An example of a well-designed pre-workout meal plan. Nutrition for intense training

Sport, fitness - for many people these are no longer just words, but a way of life. These people, no doubt, are aware of how it is advisable to eat during regular (albeit at an amateur level) exercise. However, there is another category - novice athletes. Those who finally made up their minds overcame laziness and joined the gym. We will talk about how to eat properly when playing sports. Although, perhaps, the “pros” will also emphasize something new for themselves.

We emphasize that the story in the material is not about food additives (dietary supplements, etc.), sold in specialized stores. Firstly, there is no confidence in their absolute harmlessness to health. Secondly, “Culinary Eden” is still a resource about “ordinary”, albeit very tasty food, as well as everything connected with it.

Sports activities always involve increased muscle activity. For normal muscle function and achievement of sports results (for example, some muscle building), there is a need for additional protein nutrition. After all, it is protein that is “responsible” in our body for the formation and restoration of body cells and tissues.

However, don't forget about carbohydrates. Some people mistakenly believe that their consumption should be limited because they make you fat. However, carbohydrates are the main source of energy. And energy is very necessary for the body during significant physical activity. Fats are also a source of energy. You shouldn't forget about them either. In general, the body needs more proteins, carbohydrates and even fats during physical activity than without them.

It is always better to rely on personal experience rather than on someone else’s stories (although learning from the mistakes of others, of course, has not been canceled either). Fortunately, in this case there is such an opportunity (personal experience): the author of the text goes to the gym three times a week.

How to eat properly when playing sports. Start

Returning from vacation and looking with sober eyes at his photos taken at a seaside resort, the author was surprised to discover that he already had a fairly noticeable belly. This saddened the author. But true friends did not let me die of boredom - they encouraged me to sign up for the gym. Moreover, they kept us company. By the way, it’s better to go and play sports with a group. At least with someone else. It’s more fun, and there’s a certain competitive spirit.

It’s better to start exercising twice a week (this is not the author’s invention - advice from a trainer). And when you feel that you have “swayed”, you can switch to a frequency of three times every seven days. Some people exercise more often, but if you just want to “get yourself in order,” that’s enough: excessive diligence can do harm.

By the way, I almost forgot, it is necessary to consult a doctor before starting classes. Moreover, preferably not with a doctor “assigned” to the fitness center. Take your time, don't regret it. In the end, you will receive not just advice on the intensity of your exercise and load, but also a more or less complete picture of your health. When was the last time you had your body examined for no apparent reason, just for prevention? Same thing.

When a doctor's consultation has been received, finally go to the gym. Meet the coach. At first, it is better to hire him - he will advise and supervise the implementation of a set of necessary exercises (depending on the goals you are pursuing), and show you how to use the exercise equipment correctly.

I want to eat

To be honest, at first I was not in the mood for proper nutrition. After the first couple of lessons, “everything hurt.” But then the body adjusted to the new rhythm of life, the muscles “developed”, the pain went away. My friends and I remembered that we seemed to have heard something about how you should eat something special when playing sports. Having remembered, we asked the coach a question. By the way, he himself could enlighten us on this matter. Ultimately, proper nutrition speeds up the achievement of the desired result. “Minus one hundred points - Gryffindor,” Minerva McGonagall, the headmaster of the Hogwarts school of wizardry from the Harry Potter saga, would say about this.

One way or another, the question was asked. In response, our trainer recommended that we eat at least 5-6 times a day, saying that this way of eating is “the most physiological.” During the day there should be two breakfasts (first and second), lunch, dinner and post-workout meals. At the same time, it is advisable not to overeat before training and not to overeat after it.

To eat properly when playing sports, the first breakfast, which should not be too rich. A glass of yogurt, kefir (not necessarily low-fat), maybe a little cottage cheese, tea, coffee (both without sugar) or fresh orange juice. The first breakfast is about 5% percent of the total daily calorie intake. Next comes the second breakfast. It can be eaten before leaving home for work or, if possible, already at work (approximately 30% of the daily calorie intake for an adult). Lunch is another 30% of calories. Afternoon snack - plus 5%. Dinner - 25%. Another 5% is post-workout nutrition. You shouldn't eat too much. With a weight of 70-80 kg, the volume of food eaten should be no more than 4 kg per day. Don't forget about fruits and vegetables: 15-20% of your daily diet. This is ideal.

Not everyone and not always can follow such a diet. But, of course, options are possible! For example, you can have only one breakfast - nothing bad will happen to you because of this. Breakfast and lunch on a “sports day” should be quite nutritious.

