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Over several years working as a personal trainer, I have overheard many conversations on what people are eating or supplementing with before or after their workouts. The gym is often a place where people are first exposed to the health and fitness world and consequently a lot of information that they receive may be misinterpreted. What may work really well for someone else may not work for you. Fortunately, as a naturopathic medical student and physical trainer, I am well-educated on the topics of nutrition and exercise and I am here to help you navigate the confusing realm of how to properly fuel your workout. Firstly, it is important to note that nutritional recommendations should always be highly individualized and the following factors must be considered: the age, sex, fitness level, medical history and dietary restrictions of the individual, as well as the type, volume and intensity of the exercise. The information provided in this post are general recommendations for how to integrate proper nutrition into your exercise regime. Let’s talk about strength training. Whether it’s weight lifting, circuit training (HIIT) or basic body weight exercises (e.g. yoga, pilates, etc.), here are the answers to some common questions you may have if you are looking to optimize energy and performance during a workout, increase fat-free mass by optimizing muscle protein synthesis (MPS), or optimize post-workout recovery. Q: When is the appropriate time that I should consume protein? Before or after a workout? A: The timing of protein intake is an aspect of sports nutrition that has been studied extensively. The research looking at the effects of protein intake before versus after a workout has shown that there are minimal differences with respect to muscle protein synthesis (MPS). It is ultimately up to your individual preferences. However, if you decide to consume protein after your workout, the ideal time window is immediately to 2 hours post-exercise. Additionally, you want to ensure you are eating adequate protein throughout the day, and not solely focusing on supplementing around your workout. Q: What type of protein is best? A: The answer to this question is very dependent on your fitness goals and dietary preferences/restrictions. However, protein containing high amounts of the essential amino acid leucine is correlated to the greatest increase in muscle protein synthesis (MPS). Whey protein has the highest leucine content and has consistently out-performed soy and casein protein when it comes to stimulating MPS. However, whey protein is an animal-derived food product and therefore may not be ideal for vegans or vegetarians. Soy, pea, rice or hemp proteins are all great options for those who are vegan or sensitive to dairy products. Pre- or post-workout meals with a complete amino acid profile and a high leucine content include free-range chicken, beef, salmon, chickpeas or beans. Q: How much protein exactly? A: When it comes to protein, more is not necessarily better. If you are adding an extra scoop to your post-workout shake, or doubling up on your chicken consumption, you may be wasting your money. MPS will plateau at an approximate dose of 20g of protein. Most protein powders contain about 18-25 g of protein per scoop, an average chicken breast contains about 25 g of protein, and if you are utilizing plant sources such as chickpeas, 1 cup contains about 26 g of protein. Body weight is another important factor to consider. The adequate dose of protein per meal is about 0.25-0.3 g/kg of body weight. In conclusion, when it comes to the amount of protein you should be consuming around your workouts, being mindful of the protein content per serving is important. Q: What about carbohydrates? A: Carbohydrate intake is critical when it comes to endurance training. It is surprising how many people will reduce their carbohydrate intake while increasing their exercise intensity and duration, and expect to perform optimally. Your body depends on carbohydrates as fuel for this type of workout. Research has shown that consuming carbohydrates 30-60 minutes before endurance exercise can increase exercise capacity and performance. Having a carbohydrate-rich meal is also important for enhancing recovery and restoring post-exercise muscle glycogen levels. It is best to choose whole grain carbohydrates such as quinoa, buckwheat or steel-cut oats if you prefer to exercise in the morning. Q: What is a “pre-workout” supplement and does it actually work? A: Many individuals will use a “pre-workout” supplement to help enhance their workouts. There is a lot of variability in the ingredients and types of pre-workout formulations available on the market. The majority will contain caffeine, a variety of B-vitamins, electrolytes and creatine. Unfortunately, a lot of these formulas contain additives, sweeteners and food colourings, so it is important to carefully read the ingredients label before selecting a product. When it comes to enhancing your workout performance, creatine and caffeine are a couple substances that have been extensively researched and proven to be effective. So drinking one cup of coffee prior to your workout may be just as effective as taking a pre-workout formula. One cup of black coffee contains approximately 100 mg of caffeine which is equivalent to the majority of doses in a pre-workout formula, but costs a lot less. In conclusion, research has helped us to understand the basics of when (30-120 min before or after a workout), how much (20 g protein) and what (foods high in leucine, caffeine) we should be eating to properly fuel our workouts. However, there are numerable variables to this basic formula that are very dependent on your personal health, preferences, fitness goals and type of training. Talking to your Naturopathic Doctor is a great place to start if you are looking to create an individualized nutrition plan to help meet your fitness goals. Thanks for reading! Sophie (3rd Year Naturopathic Medical Student) References: Kerksick, C. M., Arent, S., Schoenfeld, B. J., Stout, J. R., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C. D., ... & Willoughby, D. (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), 33. Goldstein, E. R., Ziegenfuss, T., Kalman, D., Kreider, R., Campbell, B., Wilborn, C., ... & Wildman, R. (2010). International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7(1), 5.
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