Author: Online Yeti

When busy at work, new opportunities, and kids are often given top priority; this makes healthy eating a secondary concern in your life. Eating healthy with a busy schedule has become relatively hard for most individuals; this is because of the fast foods available in most restaurants are not healthy. Grabbing the easiest and the quickest meal to eat from a cafeteria and run back to the office has become a daily routine from individuals who work from an office.

Despite it solving your food problem, it goes ahead and has an impact on your health, including losing energy, gaining weight, or even both. Since it has become a global problem, we shall be focusing on eating healthy with a busy schedule in today’s article. Some simple tips to consider in achieving this include;

1. Making simple breakfast your priority

Morning hours is the time in which most individuals tend to rush as they get ready for work; during this time, most individual tend to neglect their first meal of the day. You should note that breakfast is highly crucial, and it aids in preparing the body for the long-awaited day at work. Some of the best breakfast meals you should consider having as you rush to work include; Greek yogurt or spinach, coconut water, and banana smoothie without the extra sugar. You might as well consider starting your day with eight ounces of hot lemon water since it aids in rejuvenating your body system that has been fasting throughout the night. Furthermore, these aids in boosting your immune system, strengthening your brain, hydrates the body, improves digestion, and get rid of stress with the aid of Vitamin C.

2. Pre-portioning your snack

By pre-portioning your snack, you will be able to prevent overeating. Noshing is a common habit among individuals who work as it aids them get going throughout the day as they require something in their system. However, when avoiding junk food, most individuals tend to lose track of the amount of calories they have consumed. This can be fixed through having your midmorning as well as afternoon snacks comprising more of pre-portioned fruits or nuts. You should consider pre-portioning your snack in the kitchen; this will bar you from overeating. It will be best to put your snack in a small portion in a bowl rather than taking the entire box or bag of your snack.

3. Drinking plenty of water

Most individuals love drinking coffee throughout their workday to aid in keeping them energized; however, drinking plenty of water will aid with achieving that as well. Water aids in cleaning your gastrointestinal tract and aids in keeping your body hydrated. Using a medium-sized water bottle will have you going; you might end up refilling it twice a day. This method is way cheaper when compared to a mocha latte, and you will require no time in preparing it.

4. Consider eating at the same time daily

Most busy individuals set a daily routine at their offices. By doing so, they are able to control everything controllable, thus leaving them mentally free to deal with any unexpected challenges or opportunities that might come their way. Eating should not be any different; since having specific time and routine for your meals ensures that you will prepare for it making it easier for you to choose healthier choices than going through meal choices in a rush. This makes it easy to make choices accordingly as exciting food adventure comes.

5. Have a lighter lunch

Lunch is a meal that often has a significant impact on an individual with a busy schedule since it is in the middle of your working day. Calorie rich diets at lunchtime can have health risks, and having lunch with workmates on a busy day is highly tempting. Nothing is perfect than an easy and healthy salad that can be prepared very fast. You will definitely have to lay off all the fatty dressing and opt for lemon juice with a bit of olive oil. You should consider having lunch that comprises of green vegetable salad with some protein and low carbohydrate source.

6. Walk and talk

Having a healthy diet alone will not offer you the energy and brainpower required to push you through your busy schedule. You should as well consider having a short exercise period since it features a positive impact as well. You might think you do not have this time; however, you should try and create some time for stretching and walking within the office to aid in improving your brain power as you prepare to get back to work.

7. Setting a reminder

You should consider setting a reminder prior to your busy day. This is perfect for individuals who love planning everything on their schedule. During this time, you should not forget to insert your meal plan, including snacks. By doing so, you will remember what you will eat during that day, even if you are busy working on your project. This will prevent you from eating unhealthy meals that will end up having a negative impact on your health.

8. Make it convenient

You will most likely find out that you have little time to stop by a store and do some grocery shopping, especially with a busy schedule. You should, therefore, consider purchasing your vegetables from online vendors; ensure that they are trustworthy. By making food availability more convenient, you will be able to prepare your meal with the utmost ease and prevent wasting more time going out for shopping.

9. Preparing your meal in advance

When you know you have a busy schedule ahead, it will be best if you prepare your meal in advance; by doing this, you will be able to save on plenty of time. However, if you have no time to prepare your meal together in the morning, you might consider preparing it on weekends and refrigerate or freeze them. All you will be doing is warm it in the morning before heading out.

Final verdict

If you care about your health and would like to practice healthy eating even when you have a busy schedule, you should consider practicing some of the tips mentioned above. These tips are relatively easy to implement, and they will have a significant impact on your health. As we conclude, we hope that this article will be of great benefit as you plan to take care of your general well-being.

As you put more effort into working out, you should always aspire to perform better and attain your goals. However, when exercising, most individuals tend to give more thoughts on pre-workout meals than post-workout meals. When keeping trying to keep fit, consuming the right nutrients after exercising is highly essential, just as prior to your exercise.

Usually, what you consume before exercising fuels your body by giving it the required energy to exercise; furthermore, what you eat after exercising is just as important. For most individuals, figuring what to eat after exercising is quite challenging. As a result, today’s article will be focusing on post-workout meals.

