What to eat before and after your workout

Have you ever felt confused about what to eat before you work out? Or what to eat after you work out? Fueling your body is one of the most important jobs you have, and one of the keys to losing weight. There's a lot of controversy over eating vs. not eating before you workout, and the best advice I have, is go with what you feel best doing. I personally like to get my workout done first thing in the morning, and I don't eat before hand. If I do eat right before a workout, I feel sick and sometimes throw up during my workout. Some people feel the same way when they don't eat, so try both ways, and determine what's best for you. If it is to eat before a workout, try waiting a half hour-45 minutes after eating, to workout.

What should you eat before a workout? Protein and carbs. I'm not talking a stack of pancakes and several pieces of bacon. Look for foods that have carbohydrates in them, like fruits. Lean protein, quality carbohydrates, low in fiber, and low in fat foods. Here's a list of good {small} snacks to eat before a workout.

Make sure you are getting plenty of liquids during your workout. I used to go an entire workout with out drinking water. I drank enough throughout the day, but drinking water during my workout has helped me a ton!

What should you eat after you workout? MORE protein! Not a LOT of protein, just protein in addition to the protein you ate before your workout, if you ate. (Once again, I try to get my workout done as soon as I wake up, so I workout on an empty stomach. Unless of course, I workout later. I always eat around an hour before I workout if it's during the day.)

Your body needs about 10-20 grams of protein after your workout to help your muscles recover. I also find that this helps keep me full longer.

Things to avoid at both times are foods that are fried, greasy, high in fat, high in sodium, high in sugar, large quantities, or even raw vegetables. 

Did this information help you? Let me know! I'd love to hear from you.