You should have an afternoon snack two or three hours after lunch. In general, in the afternoon you can eat little by little at intervals of two hours. At the same time, food should contain a lot of carbohydrates - this will give you strength before exercise. It is worth scheduling daily meals so that the last one takes place at least an hour and a half before class. Drink water (not carbonated) or juice - it won't hurt, especially in the last hour before training.

You need to eat varied. You shouldn’t get hung up on cottage cheese and diet boiled chicken breasts (I know from myself that at first you just eat them, being happy for yourself, and then you can’t look at these products). Boiled and steamed meat is perfect, legumes - only pureed, as well as oatmeal with milk. An excellent option is various soups, not too fatty, but not entirely lean either. Neutral soups, again for variety, should be interspersed with sour soups.

If possible, in order to comply with your eating schedule, it is better to carry food with you (if there is no normal cafe at work or nearby or if you want to save money). There's nothing to be ashamed of. In the end, are you trying to improve your figure or do you simply have nowhere to put your money and, out of nothing to do, are giving it away for a gym? In addition to chicken and meat, eat fish. Side dish - buckwheat, rice, potatoes, even pasta can be eaten (without fatty sauces). Buy several hermetically sealed plastic containers at the store - they are convenient to take food with you.

The daily calorie intake (and not only when playing sports) also depends on the climatic conditions in which the individual lives. In hot weather, it is better to reduce the calorie content of food, while in Siberian frosts, eat more protein foods, but at the same time reduce fat intake.

During and after training

Of course, you can’t eat anything during training. Agree, it’s strange to pump up, say, your abs, with undigested food in your stomach, biting off a piece of bread from time to time. As already mentioned, you need to “stop” eating at least an hour and a half before the start of your workout.

But during training you should drink water (it’s good to drink a glass of water before). Of course, not in liters, but little by little: a few sips every 20-25 minutes. Do not swallow the water right away, it is better to hold it in your mouth for a while - this will quench your thirst better. Naturally, no soda. Even mineral water, not to mention cola and other lemonades. Don't drink cold water. After physical exercise it becomes hot, and a person strives to sip some cold water. This is exactly what cannot be done. It is much better if the water is at room temperature, even slightly warm. As a rule, gyms have coolers - there is no problem adding a little hot water to a glass of cold water.

You cannot limit yourself in fluid intake while playing sports. This can lead to pressure fluctuations, increased stress on the heart, and the onset of dehydration processes.

After training - optional. If you're thirsty, drink, and if not, don't drink. There is an opinion that you should not drink water immediately after training. But that's not true. If you drink half a glass or even a glass of water, it won't get any worse.

Now about the food. The workout is completed, a lot of energy has been spent, and you are hungry. A huge mistake is to wait two hours after training and only then allow yourself to snack. Should not be doing that. It is advisable that no more than an hour pass between physical exercise and the subsequent meal. Another thing is that you shouldn’t eat your fill. A plate of rice, buckwheat, or even better - a little bean or pea puree, a little cottage cheese with jam, fresh fruit - this is quite enough to remove hunger and strengthen your strength.

You can't eat this

Of course, there are foods whose consumption when playing sports is best minimized. These are sweet drinks - any lemonade, coffee and tea with sugar (it’s better to drink the latter with honey or, in extreme cases, with a sweetener). Of course, you shouldn’t go heavy on baking. Sweet buns and even bread can be replaced with special bread, unleavened bread. Sweets, not only chocolate, but mainly caramel. Various cakes, especially store-bought ones, which are made from “nobody knows what” (it’s better not to eat them at all, never). Cheap pasta (it is acceptable and even healthy to eat only high-quality pasta made from durum wheat). Let us emphasize: “reduce consumption to a minimum” does not mean eliminate it completely: do not reproach yourself for one piece of candy you eat.

• 200 g low-fat cottage cheese, oatmeal (3-4 tablespoons dry), an apple or orange, a cup of unsweetened coffee with milk (with regular, not condensed or cream);
• Snack: a glass or two of kefir or 100-150 g of cottage cheese or an apple (orange) and 50 g of hard cheese;
• Lean meat or fish or poultry (200-250 g), cereals or pasta, greens;
• Look what you haven’t eaten yet - maybe a vegetable salad, maybe cottage cheese, maybe 1-2 eggs, maybe, if you don’t really want to eat, a glass of kefir or milk;
• After training: green salad (white cabbage, greens, maybe with fresh cucumber) with meat, fish or poultry (150-200 g), or eggs;
• Before bed - a glass of low-fat kefir or green tea with skim milk.