Eating after working out is essential

By understanding how your body is affected by physical exercise, will help you understand the right diet to consume after working out. When working out, the glycogen stored in your muscle is used as the primary source of fuel. This leads your muscles to become partially depleted of their glycogen stores. Furthermore, the protein stored in your muscles will as well be broken down and damaged.

Your body will try rebuilding its glycogen stores and regrow and repair the lost protein after working out. Therefore, eating the right meal after exercising will help your body build up the muscles much faster. Usually, it is best to consume carbohydrates and proteins immediately after working out.

By doing so you will, your body will benefit from the following;

· It will decrease braking down of muscle protein

· Aid in increasing growth or muscle protein synthesis

· Enhances recovery

· Restoring lost glycogen stores.

Recommended post-workout meal

In this section, we shall be discussing how every macronutrient that is carbohydrates, proteins, and fat is essential in the post-workout recovery process.

Proteins

Proteins aid in repairing and building muscles. When exercising, your body triggers the breakdown of muscle protein, and the rate at which happens is often determined on the type and level of exercise you are performing. However, even a well-trained athlete will experience muscle protein breakdown.

When you consume an adequate amount of protein after working out, your body will receive amino acid (building blocks of protein), which are essential in repairing and rebuilding muscle proteins. You will as well receive the building block responsible for building new muscle tissues in your body.

After exercising, it is recommended to consume 0.3 to 0.5 grams per kg of body weight or 0.14 to 0.23 grams of protein per pound of the body immediately after working out. Research has shown that consuming 20 to 40 grams of protein aids in maximizing the body’s ability to recover after working out.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy, and consuming it after exercise aids in recovery. The glucose stored in the body is often used in fueling the body while exercising; due to that, it recommended to consume carbs to aid in replenishing them. Furthermore, the rate in which your body uses stored glycogen highly depends on the type and level of exercise you perform.

As a result, when participating in endurance sports, swimming, running among others, you may be required to consume more carbohydrates than a bodybuilder. Consuming approximately 0.5 to 0.7 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight or 1.1 to 1.5 grams per kg of body weight within 30 minutes after working out will lead to proper glycogen resynthesize.

Additionally, insulin secretion is responsible for promoting glycogen synthesis, and it often stimulated when carbohydrates and protein are consumed all at the same time. Consequently, you should consider consuming both carbohydrates and protein at the same time after exercising to aid in maximizing both protein and glycogen synthesis. You should try and consume the two in the ratio of 3;1 (Carbohydrates to protein)—for instance, 120 grams of carbohydrates and 40 grams of proteins.

Consuming plenty of carbohydrates will aid in rebuilding glycogen stores, which is something very essential among individuals who exercise more often, such as two times a day. If you often relax for one to two days between workouts, this amount of carbs becoming less critical.

Fat

Fat is an essential macronutrient as well when it comes to exercising. Most individuals think that consuming fat after exercising tends to inhibit the absorption of crucial nutrients and slow down absorption. Despite that fat slows down the absorption of the post-workout meal, it does not reduce its benefit. A study has proven that consuming meals high on fat, that is 45% energy is from fat; after exercising, your muscle glycogen synthesis will not be affected.

Limiting the amount f fat after exercising is essential; however, having a small amount in the post-workout meal will not have any effect on the recovery process.

Post-workout meal timing is essential

The ability of the body to rebuild protein and glycogen is often enhanced after exercising. Due to this reason, it is highly recommended to have a combination of protein and carbohydrates almost immediately after exercising. However, the timing does not have to be exact; most experts say consuming the post-workout meal inside 45 minutes is highly essential.

In fact, it is said that delaying eating your carbohydrate by two hours after working out can result in 50% lower rates of glycogen synthesis. Nevertheless, consuming a meal before exercising the chances of benefiting from the meal is still high.

Essential meals to consume after working out

The chief goal of a post-workout meal is to provide the body with the vital nutrients ideal for recovery and to maximize all the benefits of exercising. By choosing easy to digest food, you will be promoting fast nutrient absorption. Here are the key examples of foods that can be digested easily;

Carbohydrates:

· Chocolate milk

· Rice

· Sweet potatoes

· Pasta

· Quinoa

· Fruits such as berries, bananas, pineapple and kiwi among others

· Rice cake

· Dark green leafy vegetables

Proteins:

· Eggs

· Chicken

· Tuna

· Greek yogurt

· Protein bar

· Protein powder, either plant or animal-based.

· Salmon

· Cottage cheese

Fats:

· Avocado

· Nuts

· Trail mix; died nuts and fruits

Final verdict

By consuming a post-workout meal with carbohydrates and protein, you will be able to enhance protein synthesis as well as glycogen storage. This is highly essential when it comes to exercising. It will be best if you consume protein and carbs in the ratio of 3;1 (carbohydrate to protein) in order to achieve maximum glycogen and protein synthesis.

