The requirements of the post and pre-workout foods broadly depend on the energy systems and the fuel sources used by the body during exercise or workout which differ for each type of training. So it’s workout specific.
We are aware of the different energy systems that the body uses for eg. Weight training uses the ATP-CP system and Anaerobic Glycolysis here the main fuel sources are creatine stored in the muscle and carbohydrates whereas when it comes to the cardiovascular, the aerobic energy system and we have categories for nutritional consumption such as:
- Low to moderate, its primary fats along with small quantities of carbohydrates with protein
- Moderate to high intensity, it’s primarily carbohydrates along with a moderate quantity of fats
- Interval training, its alternate use of carbohydrates and fats
And we have other forms of training that look at other combinations as well.
Now let’s look at the ideal pre-training meal:
The ideal pre-training meal should consist of low to moderate glycemic index foods that are slowly absorbed carbs. The purpose of this meal is essential to fuel energy levels during exercise by providing slow and sustained energy release during the exercise and to help optimize the muscle glycogen stores in the body to maintain steady blood glucose levels during a workout.
What can we include in pre-workout foods?
Excellent sources of slowly absorbed carbohydrates are whole grains rich in fibre such as:
- Steel cut oats- used as oats upma, oats chilla, oats porridge
- Jowar flour- used as roti or chilla
- Brown rice/ red rice poha
- Low glycemic fruits like apple, pear, orange, sweet lime, guava, and papaya along with good fats such as almonds and walnuts
Excellent sources of first-class slow-absorbed proteins:
The purpose of the first class complete protein is to provide a slow and sustained supply of amino acids during exercise, specifically providing 3 amino acids, BCAA (branched-chain amino acids) for energy use during the workout. Hence the ideal sources are egg white with yolk combo, skim paneer, whey isolate, casein powders, obviously subjective to gut allergies and food intolerances or food sensitivities, and lastly vegan protein powders. Protein sources like chicken or fish may get a little heavy on the gut but can experiment with small quantities.
What we don’t want to include?
In terms of carbohydrates: are high glycemic sugars that are short-lived and provide an instant boost of energy followed by an energy dip for eg: high Gi fruits such as banana, and mango, fruit juices, and dry fruits such as dates or high sugar cereals such as white rice, white bread
In terms of protein: we must not include dairy products like whey and casein, milk and paneer with gut issues and rather use a vegan powder that’s best suited for your gut.
My fav pre-workout foods for energy:
- Oats porridge/ oats upma/ oats chilla with whey in skim milk/ casein in water/ vegan protein in water/ almond milk
- Oats powder mixed with skim milk/ water/ almond milk
- Jowar roti / jowar chilla with eggs/ paneer
- Moong dal chilla with whey / vegan powder in water/ eggs
- Apple/ pear + 3 almonds + 2 walnuts with whey/ vegan powder in water/ eggs
Remember pre-workout foods for weight gain and pre-workout foods for fat loss are similar in terms of quality but differ in quantity!
You can also take a look at our immunity boosting diet plan to stay on top of your wellness game.
Maximize your fitness routine with optimal nutrition. Consult Karishmma Chawla for personalized pre-workout food recommendations.
