What You Should Eat Before And After A Workout To Maximize Your Results

As you get busy with your workout programs, one thing that you must make sure you aren't overlooking is what you're eating before and after the training sessions you're doing.

Far too many people just 'wing' their nutrition and this is going to have a profound influence on the results that you see. The food you feed your body during these times are what will prepare it for the workout ahead and help to kick-star the recovery, so not something you should take lightly.

Let's look at the most optimal pre and post workout meal set-ups.

Before Your Workout 

First you need to consider what to eat before your workout. Generally this meal should come anywhere between 30-60 minutes before your workout, but depending on your own food tolerance, it may come sooner or later. Just make sure that you aren't cramping up during the workout because of it.




You want this meal to be primarily protein and carbohydrate based, with little to no fat involved. Fat will only weigh you down during the workout, taking away from your performance.

Look to lean protein sources such as chicken, turkey, fish, and egg whites along with complex carbohydrates such as oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice, or quinoa.

Try and stay away from sugary carbs as these may provide a fast burst of energy, but they'll cause your blood sugar to drop mid-session, which will leave you feeling weak and potentially dizzy.

After Your Workout 

Now looking at the post-workout meal, this one you want to be taking in as soon after the workout as possible. At this point your muscles are just crying out for good nutrition and anything you give them will be instantly put to use for tissue rebuilding and repair.

Again, keep fat out of the picture here. Your primary goal is to spike your insulin levels (through spiked blood glucose) so that you will suck those nutrients up and take them right into muscle storage.

You need to get in some good quality protein powder to provide the amino acids for muscle tissue rebuilding and repair, and whey protein powder makes for an ideal choice. It's generated to be fast digesting, so will serve your needs perfectly at this time.

Combine that with some simple carbs and some complex ones as well. This way the simple carbs will spike your blood glucose levels, but the complex carbs will carry you through after that.

A good example would be a whole wheat bagel with some jelly or some bran cereal combined with sugary cereal. Or, consider some brown rice and a banana.

All will work great to replenish your muscle glycogen stores.

So keep these pre and post workout meal tips in mind and make sure yours are where they need to be. It will make a huge difference in your training progress.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joe_Lamoureux/1398907

Water Therapy for Weight Loss - The Fastest Way to Lose Weight

Water Therapy for Weight Loss has been proven to be effective over the years. If you're trying to lose weight, experts say engaging in water therapy will help shed the excess fat fast. But then, what is Water Therapy?

According to Wikipedia, 'Water therapy is the use of water to improve health'.

In essence, water therapy for weight loss is the use of water to shed excess fat and improve health.

How then can you use water therapy for your weight loss?

Experts advocate starting your day with one litre of water in empty stomach before brushing. Not only does this help you clean up your bowels, it also helps to suppress appetite. You see, most times, we cannot differentiate between the hunger and thirst pangs. So, drinking water instead of eating will help you eat less. This is not to say you should not eat at all. Eat healthy and nutritious meals.




Our body is said to be made up of between 60%-65% water. This means, we need water to run a healthy body. If you drink more than 8 glasses of water daily, your body's metabolic rate will improve substantially. What does this mean for the weight loss process? This implies that you are burning calories at almost double the pace before implementing water therapy. The main reason water helps you lose excess body weight is because it is directly linked to the body's metabolism rate and the burning of body calories.

When examined from the diet and weight loss angle, metabolism is the method through which the body transforms food into energy (or uses it for bodily repairs) or stores it as fat for future use. What this simply means is, if we have a faster metabolism we burn calories more effortlessly and accumulate less fat. If we have a slower metabolism we burn calories less effortlessly and therefore accumulate more calories as fat.

Water therapy not only fastens your weight loss process, but also improves the renal performance, reduces chances of kidney problems and helps to maintain a youthful and healthy skin. It also helps to flush toxins out of our system, the more toxins in our body the less capable it is to lose weight.

From the above, you can see water is the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off!