To eat properly, you need to at least approximately know how many calories are “burned” during sports training. However, training is different. Above we were talking about training in the gym (simulators, treadmill). But sport does not live on the gym alone. The table below will help you relate energy expenditure to sports.

As a supplement to nutrition during intense physical activity, you can take vitamins (in winter and spring this is worth doing even without sports). There are specially developed vitamin complexes (not dietary supplements!) for those who are friends with sports. Consult your doctor before using them. Now you know how to eat properly when playing sports. Exercise, eat right and be healthy! By the way, the author’s tummy is gradually shrinking.

Nutrition during exercise in the gym

Food is work. Everyone who comes to the gym to lose weight or, conversely, gain muscle mass has to get used to this idea. Changing your diet rather than doing strenuous exercise is the hardest part in the battle for the perfect body. Exactly from nutrition before and after training often depends on the speed of progress. How to create a diet to lose weight quickly and sustainably, and what to eat before and after training to gain weight? Read the answers to these questions in my article. The most interesting things about training and sports nutrition are on my telegram channel https://t.me/bestbodyblog

Nutrition before and after training are of course important questions, but if I tried to answer them briefly, they would be taken out of the context of the basics of proper nutrition when working out in the gym. Therefore, I will start the story about the diet of a person involved in strength training from afar, in the very morning. And since a diet for losing weight differs from a diet for gaining weight, I will divide the story according to these directions.

Pre-workout nutrition for bulking

Some people prefer to train in the morning, while others go on a date with the barbell in the evening. But, in any case, the answer to the question of what to eat before training to gain weight lies in the ability to provide yourself with energy to effectively perform heavy basic exercises. In order to be cheerful and active in the gym, you need to fuel your body with carbohydrates. If the last meal was 5-6 hours ago, the body is considered hungry and unfit to perform physical exercise.

Note: Some sports have their own peculiarities in nutrition before training. Yoga, gymnastics, martial arts, acrobatic dancing classes are best done 2.5-3 hours after eating. It’s also not worth it to eat too much before the upcoming one. Otherwise, nausea, dizziness and stomach discomfort can disrupt the training process.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for any athlete gaining weight or burning fat. Metabolism at this time of day is the fastest, the last meal was 7-8 hours ago, which means that the nutrients received during breakfast will be absorbed quickly and most fully. The boost of energy received in the morning will allow you to remain cheerful and energetic until lunchtime.

MORNING WORKOUT | If the workout is scheduled for the morning, 1-1.5 hours before class you can eat 1-2 boiled eggs and a bowl of coarse oatmeal (or any other) porridge cooked in milk, with the addition of dried fruits and nuts.

The first main meal (a glass of water drunk on an empty stomach to thin the blood does not count) should contain easily digestible proteins, complex carbohydrates, a minimum of fats and simple carbohydrates. There is no need to eat up before going to the gym, because after eating, blood rushes to the stomach, instead of filling the muscles during training.

A good and even mandatory addition to breakfast would be 5-6 dates. Besides the fact that dates are an excellent source of energy, they can significantly improve the workout process because:

• Increase immunity. Consequently, the risk of getting sick during the winter-autumn mass-gain period is significantly reduced
• Improves digestion. This means that proteins and carbohydrates obtained from food will not go into the toilet, but for muscle growth
• Rich in magnesium and potassium. These microelements improve the functioning of the heart muscle, which, in turn, increases endurance and performance.
• Contains substances similar in effect to aspirin. They thin the blood and improve its flow into the muscles.

You should avoid freshly squeezed fruit juices drunk on an empty stomach, baked goods made from yeast dough and instant cereals (muesli, cereal) as pre-workout nutrition. The acids contained in fruits irritate the gastric mucosa, and yeast-based baking leads to an increase in gases and complicates the digestion process.

“Bystrokashi” contain a lot of sugar, which quickly increases energy levels and also quickly reduces it. After such a breakfast, you will want to eat more on the way to the gym.

EVENING WORKOUT | The breakfast algorithm described above is optimal at any time of training. If the class is scheduled for the evening or mid-day, you should have a small snack 2-3 hours after breakfast. Its task is to moderate the emerging appetite and recharge the body with nutrients. Optimal snack options:

• Low-fat yogurt (kefir) and banana
• Cheese sandwich with a piece of whole grain bread
• Handful of nuts
• Vegetable salad and boiled egg
• Low-fat cottage cheese with dried apricots

Nutrition before a workout planned for the evening should be based on the same principle as for a morning workout. You just need to eat a little earlier, 2-2.5 hours before physical activity.

