The body needs energy in every function that it does, whether in the macroscopic level or in the microscopic level. From walking and running to cellular and tissue metabolism, energy, in the form of adenosine triphoshate (ATP) is needed in order to carry out these activities. Thus, it is a concept that plays a role on why health and fitness enthusiasts eat their pre-workout meal before they train.
The following are some of the pre-workout meals that a person can prepare and eat prior to his workout.
Oatmeal and Protein Powder
Oatmeal and protein powder are two food choices that can be combined for a pre-workout meal, according to Live Strong. The former is an excellent source of carbohydrates and fiber while the latter provides protein. This means that the meal can fuel a person before his workout and aid in the digestive process and elimination of harmful waste products. The high amount of protein in the powder allows growth and repair of tissues like the muscle tissue and since it is consumed before training, it aims to prevent considerable muscle breakdown through supplementation of protein to the muscle tissues.
To prepare, a cup of water is boiled either on the stove or microwave. Additional teaspoons of water can be added to create a good consistency when the protein powder is added. Then, half cup of oatmeal is poured into the boiling water, with the heat lowered and the oats stirred constantly for about a minute. The a scoop of protein powder is added to the cooked oatmeal prior to eating. Whey protein isolate is noted to blend smoothly with the oatmeal without clumping.
Yogurt and Granola
Another pre-workout meal recipe include yogurt and granola and both contain carbohydrates that boost a person’s performance during training. In a statement by sports dietitian and certified strength and conditioning specialist Marie Spano (via Shape), she said that if the stored carbohydrate in muscles is low, level of power will be affected.
Granola, yogurt, and berry parfait is one recipe that makes use the aforementioned food choices. According to Food Network, the ingredients include two cups of plain yogurt, two cups of granola, two cups of fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries), and four tablespoons honey. To prepare, four parfait or tall glasses are lined up. Then, two tablespoons of yogurt are spooned into each glass. After that, two tablespoons of granola are also spooned. Then, two tablespoons of fruit are spooned. The process is repeated while adding some honey to taste.
Banana and Coffee
When it comes to energizing oneself before training, banana stands as one of the best choices because it is an excellent source of potassium, which provide strength to the muscles. While banana gives strength, coffee contains caffeine, which stimulates the brain; thus, it is capable of keeping the body systems like the cardiovascular and respiratory system active during workout.
A sample pre-workout recipe is banana blended iced coffee, as per Active. According to the publication, the ingredients include two cups of cooled coffee, one piece banana, three teaspoons of vanilla syrup, two tablespoons of milk, and two cups ice cubes. To prepare, the ingredients are just put inside the blender and are blended.
Overall, pre-workout meals are helpful to a person’s body prior to workout, as they fuel the body with nutrients and energy to meet physical and metabolic demands during training. Along with the pre-workout meals, people also prepare post-workout meals, which aid in the supplementation of nutrients that are needed for recovery.