As an athlete or physical fitness enthusiast looking for ways in which you can improve your physical performance in order to attain your goal is highly essential. When it comes to meals, having proper nutrition will aid boost your performance significantly and assist in recovering faster after your workout. Having optimal nutrition prior to your workout will substantially aid in maximizing your performance as well as minimize muscle damage, which is often common among athletes and physical fitness enthusiasts. There are several vital aspects you will need to consider when choosing the right pre-workout meal. In this article, we shall be discussing every essential aspect you need to know about the pre-workout meal.

Knowing the right meal to consume is highly essential

When it comes to fueling your body, choosing food with the proper nutrient prior to your workout plays a significant role in providing you with energy and strength in order to maximize your performance.

Every macronutrient plays a specific role in the body prior to exercising. Furthermore, the ratio in which you consume them differs significantly by an individual as well type of physical exercise. Some of the essential macronutrients include;

Carbohydrate

The primary source of energy in our body comes from carbohydrates. Our muscles use glucose from carbohydrates for energy. Our body processes and stores glucose in the form of glycogen in the liver as well as the muscle.

When performing both short and high-intensity exercise, the glucose stores becomes the primary source of energy for your muscle. However, when it comes to more prolonged exercise, the amount in which carbohydrate is used in the body will depend on various factors. These include; type of your training, intensity as well the overall diet.

As an athlete, the glycogens stored in your muscles are limited. As you deplete the available glycogen in your stores, your output and intensity will be diminished. Several studies have shown that consuming high carbohydrate foods will aid in increasing your glycogen stores as well as utilization while increasing the oxidation process of carbohydrate during a workout. The best way in which you can maximize your glycogen stores is through carbohydrate loading; this involves eating food high in carbohydrates for 1to 7 days.

Protein

Several studies have shown the potential of consuming a protein diet prior to your workout in improving the overall performance of an athlete. Consuming protein, either with or without carbohydrate before exercising, has proven to aid in increasing muscle protein synthesis.

A study has shown a positive anabolic response after participants ate 20 grams of whey protein prior to exercising. Some other essential benefits of protein include;

· Greater anabolic response or muscle growth

· Increase in both strength as well as lean body mass.

· Aids in improving muscle recovery

· Increases significantly muscle performance

Fat

Despite the fact that glycogen is ideal for short as well as high intensity bouts of exercise, fat is an incredible source of energy for longer as well as moderate to low-intensity physical exercise. Studies have assessed the effects of fat consumption on athletic performance. Nevertheless, these studies investigated high-fat diets over an extended period rather than before a workout.

For instance, a study showed the effect of consuming a 40% fat diet consistently for four-weeks and has proven to aid in increasing endurance running times in athletes as well as physical fitness enthusiasts.

Timing your pre-workout meal

While a pre-workout meal can be highly essential timing, it is a vital aspect that every athlete needs to consider. For you to maximize your training result, you should consider consuming a complete meal that consists of protein, carbohydrates as well as fats 2 to 3 hours prior to your workout.

In this case, you will be able to consume eat the right pre-workout meal. Consequently, you should consider keeping in mind that the sooner you consume the meal prior to working put, the smaller and simple your meal should be. When eating 45 minutes to an hour before exercising, you should consider choosing foods that are easy to digest and are high on both carbohydrates and protein. By doing so, you will be able to prevent any stomach discomfort while working out.

What are some of the best pre-workout meals?

The type of food and the amount you will eat highly depends on the duration, type as well as the intensity of your workout. The best meal is the one that consists of both carbohydrates as well as protein before exercising.

When you eat fat in your pre=workout diet, you should consider consuming it some few hours before working out; this aids in giving it ample time to be digested and absorbed by the body. Some essential pre-workout meals include;

When starting your workout within 2 to 3 hours or more;

· Sandwich whole grain bread, lean protein, as well as a side salad.

· Lean protein along with brown rice as well as roasted vegetables.

· Egg omelet along with whole-grain toast with avocado toppings and a cup of fruit.

When your workout commences within 2 hours

· Whole grain cereal along with milk

· A protein smoothie consisting of milk, banana, protein powder, as well as mixed berries.

· Natural almond butter along with a fruit preserved sandwich on whole-grain bread.

· One cup of oatmeal with banana as well as sliced almonds toppings.

When your workout begins within an hour or less

· Fruit and Greek yogurt.

· A piece of fruit like an orange, banana, or apple.

· Nutrition bar rich in protein as well as wholesome ingredients.

You should keep in mind that you do not require to consume several pre-workout meals at different times. You just have to choose one of the above depending on your workout schedule. For an effective result, you might consider experimenting with varying compositions of nutrients as well as timings.

Final verdict

Despite consuming the above three essential macronutrients (carbs, proteins, and fat) is critical, you might as well consider using supplements. Some of these supplements are responsible for enhancing performance, increase lean body mass, improve strength as well as reduces fatigue. When it comes to supplements, these are some of the most essential;

· Creatine

· Caffeine

· Beta-alanine

· Branched-chain amino acids

· Multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements

As we conclude, you should always remember that a combination of carbohydrates and protein is highly recommended and essential for a pre-workout meal. Furthermore, fat is as well a beneficial macronutrient; however, you should consider consuming it at least two hours prior to working out.