What to eat/drink before, during and after your TransformHERS bootcamp session
posted by TransformHERS on 16 Apr 13, 12:05
Categories: Health, Fitness
What is the best thing to eat before exercising for energy and endurance?Fueling exercise requires quality carbohydrates, lean protein, heart-healthy fats, and fluids. Your muscles rely on carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables for a quick energy source. Protein is needed to build and maintain muscles and for healthy blood cells. Blood cells deliver nutrients and oxygen to working muscles.
Foods provide the gas to the body’s engine, and fluids provide the water to your body’s radiator. Without these crucial fuels and fluids, your body will have a hard time performing at its best.
Is there an ideal pre-sport or exercise meal?
The ideal pre-sport meal has five characteristics:
1. Low fat
2. Moderate in carbohydrates and protein
3. Low fiber
4. Contains fluids
5. Made up of familiar, well-tolerated foods.
The pre-game meal is not the time to try a new food. A grilled chicken sandwich or a slice of cheese pizza might fit the pre-game meal description, but stay clear of the fried food (including french fries), greasy burgers, and soft drinks.
Why is it so important to drink plenty of liquids during exercise?
Not only does being well hydrated improve your performance, it can save your life. Water acts as your body’s cooling system; without sufficient water during exercise your body temperature can reach dangerously high levels.
The best way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of fluids with meals and drink about two cups of water two hours before exercise. Monitor your hydration status through two simple measures:
Is it better to stay hydrated with sports drinks or plain water?
Recreational athletes can drink water for hydration. But if you're exercising for more than 60 minutes in hot, humid conditions, sports drinks provide not only fluid, but carbohydrate and sodium. Sports drinks are also a good choice if you play team sports like soccer or football, especially when the temperature and humidity are high. If you are a heavy sweater, a sports drink might be preferable to water
Why do you need to eat protein or drink protein shakes after exercising?
Muscles need protein for recovery and growth, and the best time to deliver protein appears to be right after exercise. Providing high-quality protein after exercise gives your muscles the fuel and the building blocks needed for both repair and for growth.
Protein shakes and powders carry a certain allure, but your muscles don’t care if the protein comes from a hard-boiled egg, glass of chocolate milk or whey protein shake. Whatever you choose, more isn’t better -- only 10 to 20 grams of protein is needed to provide amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to muscles.
Article content from: http://www.webmd.com
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