1. Do I need to change my entire diet?
You might be surprised to learn that the nutritional needs of active people aren’t that much higher than those of sedentary people. And that most foods, drinks and supplements are actually quite useless.
In fact, many often think that a light jog every couple of days requires a whole lot of energy and will increase their nutritional needs. In reality, moving is first and foremost a release for a body that spends far too much time sitting. By looking at this table of calories burned during exercise, you’ll notice that it’s much easier to consume calories than to burn them! Hence the Canadian recommendation to get moving at least 150 minutes each week to stay healthy and burn calories.
Calories burned during 30 minutes of:
Sitting = 35
Walking or yoga = 100
Light jogging = 240
Singles tennis = 255
Hockey = 310
Calories found in foods:
1 apple = 70
1 glass of 2% milk = 110
1 bran muffin = 200
1 bagel = 230
1 cheeseburger = 300
2. What do my muscles need during a workout?
Muscles at work need energy, which is why foods that are high in carbohydrates play a big part in an athlete’s meal plan. One reason is that when it comes time to fuel one’s body, it’s less exhausting for our muscles to use glucose coursing through our bloodstream than to convert protein and fats. In short, the path of least resistance.
The second reason is that during short and intense efforts, muscles need to quickly use the available energy in the body, either the glucose moving in the blood or stored in the muscles.
The longer the exertion, the more the body needs to use whatever’s available to fuel the muscles. Note: the more consistently a person works out, the more muscles adapt and become better equipped at using energy sources that are normally more difficult to convert, like protein or fat reserves.
Nothing beats 30 minutes of running or a cardio session to clear your head in the middle of the day or between two meetings. To avoid severe hunger pangs, try this delicious soup that you can enjoy with crackers or chicken leftovers 30 minutes before a workout.
Soups and broths
Chickpea and Zucchini Soup
3. What foods contain carbohydrates?
Grain products, pasta and dairy products, as well as fruits and vegetables are essentials in sports nutrition when it comes to performance and recovery. Not only are they good sources of carbs, they provide necessary minerals for muscle contractions and crucial vitamins for energy consumption, such as vitamin B, of which grain products contain a lot.
For these reasons, it’s important to ingest carbs before, during and after any workout that lasts more than 60 minutes and leaves you sweating and out of breath. During a shorter workout, having carbs isn’t required.
Try this recipe for green apple and spinach smoothie, or how about this pomegranate and berry version?
Smoothies
Green Apple and Spinach Smoothie
High-Protein Snacks
Pomegranate and Berry Smoothie
4. Do I need to eat if I’m working out early in the morning?
It’s ok to fast before a morning workout as long as it’s short, not too intense and you have a complete breakfast immediately after. Ideally, you should have fruit, some juice, a smoothie or a small amount of oatmeal 30 minutes beforehand and then round off your meal with some protein afterwards.
5. What can I eat if I’m working out at noon?
It all depends on the amount of time between when you eat and when you work out. If possible, eat a portion of your lunch around 11:15: soup with crackers, half a chicken sandwich, or begin with dessert, such as some compote and two fig cookies. Upon your return, you can finish your meal with the main dish.
Legumes
Vegetable and Fava Bean Soup
Quick Desserts
Spiced Pear Compote
6. Is it better to have dinner before or after a workout, once the kids have gone to bed?
Eat something low in fat that won’t weigh you down. Opt for carbs and a small amount of protein, like pasta or some soup. Save dessert for when you get back home in the evening, like homemade apple crumble with a glass of milk.
7. Are shakes with supplements a good idea?
Protein shakes–or fruit milkshakes with added protein–are easy to make and can be enjoyed quickly after a workout. Some drinks can be very nutritious, but they can also play tricks with your mind by depriving it of satiety signals. What’s more, calories in liquid form can cause your total number of calories for the day to skyrocket, so be wary.
Shakes after a workout
In the ingredients list of store-bought shakes, you might have some difficulty recognizing a single one. But in our homemade version, you can easily recognize each of them: milk powder, sugar, cocoa, a pinch of cinnamon, and water. You can drink it before, during or after a workout.
Non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails
Post-Workout Shake
8. Will I gain muscle mass quicker if I consume more protein?
Many athletes eliminate carbs in favour of protein to either increase muscle mass or lose weight. The reason is that even if protein and carbs both provide the same number of calories, protein is more satiating: a meal with plenty of meat or poultry reduces one’s appetite. What’s more, in order for protein to be metabolized, it requires more water; this dehydrating effect is referred to as “cutting” in the training world.
As a result, some people can experience muscle dehydration or even weight gain. Animal protein sources also contain more fat than foods rich in plant protein or carbs. This explains why too much protein intake can lead to unwanted muscle mass gain and an increase in body fat.
beef
Sportsman’s Meat Pie
9. Do I need to drink sports drinks?
Thanks to marketing, we’ve all been led to believe that sports drinks are essential for joggers and runners. It isn’t the case, unless your workout lasts for over an hour. In this instance, add a source of carbs to your water to ensure a provision to your muscles and brain. You can also add a bit of minerals, such as sodium chloride (table salt) to replenish the sodium lost through perspiration. Energy chews are also a great option.
High-Protein Snacks
Energy Chews
Here’s a simple recipe to get the same concentration of carbs you’d find in a sports drink like Gatorade.
Combine:
3 ½ cups (875 ml) of water
+ ¼ cup (60 ml) of orange juice
+ ¼ cup (60 ml) of maple syrup
+ 2 tbsp (30 ml) of cranberry juice
+ ¼ tsp (1 ml) of salt
10. What about chocolate milk after a workout?
After a 60- to 90-minute workout, the body needs to replenish its energy reserves, in addition to supporting muscle development and regeneration. After all, we all want our muscles to resemble a nice juicy steak rather than a dry piece of beef jerky! When a muscle is well hydrated, it’ll be much more efficient and less prone to injury.
This is why it’s recommended to have a snack within 30 minutes of completing a workout. It should ideally contain 30 to 45 g of carbs and 10 g of protein. Chocolate milk is a great choice, because it has both carbs and protein, as do two fig cookies dipped in cow’s milk or soy milk, or even Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
Yogurt and cheese
Greek Yogurt with Honey and Pistachios
Note that in order to need such a snack, your workout needs to be sufficiently long and intense. If you went running or swimming for 30 minutes, a post-exercise snack is unnecessary for your muscles and waistline.
Caution: If you’re in the process of losing or maintaining your weight, these calories count towards your daily intake and aren’t considered a bonus.
Tables adapted from Bien manger pour mieux performer – Sports d’endurance [Eating well to perform better – Endurance in sports]. VIVAI, experts en nutrition. 2013. Nutrition, sport et performance [Nutrition, sports and performance], M. Ledoux, N. Lacombe et G. St-Martin, Vélo Québec Éditions, 2009
For more ideas on what to eat before a workout, be sure to read this article:
