A well-thought-out workout starts and finishes with consuming the correct nutrients. How you fuel and refill before and after a workout can assist in determining the session’s real fitness-building benefit. This is true regardless of whether an individual is lifting weights, jogging miles, or swimming laps. The further the activity is from when a person eats, the larger and more “mixed” their meal may be, meaning fat and protein can be included alongside carbohydrates. A person should eat a full meal three to four hours before the start of the workout, a higher carbohydrate snack two hours before exercising, and/or a smaller, easy-to-digest carbohydrate right up until the start of exercise (DeSimone, 2018). Half a banana, a tiny applesauce cup, or a handful of crackers or pretzels are some suggestions for a pre-workout micro snack. This food should be minimal in fat and fiber so that it may be digested rapidly by the body.
Consuming carbohydrates, especially during longer workouts, can help an individual maintain their stamina and their, timing and attention. This is especially critical for long-duration training, competitions, and stop-and-go sports like soccer, basketball, or tennis. A handful of jelly beans or gummy bears, a spoonful of honey, or sports gels are other snack options to consider when exercising. After a workout, consuming a snack or meal high in protein and carbohydrates is necessary to ensure that the body has the energy to replenish what it has used. It aids in the healing and development of muscles (DeSimone, 2018). A brief snack can help reduce hunger while also allowing a person to calm down, shower, change, and eat a substantial dinner. Meals consumed within the recovery window, which lasts up to an hour after the activity, should be high in protein, carbs, and overall calories. For example, quinoa, brown rice, nuts, or bread for the source of carbs and tofu, beans, or fish for proteins. Dairy products also contain the amino acid leucine, which aids muscle protein synthesis.
Men who participate in regular physical activity burn more calories per day compared to men who do not physically active. To help enhance athletic performance and maintain a healthy body weight, selecting an appropriate food plan is crucial. It is as crucial to stay hydrated as to stay fueled during the workout. There are various things to consider when determining how much water a person need to drink, including how long an individual plan to exercise and how hot it is. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, active men between 19 and 30 require approximately 3,000 calories per day (Coleman, 2018). This includes 4 cups of vegetables, 2.5 cups of fruits, 10 ounces of grains, 7 ounces of protein foods such as lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, and soy products, 3 cups of dairy foods, 10 teaspoons of oils, and 459 additional calories per day.
Breakfast: one whole-wheat bagel, two scrambled eggs, 2 teaspoons peanut butter, 1 cup low-fat yogurt, and one small orange. For a morning snack, 2 ounces of reduced-fat cheese, 10 whole-wheat crackers, and one tiny apple. Lunch: one whole-wheat bagel, two scrambled eggs, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 1 cup of low-fat yogurt. Dinner consists of 4 ounces of grilled salmon, one large sweet potato, one small dinner roll, 1 teaspoon of margarine, and 1.5 cups of steamed broccoli, and an evening snack consists of 3 cups of popped popcorn.
References
Coleman, R. E. D. (2018). Active Men Meal Plans. Healthy Eating | SF Gate.
DeSimone, G. T. (2018). SHAREABLE RESOURCE: What to Eat Before, During, and After Exercise. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 22(4), 5.