There are no strict dietary requirements, but you should avoid fatty and salty foods. The protein to carbohydrate content should be 1:2. This proportion will allow you to train effectively and nourish your muscles with the necessary amino acids. I suggest you watch a good story on this topic.

The following foods can be used as pre-workout meals to gain weight:

• Poultry meat with buckwheat or bread made from wholemeal flour
• Lean steak with baked potatoes
• Baked fish with brown rice
• Durum pasta with lean meat

Note: A mandatory addition to your pre-workout meal should be a large portion of vegetable salad. This applies to any strength sports. A diet rich in protein overloads the digestive system, and vegetables minimize this burden and increase the level of protein absorption by the body.

About 30-45 minutes before the start of your workout (this applies to both morning and evening sessions), you can (but not with cream) either strong black/green tea. Such drinks stimulate the synthesis of norepinephrine and epinephrine.

These hormones speed up the release of fatty acids from fat tissue cells, so the body can use them as an additional source of energy. Tea and coffee perfectly stimulate the nervous system and increase performance.

Bottom line: Pre-workout meals for bulking should contain complex carbohydrates for energy, protein to protect muscle from breakdown, and vegetables to increase its bioavailability.

Pre-workout nutrition for weight loss

Weight loss workouts done on an empty stomach will really help you lose 2-3 kg at the initial stage. But this will happen not due to fat, but due to a decrease in the amount of fluid under the skin. You won't be able to lose fat by training on an empty stomach. In addition, a pre-workout meal for weight loss consisting of only a cup of coffee is. In order for physical activity to help you get rid of extra pounds, you need to compose your diet according to the scheme laid down in mass-gaining training.

Pre-workout nutrition for weight loss should be based on the following principles:

1. You need to eat 1-1.5 before training, so that your stomach is half empty by the time you start training.
2. The basis of your meal should be complex carbohydrates (whole grain bread, durum pasta, brown rice, baked potatoes, buckwheat)
3. The source of protein can be boiled, stewed or baked chicken/turkey/rabbit, boiled eggs, oven-cooked omelet, tuna salad
4. Vegetable salads should complement every meal

Eating for weight gain is aimed at creating a calorie surplus. In this case, scrupulously recording the nutrients consumed is more of a whim than a necessity. But in the process of losing weight, monitoring every calorie consumed is already a prerequisite. Therefore, when drawing up a menu for the day, it would be a good idea to study it first.

Note: When training to lose weight, you should pay special attention to Omega 3/6/9 fatty acids. They are needed when gaining weight, and for weight loss, they are simply necessary. These fatty acids speed up metabolism, increase performance and the rate of lipolysis. A diet for weight loss should include sea fish (especially red species), seafood, nuts, avocados, olive, flaxseed and some other types of oils.

A cup of black coffee without cream, strong black or green tea, drunk half an hour before the start of training, will help put the nervous system in a fighting mood and cope with the upcoming load.

Conclusion: you need to eat before training to lose weight according to the same principles as during the period of weight gain, taking into account the control of calorie intake, of course. To lose weight you need to exercise, and to exercise you need to eat.

Post-workout nutrition for bulking

STAGE 3 | Before going to bed, you need to eat “long-lasting” protein to protect your muscles from destruction during sleep. Its source can be “night” casein protein or a portion with fruit.

Bottom line: Pre-workout nutrition is important, BUT post-workout nutrition is even more important for bulking. Muscle growth occurs at night; protecting muscles from catabolism during this period is a necessary condition for gaining weight.

Post-workout nutrition for weight loss

Some fitness freaks advise training on an empty stomach, while others say that you don’t need to eat after a workout to lose weight at all. They say that the body will begin to use fat as energy during this period. It would be good, of course, but the body will not take energy from fat reserves as long as it has another, more convenient source of energy - our muscles.

Firstly, he regards muscle mass as an energy sink, and folds on the sides as reserves for a rainy day. And secondly, it is easier for him to break down a protein molecule than a fat molecule. If a weight loss diet is based on the “hunger fainting” method, it will be impossible to get rid of excess weight. To force the body to use fats as fuel, you need to:

• Create a sustainable calorie deficit in your diet
• Increase the body's energy expenditure
• Stimulate fat burning with
• Protect muscles from catabolism (destruction)
• Maintain the main fat-burning hormone at a high level

If desired, you can add to this list. But really working weight loss products carry health risks, and safe supplements like these are ineffective. Therefore, you need to concentrate on nutrition when working out in the gym and on the training itself. And again a short story on this topic

post-workout nutrition for weight loss:

You need to eat after a fat-burning workout, but wisely. Minimum carbohydrates and fats, maximum protein, both fast and slow. As with nutrition for weight gain, this can be done with the help of sports supplements or natural products.

