What to eat before weight training?

Strength training has become increasingly popular in recent years not only among gentlemen, but also among ladies. A well-composed and varied diet is one of the absolutely key factors that favorably affect physical performance, body composition and post-workout recovery in those who regularly practice sports. Many people just starting out in the gym usually don't know what to eat before weight training for reduction, and whether it's worth eating anything at all before weight training in the evening. So let's see what a meal before weight training should look like and why you should remember to eat it.

• Meal before strength training - what is its role?
• Meal before strength training - what to pay attention to?
• What to eat before weight training?
• Sample meals before weight training

Meal before strength training - what is its role?

The essential role of the meal before strength training for reduction and weight training is to provide adequate energy for muscles for the duration of exercise. The main source of energy for working skeletal muscles is carbohydrates, which can be used in a very wide range of training intensity. The human body has the ability to use carbohydrates as an energy source in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In the case of the highest training intensity (e.g., the four-minute Tabata metabolic interval training in the form of barbell squats), carbohydrates have an advantage over fats as an energy substrate, because they provide more ATP molecules, which are the primary source of energy during muscle contraction, per the same volume of oxygen that can be delivered to the mitochondria. In addition, carbohydrates do not require the presence of oxygen in the oxidation process, which is another advantage over fats when it comes to fuel for working muscles. Therefore, it's worth eating an adequate amount of carbohydrate-rich products before weight training for mass and reduction to have enough energy during exercise.

Meal before strength training - what to pay attention to?

We already know that the meal before weight training should be rich in carbohydrates to ensure high exercise performance. In addition, the pre-workout meal should be satiating enough to prevent the onset of hunger during exercise. Hence, it is imperative to consume an adequate amount of protein in the pre-workout meal in order to increase postprandial satiety on the one hand, and on the other to gain the added benefit of improved strength and muscle mass development. It is clear that the pre-workout meal must not be indigestible and particularly high in fat and dietary fiber, so as not to overtax the digestive tract and at the same time avoid gastrointestinal discomfort during exercise. For this reason, it is not recommended to eat fried foods and fast-food dishes before weight training. For the vast majority of people, a meal eaten 2-3 hours before weight training can resemble an ordinary lunch or breakfast dish in composition and texture. However, it is important that the meal before strength training is not very large in volume and long-lasting deep-fried. You also don't necessarily need to eat whole-grain high-fiber cereal products before weight training. Fine-grain cereals and groats, eggless wheat pasta, white rice and light bread are great, especially before weight training for mass.

What to eat before weight training?

In practice, it turns out that many people wondering what to eat before weight training in the evening decide to eat an hour or an hour and a half before the start of exercise. In such a situation, the pre-workout meal should primarily contain easily digestible carbohydrates and protein, and only a small amount of fat and dietary fiber. As a source of easily digestible carbohydrates, such products as white rice, eggless wheat pasta, small groats and flakes, light bread, ripe banana, dried fruit, fruit jams and jam, 100% fruit juices, kisiel, or pudding on skim milk will work well. Consuming an adequate amount of carbohydrates (at least 1 g for each kg of total body weight) in the meal before strength training will help maintain a high intensity of exercise. The meal before strength training for reduction and weight training should also contain 30-40 g of protein, which should come from lean poultry meat (especially skinless chicken and turkey breast), lean fish species (e.g. cod, pollock, pikeperch, sole, tilapia), high-protein natural yogurts of the Icelandic type (e.g. Skyr), light country cheese, lean cottage cheese and good quality protein supplements. In the meal before weight training, you should avoid consuming larger amounts of fats, so nuts, seeds, seeds, butter, soft margarine, hummus, guacamole paste, peanut butter, dark chocolate and vegetable oils. In addition, it is also a good idea to limit the amount of vegetables and bloating and hard-to-digest products, such as pulses, onions, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

Sample meals before weight training

You already know what to eat before weight training on reduction and mass. Now it's time to present a list of sample meal ideas before weight training, including when it is done in the evening. It is worth noting that the meal an hour or an hour and a half before weight training can also be blended into a shake to digest more easily. In this situation, you can quickly prepare a tasty and digestible meal with high nutritional value. Simply blend with a blender, for example, a ripe banana, a handful of your favorite berries, 1-2 tablespoons of small cereal, 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 cup of skim milk or 1 package of high-protein natural yogurt (such as Skyr drinkable) to make a delicious smoothie high in protein and easily digestible carbohydrates. Below is a list of some meal ideas that outline what to eat before weight training.

• Instant oatmeal cooked in 1.5% fat cow's milk or a good quality soy beverage with a ripe banana, dried dates and cocoa.
• Steamed chicken/ turkey breast with a small portion of vegetables and white rice.
• Smoothie with high-protein natural yogurt, banana, mango, millet flakes and cinnamon.
• Smoothie with protein conditioner (WPC or WPI), skim milk or good quality vegetable drink, ripe banana, honey and berries.
• Blueberry flakes with Skyr natural yogurt, mango, raisins and cinnamon.
• Baked cod fillet in parchment paper with cooked millet groats and a small portion of steamed vegetables.
• Light spaghetti noodles with tofu and tomato sauce.
• White bread sandwiches with cottage cheese and low-sugar jam.

Sources:

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