The key to having phenomenal workouts is definitely not an overpriced “pre-workout” powder.
The key to having consistently great workouts is proper preparation. The worst feeling for a lifter is to train hard and frequently but then see an absolute lack of changes to their physique or with their performances.
A Lack Of Results
The reality of the situation is that most people in the gym are not putting in the work necessary to create real changes with their physique. The official data and health statistics of the United States tell us this. The truth is that the people who are not being accountable on their fitness journey will never get anywhere near their goal when it comes to being healthier, leaner, and stronger.
Now there are also a healthy amount of people who train hard, but they cannot see the fruits of their labor. The reason why is because training is only 1/4 of the battle. Optimal results come down to fine-tuning your nutrition, recovery, and mindset as well. The percentages of what’s important looks like this:
Training: 25 percent
Nutrition: 25 percent
Recovery: 25 percent
Mindset: 25 percent
The Importance Of Nutrition
If your nutrition is lackluster then your results will also be lackluster.
It’s not just about eating “healthy.” It’s about the quality and quantity of food that you consume at a given time. For lifters who truly want to maximize their results, the most important meals of your day are the pre and post-workout meal. Consuming these meals gives you the ability to have consistent performances in the gym and also to recover properly from training.
The folks who eat bad vs. the folks who eat good will end up with two completely different physiques.
Pre-Workout Meals That You Should Eat Before A Workout
A lack of the proper pre-workout meal is what leads to minimal progress and maximal frustration with building your body. My short list below can give you some great food options for what you should eat before your workout. I consistently rotate all of these options.
- Oats, Eggs, and Egg Whites
- Whole Grain English Muffin, Natural Peanut Butter, Banana and a Protein Shake
- Omelet (eggs, egg whites, spinach, tomatoes, and chicken breast) and Whole Grain Toast
- Chicken Thighs or Breast, Brown Rice, and Broccoli
- Canned Tuna and Whole Grain Toast
Why Should I Eat This?
All of these pre-workout meals have a solid amount of carbohydrates and having carbs before you train will prevent you from prematurely running out of gas during your workout.
Your energy source for high-intensity training like lifting weights or sprinting comes from the carbohydrates. There is also a good amount of protein in these meals to increase the amount of muscle you can build and to minimize muscular damage from the workout.
Your fat intake is not high during these meals because your body does not prioritize using fat as fuel during high-intensity workouts like sprinting and heavy lifting. There is no need to load up on extra, unusable energy if you do not need it. And fat has a slower digestion rate than carbs, so too much fat before a workout could lead you to feeling full and sluggish while you are training.
The amount of food you eat will also vary based on how fast your metabolism is. On average most people should have their pre-workout meal about 1.5 to 2.5 hours before they train.
Conclusion
Your pre-workout meal is the most important meal of your day if you are training on that day. By prioritizing your pre-workout meals, you will be rewarded with consistently great performances and a better-looking body.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
[…] Your macronutrients are your carbohydrates, your proteins, and your fats. […]
Hi, Fitman, what proteins would you recommend for vegans and vegans who don’t like peanut butter?
Lin,
Although I am not an expert on vegan nutrition, a few sources of protein that you could consume would be lentils, tofu, beans, or even quinoa.
Thanks for the question!