Water therapy for weight loss is real, the earlier people embrace it, the better.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Iyabo_Mary_Oyawale/898484

Eating and Exercise - What to Eat Before and After a Workout

To get the most out of your workout, you'll want to fuel your body for maximum energy and stamina. And after your workout, you'll want to focus on foods that won't bring your renewed energy down.
Here's what you need to know:

Water is essential to your workout routine, before, after and during your exercise. It's absolutely essential that you give your body the hydration it needs. Without drinking enough water, you could end up dehydrating in the middle of your workout. Your body will hold on to moisture and you may experience some water weight gain. In short, you're more likely to be disappointed in the results of your workouts if you don't drink enough water

Before your workout, you need to fuel up with the right food. If you think that you need some high priced energy bars or processed foods, think again. If you want to get the most bang for your buck, simply eat whole, fresh foods.




The best thing to eat before your workout will depend on your fitness goals. If you are trying to lose weight, focus on fresh, low-calorie foods that have high water content - such as raw vegetables, fruit juices and salads. If you want to build up, you'll need to introduce lean protein into your diet and may even need to eat a small protein snack halfway through your workout.

Before I engage in an intense workout, I don't find it comfortable to have a lot of food in my stomach, so I make sure to eat lean all day before my workout and then I'll grab a handful of raw almonds or walnuts about 10 minutes before I begin my workout. This really works for me to feel lean and fast during my workout but helps with any hunger pangs as well as feelings of lightheadness, which I find I sometimes get if I don't eat enough before an intense workout.

This should go without saying, but you definitely shouldn't be drinking any alcoholic beverages before working out. It's essential to stay sober before, during and after exercise so you don't injure yourself. You should also avoid sugary drinks before and after. Don't drink your calories. Eat them in the form of fresh foods.

Once your workout is complete, eat a light and healthy meal. Don't assume that, just because you've worked out a whole bunch, you can suddenly eat a high calorie meal. It doesn't work like that.

Your body needs the right kind of fuel so you can benefit from the physical activity. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables along with lean protein is the perfect combination. Try steamed asparagus and broccoli with baked salmon. A chicken breast sliced and served atop a fresh salad is also a good choice.

If you decide to eat salad, stick to the oil and vinegar or vinaigrette dressing. Mayonnaise-based dressings are just empty calories.

It's also important to drink lots of water after your workout meal to rehydrate.

With these tips, you'll be fueling your body in the right way so you can more effectively meet your fitness goals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jamie_Jefferson/44401

Exercise to Get Fit and Healthy and Stay That Way - Two Simple Strategies

The older we get the more important exercise becomes. By making a few small changes and incorporating two simple strategies it is easy to get fit and healthy and stay that way! In fact studies are showing that baby boomers and seniors tend to see results quicker than anyone else when beginning a fitness exercise program.

To begin with start by adding strength training just a couple of times every week to your fitness routine. Forget the 'no pain, no gain' it is simply not true, you can achieve terrific results from an easy full body exercise routine that does not leave you in pain the next day. In a short time frame you will be amazed at how good you feel! Strength training does so much; it improves your balance and coordination, strengthens your muscles and bones, and it even helps you sleep better.

Secondly cardiovascular exercise is equally as important. It improves the function of your heart and lungs while increasing your overall stamina, endurance and energy. By cardio exercise I don't just mean hopping on the treadmill or elliptical machine at the gym. It comes down to the fact that the more you move the better you will feel! Every thing you do, yard work, gardening, house work all burn calories and can be included in your cardio exercise. It is easy to get started with cardio exercises; it can be as simple as just taking a walk each morning.




When it comes to fitness and exercise the more you know the better the results. First always check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Begin every exercise session with an easy warm up with activities such as walking or easy jogging for at least 8 to 10 minutes. The reasons are easy to understand, you slowly increase your heart rate, warm up your muscles and get the blood flowing to prepare you body for more strenuous exercise. Finally, end each workout with an easy cool down and stretch routine. Remember diet and exercise go hand in hand. Always keep your potions in check even though you are exercising.

When exercising to get healthy and stay healthy, not matter what your age, follow these exercise specifics and you'll see results in not time!

• Strength Training Exercising -- 1 to 2 full body workouts per week (non consecutive days) with moderate weight and intensity

- 1 to 3 sets of each exercise with 10 to 15 repetitions
- 30 to 45 seconds of rest time between each set

• Cardiovascular Activities -- 5 to 6 days per week

- 30 minutes to 1 hour

It is truly the little things that add up to achieving your fitness success. Start slowly, using the above strategies and let each of your successes build on the next.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tanya_Stroh/552351