Fitness Mantra – Right Food and Right Workout
While workout and exercises are unarguably the most important requirement for a perfect body, most of us do not pay much attention to our eating habits. A fitness routine cannot be effective if it is not backed by proper diet. It is therefore really vital to have a proper post and pre workout diet.
In order to fully understand the importance of diet for workouts, it is important to know the science behind muscle building. When you exercise your muscles gets deprived from glycogen which helps in muscle contraction. Also muscle tear takes when you lift weights and your body starts the process of muscle regeneration.
Therefore the main target of having a post-workout diet is to make up for the lost glycogen and provide enough energy so that muscle repair and growth can be done efficiently.
It is important that you eat your meals within the first 30 minutes after your routine. This is the most appropriate time to eat since your muscles need nutrients for growth and repair.
The best diet to consume after a workout is the one that contains a perfect balance of both carbohydrates and proteins. Make sure that your meal is such that is easy to eat, chew and can get digested easily. Carbohydrates will help in muscle repair while proteins help in muscle growth. Light or semi-solid foods are best to consume since they can be easily ingested.
Remember to segment your post workout diets in two parts. Ideally you should give a two hour gap between the two meals. The second meal can consist of proper solid food which can be slow digesting. This time also make sure to include carbohydrates and proteins as the basic nutrients in your diet.