Pre and post workout is a critical time for your body to digest and metabolize proper nutrition. You want to have enough energy and a settled stomach for your workout, and then you want to adequately refuel and repair after your workout. It’s all about nutrient timing and nutrient pairing when it comes to pre and post workout meals so here is what to eat before and are a workout (vegan style!)
Let’s start with the pre workout. First, you want to have something to sustain your energy, but not sit heavy in your tummy. Nobody wants to feel bubbly or bloated or bleh when they’re working out. You want easily digestible carbs, some protein and maybe a little fat. The carbs are really going to be your best friend here, because they’re going to give you sustained energy and stamina; cabers are the primary source of fuel for your muscles.
A word of caution. Don’t go overboard with the fat in your snacks because fat slows digestion and this could mean trouble for your tummy during your workout. I typically recommend eating snack an hour or 2 before a workout. If you’re going to have a full-out meal, give yourself 2-4 hours for it to digest before your workout so your body isn’t still using up its’ energy to digest your food (which will leave you with less energy for your workout!).
Here are some ideas for pre workout snacks:
- oatmeal and fruit
- apple with some almond butter
- fruit smoothie with some protein powder like my Hopeful and Wholesome Smoothie
- 1-2 slices of multigrain toast (Ezekiel is best!) with peanut or almond butter
- cereal and coconut or soy yogurt
- sweet potato (with aloe butter)
- overnight oats and soy or almond milk
- my superfood banana oatmeal breakfast cookies!
What you eat after your workout is equally as important. Your body absorbs nutrients more effectively after exercise, so it’s prime time to load up on the good stuff. Timing here is crucial. Waiting too long to replenish can delay your recovery, increase your level of soreness after a workout and can impact your next workout (as in your going to be dragging butt because you didn’t help your body recover with the right food!). Carbs and protein are first and foremost. The carbs help replenish fuel stores (glycogen) while the protein is going to repair and rebuild muscle that was broken down during your workout. A good balanced meal is really ideal after a good workout. Here are some ideas:
- smoothie with some protein like my Hopeful and Wholesome Smoothie
- tofu and rice
- beans/lentils and quinoa or wild rice
- hummus wrap with veggies
- lentil burger
- quinoa bowl with veggies, avocado and tofu
I did want to add one more thing. I know some people are “numbers” people, I know I am sometimes. And I could give you my recommendations for how many grams of each of these you should eat before and after a workout, but in all reality it really does depend on so many factors. Your type of workout, length of workout, intensity, your body… all these things affect these numbers. And while I do make custom meal plans, for our purposes here I will just way to keep it balanced with these pre and post workout meals, get in some good quality carbs and protein and it will get you going in the right direction!