Pre Workout Nutrition: 4 Foods to Eat to Boost Stamina

लाइफस्टाइल

Working out and eating right go hand in hand. A hungry and unsettling stomach can’t pull off an intense workout session. Turn to the best pre workout meals like creamy blueberry shakes, bananas, oats, peanut butter, and boiled potatoes to boost your stamina while working out.

Pre Workout Nutrition: 4 Foods to Eat to Boost Stamina

Everyone knows what happens on the first day of the year. People create new year's resolutions, of course! Surely, you have done it, too. The most popular one among them all is going to the gym regularly. But that resolution and motivation fizzle faster than a loaf of bread rises in the oven. Several people don’t even make it to the end of the week. This is because everyone wants immediate results. They want to achieve the quintessential figure and strength quotient in no time and with little effort.

However, life is all about being consistent in the things you do, and it is no different in your fitness journey either. In fact, regular physical activity has a huge payoff for health. And you should know that working out and eating the right food go hand in hand. So, few people know what your pre workout snack should be and why. Are you one of those people? If you are, then you must read this article.

Importance of a pre workout meal

A pre-exercise meal protects you from bouts of acidity by curbing hunger and settling your stomach. It protects one from slipping into low sugar or hypoglycemic states after extended fasting hours of the previous night. It also influences the performance quality and prevents fatigue. The recovery process of the body after an intense workout session is faster, too.

Nutritional strategies and meal tips to complement your pre workout plan

Up Your Protein Intake: Have a protein source like whey protein, egg whites, chicken, or tuna with an adequate amount of fast-digesting protein. Consuming it 2-3 hours before the workout would provide plenty of amino acids that can help strengthen your muscles.
Boost Your Stamina: If you get tired too early, try consuming carbohydrates an hour before working out. This may help you power through your intense workout sessions.
Get More Nutrition: Minimise high-fat foods as they interfere with nutrition absorption. Fat as pre workout nutrition only fuels longer moderate to low-intensity exercise. Try having more nutritional options like fruit smoothies, bananas, oats, and whole grain bread as pre workout snacks instead.
Start Your Mornings Right: Hitting the gym first thing in the morning also means that you haven’t had anything since your last dinner. Having a peanut butter sandwich or protein shake can give you the energy you need to put off that intense workout session.
Yoghurt Has Your Back: Want something light on the stomach but filled with energy to slay that workout session? Try having yoghurt before you exercise. It contains plenty of calcium and protein, along with just the right amount of sugar. Take it with some whole grains or fruits and you’re good to go.

Here are some of the best pre workout meal options that one can include in their daily routine to achieve their dream body goal.

Fruits as a Pre Workout Meal

Bananas are one of the best pre workout meals for muscle gain. Packed with essential nutrients like potassium, it helps with nerve and muscular function during a workout. Since it brings about the slow release of glucose, it is best suited for endurance workouts. Bananas help in replenishing the glycogen loss that occurs during an intense workout. Bananas, as a reservoir of vital minerals and vitamins, prove to be great digestion boosters too. A clever combination of simple sugars and protein does a perfect job of soothing and re-energizing fatigued muscles. It speeds up the recovery and repair process. So make sure you eat some bananas pre workout or munch on some other pre workout fruits like berries before an intense gym session.

Yummy banana pre workout options

Banana and peanut butter
Banana honey smoothie
Banana-oat bread
Banana honey porridge
Banana oatmeal shake
Oats in a medley with banana and Greek yoghurt

Some other pre workout fruits:

Bananas, along with apples, pears, and oranges, or any fruit of your choice, are great choices for a quick bite before exercise. The sugar in the fruit is simple and easy to assimilate by the muscles and the fibre aids in its slow release. The water content in the fruits helps a great deal with maintaining your hydration levels. Furthermore, blueberries make an excellent pre-workout snack. The fact that they are a complex carb, which aids in providing sustained energy for the gym, is what makes them an ideal addition to your pre workout meal. Another advantage of eating blueberries is that they have been shown to improve brain function.

Whey proteins and lean meat

Your muscles will get the most from the amino acids they need to heal and grow if you consume a quick-absorbing protein like whey protein right after working out. The sooner you can ingest whey protein after working out, the better. On the other hand, you can eat lean meat with vegetables and grains before working out [before 2-3 hours of working out, as this gives your body time to absorb the nutrients and make them ready for use when working out.

It is not necessary to include expensive and rare food items as your pre workout meal option. You can have these below-mentioned dishes or food items as your pre workout meal. It will also fulfil your nutritional requirements:

Boiled egg and upma/poha
Roti+paneer curry
Dahi and dry fruits
Sweet potato/ boiled potato and egg
Peanut butter sandwiches
Energy/ Granola bar

Closing lines

The bottom line is to never hit the gym on an empty stomach. You are now better informed about the foods that you can eat before your workout. Make the most of it. The right pre-exercise meal is the key to maximising your energy, calorie/fat burning potential and helping you achieve the necessary gains. As you climb up the ladder, you will understand your peak points in terms of your endurance and stamina. Now, go be awesome!