Physical exercises are energy-demanding and, therefore, athletes and fitness enthusiasts need to have a good diet before and after exercising. In particular, before exercising, good nutrition will help your body to perform as expected. Besides, having a good diet before exercise will allow you to recover much quicker after each workout exercise. Checking your dietary habits before and after exercise will thus ensure that you remain physically fit. Here is an overview of what to have before your exercises.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the primary sources of energy for your muscles. Your dietary carbohydrates get broken down into glucose and other substrates used by muscles to generate energy. The excess amount of glucose is stored in the body, where it is retrieved and utilized in the event of high-intensity exercises—having a good carbohydrate diet before your workouts will replenish the depleted energy levels and ensure that you have the strength to sustain your physical exercise sessions.
Proteins
Studies have proven that having an excellent pre-workout protein diet increases your ability to perform competently in a workout session. Proteins are necessary for the muscles to recover quickly from the stress and strain caused by physical exercises. Proteins have also been proven to increase body strength while maintaining body mass. This is highly necessary if you wish to maintain their sleek body shape without compromising your agility.
Fats
Dietary fats provide the body with the much-needed glycogen necessary for short and high-intensity exercises. In most cases, moderate to low-intensity physical activities demand the utilization of body fats as energy substrates. Therefore, having just the right amount of dietary fat can substantially boost your athleticism without compromising your body’s physic. Studies have also proven that having a four-times-a-week healthy fat can increase endurance during long-term physical exercises.
The timing of your pre-workout meal is a key determinant factor that you should keenly consider. To maximize the impact of the pre-workout diet, you may want to take a balanced diet comprising the three dietary elements outlined above about two-three hours before the exercise. However, the meal should be simple to digest as that will highly unlikely interfere with your workout performance.