STAGE 1 | 1.5-2 hours after training, you can eat 6-7 egg whites with a vegetable salad, boiled fish (cod, carp, pollock, hake), boiled, stewed or baked poultry/rabbit.

STAGE 2 | Fat burning, as well as muscle growth, occurs at night. The task of a person losing weight is to protect muscles at night and start the process of lipolysis (fat burning). A portion of low-fat cottage cheese eaten before bed will provide the muscles with nutrients and will not allow the metabolism to slow down.

Note 1: Fatty foods slow down the breakdown of protein and carbohydrates in the stomach. Therefore, foods consumed after a workout in the gym should be as low-fat as possible.

Note 2: The main problem of any weight loss diet is the feeling of hunger that occurs when switching to it from a regular diet. The same salads made from fiber-rich vegetables will help you cope with hunger. The coarse dietary fiber they contain fills the stomach and reduces appetite. Vegetables rich in fiber: beets, cucumbers, tomatoes, salads, cabbage.

Conclusion: Post-workout nutrition for weight loss should do two things: provide the body with protein to protect muscles and suppress hunger.

Conclusion

There are no trifles in the battle for the ideal figure. Pre- and post-workout nutrition is not a series of random snacks, but a clear meal plan based on scientific research. Of course, physical activity comes first, but a well-structured diet when working out in the gym speeds up the achievement of your goal many times over. Don’t be lazy to count calories and think through your daily menu in advance. Eat right, build muscle, burn fat. May the force be with you. And the mass!

Professional athletes know everything about nutrition! What about those who are far from sports, but are eager to change themselves for the better? Your work in the gym will definitely give stunning results if you remember one thing: losing weight is only 20% dependent on physical activity and 80% on proper nutrition.

Rule 1

A strict diet and exercise are incompatible

And there are two reasons for this:

1. If you starve, you simply won’t have the energy to do a quality workout.

2. At the slightest physical activity, the body will try to get rid of muscles, since maintaining them requires a colossal amount of energy, but will refuse to part with fat.

What to do:

Accustom yourself to eat 5-6 times a day, without going beyond the calorie content of your diet.

Rule 2

You need to eat before training

The optimal meal before class is no less than 1.5-2 hours before it starts.

Before training, slow carbohydrates are required, which provide a lot of energy, increasing endurance, and some lean protein to feel full. It is important to observe the portion size: after eating, you should feel light hunger and not heaviness in your stomach.

You should not eat immediately before training, as in this case the body will take energy from food, and not from stored fat.

What to eat:

Porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat, rice);
. bread (rye, grain, with bran);
. vegetables (cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, lettuce);
. protein (chicken breast, lean beef and fish, egg white, low-fat cottage cheese, seafood).

Before training, slow carbohydrates are required. Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

If you train early in the morning and don’t have two hours of free time, the ideal breakfast option for you would be oatmeal with water without sugar or an apple, and green tea will help you wake up and invigorate.

Rule 3

You shouldn't eat carbohydrates after a workout.

If your goal is to lose weight, getting rid of fat, give your body the opportunity to work as hard as possible after training.

Why?

15-20 minutes after the start of exercise, glycogen reserves * in the liver run out, and the body begins to use subcutaneous fat, breaking it down and releasing energy for further training. After about 30-40 minutes, the body finally switches to burning fat. But even after training, the process of subcutaneous fat breakdown continues for another 2-3 hours.

If you eat an apple, banana or drink juice immediately after training, your body will happily switch to easily accessible carbohydrates, and the fat burning process will come to naught.

* Glycogen is stored carbohydrates that are used as readily available “fuel.”

Rule 4

More proteins

Intense exercise forces the body to burn not only fat, but also muscle mass, which you strengthen during exercise with such difficulty! To maintain toned muscles, immediately after training and after a couple of hours you need protein food, which is a kind of “building material” for their restoration.

What you can eat:

Skim cheese;
. chicken breast;
. lean beef;
. rabbit meat;
. egg whites;
. squid or lean fish.

Protein food is indispensable after training. Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

The protein dish can be supplemented with a salad of vegetables such as cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers, broccoli, and salad mix.

