kg body weight). And while healthy fats are an essential part of your nutritional intake, some studies show that consuming fat after working out can slow the digestion and absorption of carbs and protein.
Burning Fat and Cardio
If you’re exercising for cardiovascular benefits or to burn fat, the eating rules aren’t as strict. Your body simply doesn’t need to re-fuel after a short cardio session like it does after an intense strength training session. When it comes to fat burning, the traditional idea of carb-loading has been challenged in recent years. The theory of fasted cardio says that fasting before a cardio workout creates a low-insulin environment, putting you in an ideal fat-burning state. However, be aware that a low carb diet is also not recommended for everyone and will put your body into a state of ketosis. Always seek advice from a health care professional such as a Registered Dietitian before making major changes to your usual food intake!
Food as a fuel source
Before you decide to skip out on breakfast and go with the fasted cardio approach, be aware that some research shows individuals training in a fasted state may lose muscle tissue. Your body needs fuel and lean muscle mass is where it will go for fuel first when none is provided. The best fuel for your body is a well-balanced diet – fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, grains, and protein. The recommendations for the general population include a diet that contains 45-65% of your Calories from carbohydrates, 20-35% of total Calories from fat, and 10-35% total Calories from protein. Variations come from differences in height, age, weight, gender, and physical activity levels. Learn more about the specifics of a well-balanced diet at MyPlate.gov!
Bottom line is that your body needs fuel for energy and that fuel comes from the right food. Supply your body with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein options, moderate intake of added sugar and refined grains and you will see, as well as feel the difference.
Recovering with the right foods
We know that protein is important to consume after muscle-intensive exercise. Additionally, the antioxidants in blueberries have been shown to prevent free radical damage to your muscles post-workout. Antioxidants can be found in many other fruits and berries as well! Leafy greens that are rich in Potassium can help muscle cramps, which can be caused by deficiencies in Potassium. Finally, Salmon (as well as many nuts and seeds) are full of omega-3 fatty acids that play a big role in anti-inflammatory processes.
Conclusion
In saying all of this, it is important to know that individuals vary and context matters! Not only do different approaches work for different people, but nutritional research is evolving and changing as we learn more about the human body. If you’re a bit overwhelmed, try to at least stick to a few simple principles:
- Listen to your body during workouts
- Eat healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, and vegetables…lots of vegetables
- Drink water
- Avoid the obviously unhealthy – alcohol, added sugar, fast food!
If you’re working out consistently and sticking to a balanced diet, you’re definitely on the right track. During National Nutrition Month in March, BODYCRAFT is offering 15% off all fitness equipment on our site. Take advantage of this offer and start pairing your workout routines with healthy eating habits.