4 Pre and Post-Workout Meal Ideas
You can probably align the rise of all your mates becoming irritably obsessed with fitness with the dawn of instagram. This is not a groundbreaking realisation, but it does begin to explain our healthily unhealthy relationship with food as fuel.
To think of food as fuel is as sad as it is practical. Like it or not, food is more than fuel, so with that in mind, we’re shooting for four recipes that are not only very delicious, they are just the right fuel for you around your work out schedule.
We hit up a real life qualified sports nutritionist (because I really don’t know loads about it) to give us the science behind what we eat and why we should eat it. So, get out there, run, lift, kick, do whatever you want. Just make sure your fuel tastes banging.
Pre-Workout (2-3 Hours Before)
Egg Avo Crunch Wrap
Our Fitness Nutritionist Says:
“This energy and nutrient-dense wrap will fuel a big training day, with carbohydrates being the primary energy source for moderate and high-intensity exercise and fats for low-intensity activity. A high-protein breakfast such as this ensures muscle protein synthesis is triggered as early as possible, critical to optimising maximal muscle growth. The unsaturated ‘healthy’ fats found in avocados and egg yolks provide energy, aid cell function, aid nutrient absorption, and aid hormone production, plus other processes vital for optimal health. This meal would be ideal 2+ hours prior to training/competition.”
Post-Workout
Blackened Salmon With Smashed Cuke Salad
Our Fitness Nutritionist Says:
“This post-workout meal is more than just a high protein hit which will stimulate muscle growth, repair and remodelling. Salmon’s high levels of omega-3’s; EPA and DHA (2000mg+ /serving), found in only a few foods, have to shown to promote sleep quality, joint health and immune function, all essential to sustain training in the long-term. The wholegrain rice is a great source of carbohydrate which will be used to resynthesize muscle and liver glycogen stores, thus allowing you to be better fuelled for your next training session.”
Snack
Spicy Tuna Bites
Our Fitness Nutritionist Says:
“The energy from the macronutrients in these bites is 40% from carbohydrates and the other 60% from an almost equal split of protein and fat, this is deemed to be the ideal macronutrient split for an athlete’s diet. With over 30g of protein and 45g of carbs, these tuna bites can fuel a workout or aid recovery, depending on the time of consumption—a great snack to have 1-2 hours before training or immediately after.”
Rest Day
Pickle Brine Roast Chicken with Spring Onion Pickle Potato Sally
Our Fitness Nutritionist Says:
“Rest days are the only day you can spend the whole time fuelling your recovery and priming your body for the next training day. The high-protein chicken will enable your muscles to recover stronger. The carbohydrates from the potatoes will be stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen, ready to fuel your next workout. The fats in olive oil and chicken fuel prolonged, low-intensity exercise and contribute to bodily processes which aid long-term health and performance.”