If you exercise too late, never go to bed on an empty stomach. This will not only lead to muscle breakdown, but also a decrease in metabolism. For a very light snack before bed, low-fat kefir, cottage cheese or a piece of boiled meat are suitable.

Sports educational program: 3 principles

To eat or not to eat after training - each trainer has his own opinion on this matter, but it all depends on your goal.

Remember the difference and make a choice:

1. Proteins and carbohydrates are eaten after training when gaining weight and training for strength, while consuming carbohydrates stops the process of losing subcutaneous fat.

2. To break down fat and preserve muscles at the same time, you need protein food.

3. The lack of any nutrition after training leads not only to fat burning, but also to the loss of muscle mass, which means you can say goodbye to an attractive, toned silhouette.

Rule 5

Less fat

Fats slow down the absorption of proteins, and for this reason it is recommended to eat low-fat foods, and after training, avoid fat altogether.

But you can’t completely eliminate fats from your diet:

1. It is a natural “lubricant” for joints.

2. Fat helps maintain and strengthen muscles.

3. Fat takes part in the absorption of vitamins and the production of hormones.

What to do:

Avoid animal fat (fatty meat, poultry with skin, lard, butter) and spreads;
. choose foods with reduced fat content;
. consume vegetable oils and fatty fish in the morning;
. take into account calorie content when using oil even in the smallest quantities.

Rule 6

Drink plenty of water

Don't limit yourself to water. Photo: thinkstockphotos.com

If there is not enough water, the water-salt balance in the body is disrupted, which reduces metabolism and endurance during physical activity. As a result, the energy saving mode is activated, the body begins to retain water, and the weight loss process is automatically slowed down.

How much to drink?

Don't limit yourself to water - drink as much as you want and never get thirsty.

The National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) makes the following recommendations:

1. 2-3 hours before class, drink 500-700 ml of water.

2. 10-20 minutes before class - 200-300 ml of water.

3. During training, every 10-20 minutes - 200-300 ml of water.

4. After training for 2 hours - about 700 ml of water.

Good luck in your sporting endeavors!

Everyone knows that to lose weight you need to exercise. Regardless of where a person trains - at home or in the gym, you need to remember an important rule - proper nutrition during training It is mandatory for everyone, otherwise it is impossible to achieve results.

It involves eating a diet that contains all the essential calories and nutrients a person needs to function, function, and perform the normal tasks of life—all of which includes regular exercise. You need to understand that the diet should not consist of vegetables and fruits, you need to maintain the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In addition, you should know what to eat before and after training.

Let's take note of the following basic rules: breakfast is a boost of energy, so you don't need to skip it; a healthy and nutritious snack is needed to maintain the body’s energy level; Pay attention to unrefined complex carbohydrates.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Harvard magazine previously published an article that proved that regular breakfasts reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and excess weight. In addition, it regulates normal sugar levels necessary to nourish the muscles and brain.

Please note: this moment is most important during days of physical activity, otherwise there may be a risk of dizziness, lethargy, and fatigue.

It is very important to know what you can eat when doing fitness, since many people choose simple carbohydrates, for example, a donut or a bun, and this is absolutely not enough for satiation and productive work. An excellent option - protein and fiber - such a meal fills you up for a long time and allows you to train without problems.

We also adhere to these tips:

• We replace finished products in the form of cereals, muesli, etc. (contain sugar, preservatives, additives) oat flakes, cuts, whole grain products with a high fiber content. Add protein - milk, yogurt or nuts;
• For those who prefer pancakes, you can replace the usual flour with whole grain flour, and add cottage cheese to the dough itself;
• Those who like sandwiches and toast should buy whole grain bread, and instead of sausage, add a boiled egg, peanut butter or other protein-containing fillings.

Carbohydrate

Newfangled diets called low-carbohydrate diets have created fear among those who want to lose weight.

Important! But you need to understand that fitness nutrition for losing weight and playing sports for women and men should include them, since this is the main source of energy.

There are simple and complex carbohydrates. The first category includes sweets and baked goods. The second is products sold in the form of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals. It takes longer to digest such products, but the body receives the necessary energy and satiety for a sufficiently long period of time. They also normalize sugar. And lastly, the content of beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Protein

Protein supports the process of growth and recovery of the body. Protein is especially important for athletes who plan to build muscle mass. If you are interested in how to eat properly when working out in the gym, but at the same time losing fat deposits, then you need to consume the amount of protein. This is an excellent source of energy in case of insufficient carbohydrate intake. But not the main one for training and proper nutrition. The minimum amount of protein for girls and boys is 0.8 grams per kilogram of weight. But athletes need a little more.

