3397: What To Eat If You’re Working Out More by Jessica Spendlove on Nutrition For Training

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[00:01:00] This is Optimal Health Daily. What to eat if you're working out more by Jessica Spendlove of jessicaspenlove.com And I'm Dr. Neal Malik, reading you some of the most popular health and fitness blogs out there. With permission from the websites, of course. And always with a bit of my commentary at the end. And for now, let's get right to the post as we optimize your life.

[00:01:25] What to eat if you're working out more by Jessica Spendlove of jessicaspenlove.com Whether you're upping your workouts to help with weight loss, you're training to build muscle, or you're exercising for the major mood boost, it's important to ensure you're eating enough of the right things to fuel the results you're after. Nutrition is always personalized, but there are a few general rules for working out what to eat to get the most out of your training.

[00:01:51] We're covering the most critical nutrients, the timing of eating, and the importance of consistency, which are paramount for living and performing at your best. We'll also share what to eat before a workout and what to eat after a workout, two of the most common questions we get as dieticians. The importance of protein Protein plays many critical roles in our body, including the building and repairing of muscle, which is why adequate intake is especially important when we're working out.

[00:02:20] During intense sessions where we push our muscles to their limits, micro-tears to the muscle tissues occur. Our muscles recover by repairing those micro-tears, making the muscles a little bigger and stronger as they're exposed to the stimulus over time. There's also evidence to show the benefit of regularly consuming protein across the day for appetite control and weight management, as protein is the most satiating nutrient, meaning it fills you up the most. How much protein should you eat per day?

[00:02:50] The recommended daily intake of protein for the average individual is 0.75 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. However, individuals who work out often, or elite athletes, are recommended to consume 1.3 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. While the total amount of protein you eat is important, the body can only use small amounts of protein at any one time.

[00:03:16] This means that the timing and spread of protein consumption throughout the day is very important. Including protein-rich foods at each meal and snack is a good way to ensure you are spreading out your protein intake. Eating protein in the hour after exercise is essential in helping to promote muscle gains and minimize muscle breakdown.

[00:03:37] Protein-rich foods include lean meats, poultry like chicken or turkey, eggs, fish and other seafood, dairy products, so milk, cheese and yogurt, and legumes like lentils and beans. Carbs are critical. Carbohydrates also play an important role in fueling exercise as they are the main source of energy for the brain, body, and muscles.

[00:04:00] Carbohydrates are your primary fuel source during high-intensity exercise, and it plays a key role in maintaining effort, perception of intensity, and may also assist in the prevention of cramping. How much carb should you eat per day? On training days, aim to fill half of your plate with carbohydrates. On days when you're doing less or no exercise, your body requires fewer carbohydrates. When building your plate, aim to have one-quarter of your plate as carbohydrates on those days.

[00:04:29] Carbohydrate-rich foods include whole grains like pasta, bread, rice, oats, beans and cereals, fruit whether it's fresh, frozen or canned, and vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and carrots. Stay hydrated. Hydration is a critical component of successful nutrition. The body is about 60% water, so it's no surprise that having enough fluid on board is crucial in allowing the body to function optimally.

[00:04:58] Without adequate fluids, your performance can be detrimentally impacted. Now how much water should you drink? Aim for 2-3 liters or about 35-45 milliliters per kilogram of body weight on training and rest days. How to ensure hydration Monitor your urine for immediate feedback throughout the day about how hydrated you are. Start with your day with a glass of water. Keep a full drink bottle nearby and regularly sip throughout the day.

[00:05:27] Make use of cold brew herbal teas or sparkling water for variation. And adapt your hydration to support your increased needs around training and games. Ensure you're eating enough When you're training heavily, it's so important to eat enough to fuel the work you're doing. Low energy availability means there's a mismatch between an athlete's energy intake, meaning their diet, and energy used during exercise. Not only will this hamper your workout results, but your overall health too.

[00:05:56] Relative energy deficiency in sport, also known as REDS, is characterized by detrimental impairments to your menstrual cycle, bone health, immune system, protein synthesis, heart health, and gastrointestinal function. Symptoms of REDS include frequent illness, low energy, stress fractures, low or lower than normal s*** drive, and for those born female, disruptions to your menstrual function. What to eat before a workout

[00:06:27] When eating before exercise, carbohydrates are the primary focus. Try to get a little bit of protein and some color on your plate from fruits or vegetables as well. Particularly if you have the snack or meal in the window of one to two hours before training. The purpose of this pre-workout snack or meal is to prime the body to perform, top up your stores, ensure adequacy across the day, and help keep you satisfied.

[00:06:52] The last thing you want to feel in a training session, game, or competition is hunger. You need more fuel on board for the longer and or more intense sessions. The general rule of thumb is have a meal three to four hours before the training session or event, and a snack one to two hours before. You might want or need a pre-training primer in the 30 to 60 minutes before the event or training session.

[00:07:17] But that should just be carbohydrate focus, and something you know you can tolerate and digest easily, like a banana. Wondering if you have to eat before an early morning workout, or can you do fasted training? Early birds might not feel like eating something before exercise, and that's okay. Especially if it's a lower intensity workout like Pilates, yoga, or a walk. However, if you're doing an intense workout for a longer duration, it's recommended you eat something one to two hours before,

[00:07:45] so you might have to set your wake up alarm a little early. What to eat after a workout The formula for post-training recovery stays much the same, regardless of whether you train in the morning, the afternoon, or the evening. It's all about refueling, replenishing, and repairing muscle damage. Good quality carbohydrates and protein are essential, always with a splash of color. While the carbohydrates refuel the muscle and the protein repairs the muscle,

[00:08:13] the colors from fruits and vegetables consumed, in enough adequacy across the day, support optimal recovery and reduce inflammation. Oh, and don't forget those fluids to replenish hydration losses. You just listened to the post titled, What to Eat If You're Working Out More, by Jessica Spenlove of jessicaspenlove.com And I'll be right back with my commentary. Good sleep is everything.

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[00:09:33] Today's author, Jessica, was so right when they mentioned that some of the most common nutrition-related questions we get as dietitians are the ones about fueling before or after a workout. Jessica said something that's very true and may help ease some of the stress that we may feel about fueling our active bodies. Jessica said that researchers have found that regularly consuming protein throughout the day can help with muscle repair and muscle growth.

[00:09:58] I've talked about how after a strength training session, consuming some leucine-rich protein within 20 to 30 minutes may be most beneficial. But let's say that's simply not possible. Maybe you don't have time to do that. Maybe you forgot to pack a snack. Maybe you don't feel hungry and don't want to force yourself to eat right after a workout. Luckily, researchers have found that if you're getting enough protein throughout the day, not just right after your workout, you're probably just fine.

[00:10:25] The body will still be able to send the protein you ate earlier in the day and the protein that you're going to consume later to your muscles. Alright, that'll do it for today. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for being a subscriber or follower of the show. I hope you have a great rest of your day and I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you. Thank you. I love you. Thank you.