Fuel your way to a better work out

By: Ghida Arnaout

So you finally found the time to go to the gym. Whether you want to get rid of the belly fat you’ve put on from nibbling and munching all summer long or just to get back in shape and tone your body you have to ask yourself one very important question: Am I eating the right things at the right time to maximize my performance?

What most people don’t know is that the nutritional needs of a person who works out regularly is different from the average couch potato. We all need to follow a healthy balanced diet but for someone who exercises regularly, a smart eating plan should complement the gym program.

So what and how much should I eat to make my workouts effective?

CARBOHYDRATES

No it’s not true what you heard from your gym buddy that ditching carbs is the right way to build those muscles. You have to get an adequate amount because not enough will make your performance suffer. Carbohydrates are the major fuel for your body when exercising. If you deplete your body from them, it will burn protein for fuel instead and that’s definitely something you don’t want! So 55-66% i.e. of your total daily calories should come from carbohydrates. Good sources are whole wheat bread, cereals, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

PROTEIN

Regular exercisers should slightly increase their protein intake than inactive people. Not enough protein leads to muscle breakdown and lower immunity. So if you work out 3 or more days a week you need between 20-25% of lean protein. That can be found in 1 scoop of whey protein or 100 g of lean meat. Remember if you don’t have enough amounts of protein you might cause yourself fatigue and slow recovery after workouts. The best protein sources are egg whites, chicken, turkey, roast beef, lean red meats and low fat dairy products.

FATS

Not getting enough fats while exercising may lead to cardiovascular problems. But it’s the good fats such as mono and polyunsaturated fats are what your body needs not the bad ones! Studies have shown that omega 3 fatty acids help deliver oxygen to the muscles therefore optimizing your aerobic capacity as well as increasing your endurance . They also help speed recovery after hard training and reduce inflammation and joint stiffness. So always aim to get 20-30% of your total calorie intake from good fats that can be found in raw nuts and seeds, avocados, peanut butter, olives and olive oil, vegetable oil and fish.

WATER

Most of us already know that we should drink 6-8 glasses of water daily. What most of us don’t know is that when you exercise the MINIMUM amount you should have is 2 liters. While you exercise you lose a large amount of your body fluids and electrolytes as sweat. Losing 2% fluids from the total body weight will affect your performance negatively so always make sure you are properly hydrated before you start training. If your workouts are over 1 hour long or in extremely hot temperatures, try to consume a sports drink which contains carbohydrates and electrolytes instead.

Don’t forget! ALWAYS remember to consume enough calories whether you need to add muscle or decrease body fat and NEVER pile on protein for increasing in muscle mass!