Protein is found in:

• Domestic bird;
• Red meat;
• Fish;
• Dairy products;
• Beans, lentils;
• Eggs.

It is best to pay attention to lean meat, which contains a minimal amount of “bad” fats. Also, girls and boys who cannot reach their quota are recommended to use store-bought protein, but they should not replace more than one meal with it.

Fruits vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of fiber, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for the body to function normally. It is worth noting that they are characterized by a minimal content of calories and fat. Each meal should contain half of vegetables and fruits.

Practical advice: You can take dried fruits as a snack, but for main meals you always need fresh ones; in extreme cases, take frozen ones out of the refrigerator.

Fats

With the help of unsaturated fats, it is easier for the body to fight inflammation. Despite the difficulty of the exercise, fat is the main source of fuel for humans. Their reserves allow you to train for a long time. It is also worth noting that fats contain essential acids that affect the health and beauty of hair, skin and nails.

• Nuts;
• Seeds;
• Avocado;
• Olives;
• Oil.

Snack before workout

When it comes to snacking, it is also important to maintain a balance of nutrients. It should be light food that contains proteins and carbohydrates, they charge the body before training. You should not indulge yourself with fast foods, as they only contain sugar and unhealthy fat.

You can take with you:

• Banana. They are rich in potassium and magnesium, and our body always needs them. Natural sugar gives energy. Best paired with peanut butter as it contains protein;
• Berries, oranges, grapes are the main sources of vitamins and minerals. Easy absorption and quick energy boost are noted. Recommended to be consumed with natural yoghurt;
• Nuts are an excellent source of energy. They are enough for the entire workout, even a long one. Can be mixed with dried fruits;
• Peanut oil - can be found in any store, sold in several forms, so you can easily take it with you. It goes well with apples, bananas, crackers, and whole grain bread. Can be replaced with almond or soybean oil.

Calories

For those who want to lose weight, make their body elastic, and their figure proportional, exercise alone is not enough, you need to limit your diet. But the main thing here is not to overdo it, so as not to harm your health.

During the diet, symptoms such as:

• Dizziness;
• Fatigue;
• Soreness.

They signal that you are not consuming enough calories. For healthy weight loss, a woman needs to consume at least 1200 calories, and a man - 1500. But this is the minimum for those who do not exercise. Depending on the load, the basic metabolism increases. In any case, you should consult your doctor and nutritionist before going on a diet. There may be some restrictions and contraindications.

12 week menu

Designed specifically for those who play sports. All stages consist of 3 meals and snacks. After each stage passed, a reduction in caloric intake is expected. The result is a beautiful and perfect figure with little relief.

First stage

If you adhere to the following regimen, engage in sports exercises and consume the right amount of fluid, the process of losing weight will be simple and fast. This 4 week menu plan limits your salt intake as it helps keep your fluid levels under control. For example, an excellent substitute for salt is your favorite seasoning, mustard, or hot sauce.

General KBZHU: 1518, 174, 40, 124

You can replace products as follows:

Second phase

This stage involves reducing calories consumed, while maintaining the amount of protein - this allows you to maintain metabolic processes at a high speed, as well as reduce weight loss due to muscle mass. It is possible to replace food with the products indicated in the table. Don't forget to drink the right amount of liquid.

General KBZHU: 1448, 175, 33, 121

Third stage

At this stage, we slightly reduce the amount of protein and carbohydrates consumed, thereby reducing the total calorie content.

We leave healthy fats in the same amount so as not to feel hungry and help muscles. We continue to drink a lot of fluids. Don't forget that you can experiment with replacing products.

Conclusion

As you can see, nutrition during training should be balanced and contain all the necessary nutrients. Thanks to the varied menu, which can be changed at your discretion, you can feel comfortable even while losing weight. Just 3 stages over 12 weeks will help you cope with excess weight without harm to your health and get an excellent figure.

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Nutrition and training: what and how often to eat to see results?

Carbohydrates at night are fine, but snacking every two hours is not necessary.

About the correct approach to nutrition during intensive training - Championship expert, wellness coach Andrey Semeshov.

I noticed that as soon as a person turns to fitness, he immediately begins to be interested in how to competently and correctly build a diet. God forbid, the muscles will be overtaken by catabolism, and forty-five minutes of torment in the gym will be in vain.

