In this entry, I would like to discuss proper ways to prepare yourself prior to and post-workout. How should you eat prior to your workout? What should your post workout meal be like? Let's take a look.


In anticipation of a workout, I always feel that it's most prudent to have a nice size meal about an hour and a half to two hours prior to workout time. It is also very important to be drinking a good amount of water so that way you can guarantee that you are properly hydrated for your workout. In those moments leading up to your workout, typically within 30 minutes before the workout, I feel that it is a good practice to take in a piece of fruit just to give yourself a little sugar in your bloodstream. Now how should we approach post workout?


Post-workout it is always very important to take in protein and carbs. While working out you are breaking down your muscles, and causing micro-tears within your muscles. You need to give your body protein post workout to help those muscles rebuild and recover from that workout. Carbohydrate is also important because post-workout we need to replenish our glycogen storage within our muscles. So when considering a post workout meal, the goal is always going to be to try to get protein and carbohydrate to the muscles as fast as possible. In a perfect world, a protein shake mixed with some sort of dextrose carbohydrate would be most ideal. If taking in a food source that food has to be digested and broken down before it can be assimilated so, therefore, a food-based meal is not the most efficient.


I hope this article shed some light on how to prepare yourself both prior and post-workout. As always best of luck with your program.