Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

Hydration is key! Drinking a minimum of ½ your body weight in ounces of water every day (add 16+ ounces on workout days) is suggested. Start drinking water upon waking and continue drinking water throughout the day for optimal hydration.

Pre-workout: Eating a healthy well-rounded meal (which includes a lean protein, a healthy carbohydrate and a healthy fat) 2-3 hours before a workout is sufficient to meet the needs of most healthy individuals. If you are unable to eat a meal 2-3 hours before a workout, a faster digesting smoothie/protein shake may be consumed 1 hour prior to workout.

During-workout: For most training sessions under 2 hours, focus on hydration and drinking plenty of water. For endurance athletes, bodybuilding, longer, more intense workout sessions and for those trying to gain muscle mass (or if your stamina during your workout is not adequate) add a protein + carbohydrate drink or an EAA (Essential Amino Acids) drink during your workout. If you are training in extreme heat, sweating a lot, competing or doing multiple training sessions in one day; a sports drink may help to improve recovery/hydration due to electrolyte content and added energy supply. For training longer than 2 hours consume 15 grams of protein and 30-45 grams of carbohydrates for every hour of training to aid in recovery. This can be obtained via liquid or gel forms.

Post workout: Good post workout nutrition can help with recovery, rehydration, refueling, building muscle and improving future performance. This can be achieved with a post workout smoothie/shake or preferably, a well-balanced meal and ideally should be consumed within 0-2 hours post-exercise. Aim for about 40-60 grams of protein for men and 20-30 grams of protein for women.

Example of a good pre-workout smoothie:
1 serving protein powder (20+ grams of protein)
1 handful of fresh veggies (spinach works great in smoothies)
1 cupped handful of carbohydrates (berries or a banana work great)
1 TBSP of fats such as peanut or another nut butter, avocado, flax seeds
8-16 ounces unsweetened almond milk or water

Example of a good post workout meal:
4-8 ounces protein such as chicken breast or wild salmon
1-2 cups veggies such as broccoli or Brussels sprouts
½ - 1 cup carbohydrates such as potatoes or rice
1-2 TBSP fats such as avocado, extra virgin olive oil or grass-fed butter

*These are general recommendations. If you are seeking personalized nutrition guidance or more information, please call the office to set up an appointment with our Nutritionist Liz Jackowitz. ​