Working Out at Home or Gym? Here’s the Healthy Diet Tips.

Working out and eating the right foods go together. It doesn’t matter if you exercise at a gym, in your home, or open spaces, here are some added diet tips that can help to reach your fitness goals much faster!

Eating and exercise go hand in hand. When and what you eat can be important to how you feel when you exercise, whether it’s a casual workout or training for a competition. Consider these eating and exercise tips.

1. Have Breakfast

When you work out in the morning, you should wake up a bit early and have your breakfast an hour before you go ahead with the exercise. This will make sure your body stays well-fueled while you get into exercise mode. There have been studies done that suggest that when you drink or eat carbohydrates before a workout, it can improve your performance and also allows you for working out for longer without fatigue. 

In case you don’t eat at all, there can be feelings of being lightheaded or sluggish when one goes for the workout. If you don’t have much time and will exercise in less than an hour of breakfast, go for lighter meals or drinks. Focus on carbohydrates during this time for enhanced energy levels.

Some of the good breakfast choices can be:

1. Whole-grain bread
2. Low-fat milk
3. Juice
4. A banana
5. Curd
6. A pancake

Also, keep in mind if you have coffee in the morning, it is good too, as it works as a pre-workout too. Remember, when you have food or drinks just before you work out, you can have an upset stomach. So timing is critical here.

2. Portion size Matters

Always stay careful that you don’t overdo the amount of food you have before a workout. General suggestions are:

• Go for large meals when you have around 3 to 4 hours before your workouts.
• Have a small meal or a snack around one hour before your workout.

You are going to feel sluggish when you have too much food before you workout. If you aren’t eating enough, then you won’t have the energy to sustain the workout or feel strong. 

3. Snacks Are Good For You!

Most people can’t eat a lot of food before working out. The key here is listening to your body and see how you are feeling and follow things that work for you. When you have a snack just before you exercise, won’t be able to provide you with the energy that you are looking for. But it can help distract the feeling of hunger for sure. When you have been working out for over one hour, you can benefit from food that is complex carbohydrates while you work out. 

Some of the good options that you can try as your snack are:

1. Protein bars.
2. A fresh fruit.
3. Curd with soaked Chia seeds.
4. Mixed fruit smoothie.
5. Whole-grain crackers.
6. low-fat granola bars.
7. No added sugar peanut butter sandwich.
8. Sports drink.

Your healthy snacks can be critical for you if you don’t have much time for a whole breakfast before your workouts.

4.  Have Something after Your Workout

Your muscles need to recover once you complete your exercise. The glycogen stores have to be replaced. Therefore you must have food that has protein and carbohydrate both in around the time of 2 hours after your workout session. Some of the good choices include:

1. Curd and fruits
2. Peanut-butter sandwiches
3. No-fat chocolate milk
4. Post-workout smoothies
5. Whole-grain bread with vegetables and chicken

5. Stay Hydrated!

Never forget about fluids and their importance in your overall diet. You have to take adequate fluids during and also after your workouts. This prevents any dehydration. For staying hydrated you need to have:

1. Around 2 cups of water should be consumed an hour before you exercise.
2. Take a sip of water every 15 minutes during your workouts.
3. And at least 3 cups of water after half to one hour of your workouts.

Water is usually best for replacing your lost fluids. But while you are working out for over 60 minutes you can also have a sports drink or coconut water for electrolyte replenishment. This will lead to electrolyte balance and provide you with more energy after your workouts.

Also, understand that the amount of water you need to take depends on your body weight and the kind of exercise you are involved with. 

Listen To Your Body

Always remember that the intensity and length of your physical activities should determine how often and how much you should be eating. For instance, you need more energy for running a marathon when compared with walking few miles. Also, try not to include any new foods just before you have a sports event. It is good that you have some prior experience with food to see how it works for your system and if your body can handle it. 

When we speak of exercising and eating, each person is different. Therefore pay attention to the way you feel while you workout and also the overall performance. Let your personal experience be the main guide for your pre and post-workout meals. Observe the eating habits that work the best for you. Try monitoring and journaling what you eat and the way your body reacts to specific foods. You can then adjust the diet accordingly for optimal workout performance. 

Some Extra Tips:

1. Schedule your workouts well. If you stay very busy with the workouts try to see it as another vital meeting and include it in your daily routine.
2. Go easy sometimes. Plan the workout in a manner where you feel the most energetic as well. 

Final Thoughts

Even though you work out at home or the local gym, following a good healthy diet plan is critical.  So go ahead and try the tips we mentioned above and see how well this works for you! But before that, consult with a dietician for better results since experts know the best.

Speaking of whom, Sonali Malik is a leading nutritionist and dietician who offers customized diet plans along with assistance in sticking to a particular diet. Get in touch with her and restore the balance of your body, mind, and soul.

Also Read: Diet and Hair Loss: Must have Foods for Hair Health in your Diet Plan