Eat every three hours. Don't eat after six. Immediately after training (right in the locker room!) you need a protein shake with a banana. Or not with a banana, but only with chocolate, because “fast carbohydrates”? There are a lot of clear recommendations on what to do with food before, during and after training. The only pity is that they often completely contradict each other. So what should we do? Who should you listen to in the end?
I propose to approach the issue from the standpoint of common sense and a little physiology.

When to eat to grow muscles?

Panic fear of catabolism haunts all beginners who set their sights on bulky muscles. I had a chance to watch how guys (girls were not seen doing this) brought containers of rice directly to the gym to load up on carbohydrates between sets. And almost every third person has “business lunches” in the locker room.

But let's remember that the process of digesting food and assimilating the fastest carbohydrates is not so rapid. Even liquid food will take half an hour to pass through the stomach, and solid food will take six hours or longer. But digestion, during which we absorb all the nutrients, also continues in the intestines. That is, even if you start snacking immediately after finishing your workout, you will not be able to immediately reverse the catabolic processes.

There is another disadvantage to trying to eat immediately after exercise. When lifting weights, our body goes into a state of stress. And the reaction to stress from a physiological point of view is always the same (only the strength of the response differs). Among other things, blood flow is redistributed from the digestive organs in favor of the muscles. This is how our body prepares us to overcome danger - the “fight or flight” defense reaction. And it takes a certain period of time to reconfigure to a peaceful regime. Pushing food into yourself early is not the smartest idea. Of course, no one will tell you exactly up to the minute how long it is better to wait. But in practice, taking a shower and walking/driving to your home or restaurant is an excellent tactic.

What and how often do you eat between workouts?

Equally important is the regularity of meals. I've heard stories of people setting alarms at regular intervals even at night to drink a protein shake. However, there is such a fact: a person can live for about two months without food at all, only on water. And he won't die. Will seven or even nine hours of sleep really ruin all your efforts in the gym? Moreover, some types of food, especially fats, can be absorbed by the body throughout the day. That is, it is quite enough to have dinner normally and fall asleep fearlessly - the muscles will continue to recover during sleep even without additional snacks in a semi-conscious state.

Many people are afraid of carbohydrates in the evening. And in vain. The common belief that pasta will go to muscles in the morning and straight to fat in the evening does not correspond to the truth. What matters is the total daily calorie content and the intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. If you eat less than you spend, you will lose weight. surplus - the body will begin to build new muscle fibers (and at the same time fat cells. We will definitely talk about how to minimize this process in the following materials).

Again, listen to yourself. If you feel uncomfortable falling asleep with a full stomach, limit yourself to a light protein dinner with vegetables in the evening. If you have no problems falling asleep, then you can eat whatever your heart desires. At least croissants with condensed milk.

And remember that proper rest is no less, and perhaps even more important, in building muscles than a well-designed diet.

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If your goal is to lose weight

Have you heard the saying that you should never eat before or after a workout? “In the first case, it is necessary for the body to burn fat during exercise. In the second, again, so that recovery takes place due to fats.”

I also really like the recommendation, on pain of terminal stage obesity, not to eat in the evening, in especially hardcore versions - after 18:00. I remember a joke:
- You can’t eat after six! Girl, how old are you?
- Seven...
- That's it, don't eat!

In fact, nature arranged us very wisely. And with the expectation that food will always be irregular (today a mammoth was killed, tomorrow not). The body is excellent at both storing energy for future use and expending it when necessary.

Therefore, if you are faced with the task of getting rid of some part of the fat layer, there is no need to adhere to any clear timing. Your global goal is to ensure that you are in a calorie deficit every day. There have been many studies comparing various dietary approaches, for example, low-carb diets with low-fat diets, fractionated meals with the now popular intermittent fasting. The verdict of science is that only a general caloric deficit is decisive for weight loss. Other factors, from the point of view of weight loss, are so insignificant that they can be neglected.

Then why are different protocols invented? Firstly, we love to play different games, that’s how we are designed. And we can perceive following some sophisticated strict diet as an adventure, a challenge. An element of gamification can help overcome the not-so-pleasant feeling of mild malnutrition. Secondly, each of us is individual. Some people cannot live without breakfast, lunch and dinner, or even better with a couple of snacks in between. And even if the portions are small (calories are limited), it’s easier for them. For others, including myself, it is not a problem to skip both breakfast and lunch, but in the late afternoon, especially before bed, it is simply necessary to eat a hearty meal for psychological comfort. Accordingly, it would be wise for the first to choose a scheme with fractional meals, the second - with intermittent fasting, when all meals are compressed in time into a period of several hours.