How did I become interested in becoming a nutritionist major? Well I never really thought about it until I started incorporating strength training into my daily cardio routine. I started lifting my senior year of high school and now can not imagine what I would do without it. To me and many others passionate about lifting, we know that nutrition is extremely important to your body. There are certain tips and guidelines people need to follow in order to build muscle, lose body fat, and stay healthy.
The meal you eat before your workout is very important because it’ll determine how effective your workout will be. You should eat a small meal about 45 minutes prior to exercising. The meal should contain a little protein because it’ll keep your body in an anabolic state during your workout to reduce muscle breakdown. Some good sources of protein include, milk, whey protein, chicken, or tuna. Your pre-workout meal should also contain low glycemic carbohydrates because they provide a steady source of energy to your body throughout your workout. Examples of low glycemic carbohydrates are, apples, oatmeal, yogurt, and wheat bread. It is important to note that high glycemic carbohydrates are bad to eat before exercising because they will leave you weak and tired during your workout. Some people need an extra boost before their workout especially when it’s the morning, this is where pre-workout drinks come in. Many avid lifters prefer pre-workout powders like, C4, NO-Xplode, and PUMP-HD. Others simply just need a cup of coffee to get them amped for a workout.
Now we are ready for our workout. I know that many girls are afraid to lift because they do not want to get “big”, but the fact is, strength training is extremely good for your body even if you do not want to become a body builder or be “bulky”. Lifting weights helps your body burn more body fat, burn more calories, define your muscles, build strength, and prevent injury. Doing cardio alone makes you lose a lot of muscle with only burning a small amount of fat. It is important to include cardio and weight lifting into your workout routine.
It’s after the workout, now what do we do? That’s right it’s time for another meal! The post workout meal is the most important meal of the day for people who want to build muscle, lose fat, or improve their overall body image. You should aim to eat this meal 30-60 minutes after your workout. This meal needs to include high quality proteins and high glycemic carbohydrates. Some high quality proteins are steak, chicken, tuna, fish, or eggs. If you are vegetarian there are great alternatives like, hummus (made from chick peas), nuts, almond butter, or chocolate milk. This is also the meal where high glycemic carbohydrates are good! These include, potatoes, white/brown rice, or white breads.
I hope sharing these guidelines and explaining all of the positive contributions lifting does to your body makes you feel more comfortable about working out. Lifting does not have to be scary! It is empowering and can make you feel better about your body and your life you ever imagined.
Citation
Lifelong Exercise. (cover story).” Mayo Clinic Health Letter (2009): 1-8. Health Source – Consumer Edition. EBSCO. Web. 26 July 2010.
Other Reference
http://www.building-muscle-guide.com/post-workout-nutrition.html