There is more than just exercises and supplements when working out. There’s a huge difference between training hard and training smart. Let me give you 5 tips in maximizing both your health and your training.
Eat Before A Workout
In my early years of weight lifting, I didn’t care about putting food in your stomach before training. It’s because it was a dumb idea that to get abs or develop a muscle, I must be lean or thin during a workout.
That’s not half bad because there is some truth to it. If you want your abs to appear, you need to reach a certain body fat percentage. But overall, it still was a silly idea.
Our body burns calories when we exercise, and if we don’t eat quality foods at least 1 to 2 hours before our workout, we’ll die a horrible death. (I’m just exaggerating on the last part, but you get the point.)
Here’s a good analogy: A car needs fuel to run, and our body demands the same. It wouldn’t be able to function well during a workout if it doesn’t have the necessary fuel to power it up.
How Long Should I Eat Before A Workout
For most gym-goers, they would say 45 minutes to an hour. But for some who has an ailment such as acid-reflux or GERD, I’d say between 2 to 3 hours, because lactic acid builds up during an intense exercise and people with GERD tend to throw up if that happens.
I believe it doesn’t just happen to GERD patients but in general as well. But the effects aren’t as worse as the ones being experienced by a person who has an acid-reflux.
What To Eat Before Working Out
Our body heavily relies on these 3 essential nutrients.
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
- Fat
They’re also called macros or macronutrients. Macronutrients isn’t just a technical term when you create a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. They are what makes up the caloric content of the food.
Ever wondered why you’re still hungry after eating 4 slices of pizza? Or a monster, triple-patty burger? That’s because they’re not considered as quality and balanced type of food. (Hint: DO NOT EVER EAT 4 slices of pizza or that triple-patty burger before a workout.)
Instead, consider eating:
- 1/2 cup of oatmeal in milk with a banana
- 250g of your preferred yogurt
- 4 whole eggs (boiled)
There’s a whole lot more on the list but what I’m trying to point out is to eat quality non-processed foods, not just before a workout, but 90% of the time.
Supplementing Before Or After Your Workout
This is an interesting topic because there are different goals for every person. I’d be happy to discuss this in two parts.
I’ll Show You The Whey: A Noobs Guide To Supplementation
If you’re new to weightlifting, I recommend that you stick to the basics until your body has adapted to the stress that you’re putting it 4x a week.
What does it mean to stick to the basics:
- Eat clean and healthy whole foods
- Consistently follow the beginner’s level of your program
- Practice with good form to avoid injuries
- Do not attempt any advanced training program
- Make it a habit of sleeping at least 7 to 8 hours for your muscle to recover because they only grow with sufficient rest
If you’re someone who doesn’t get the needed nutrients from food, that’s probably the only time for a beginner to take supplements such as whey protein and omega-3 supplements. I recommend that you check with your Doctor before purchasing any supplements.
I’ve Found The Whey: An Intermediate To Advanced Lifters Story
If you’ve been lifting weights for a year or more and you want to push the limits of your body or consistently get the nutrients that it needs, then this is for you.
It’s safe to say that you can take whatever supplements you need to maximize your body’s abilities. For example, whey protein isn’t only an excellent post-workout drink, but it also repairs the damaged muscle fibers at a molecular level. Creatine is great for strength building, endurance development just to name a few of its dozens of useful features.
That’s it for me, and I hope I’ve shed some light for those interested in pre workout supplements. If you have any questions that you’d like me to answer or if you think I missed a few details, please don’t hesitate to put your comments below!
