Eating for Muscle Gain: Importance of Pre-Workout Nutrition
By: Sean Nalewanyj
Submitted: 2009-10-30 22:18:43 | Word Count: 981
The old saying goes "If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail"-this advice is very important for all of your workouts as well.
You should enter each session at the gym as though you are going to war and your mind and body should be ready to win this war.
[ advertisement ]
In this article, we will cover the physical side of preparedness by teaching you how to prime your body by eating for muscle gain before battling the weights.
Eating for muscle gain helps give your body the necessary tools to workout as effectively as possible because it ensures that you go into the gym at peak strength.
There are three main goals that you want to achieve when eating for muscle gain before a workout:
1) Increase your strength potential to the max.
2) Offer a steady flow of balanced energy to your mind and muscles that will sustain you throughout the workout.
3) Reduce your muscle breakdown by offering your body the raw tools to kick start the recovery process once the workout is over.
Before a workout, eating for muscle gain doesn't start with solid food. Step one-ensure your body is properly hydrated before you begin your workout. Before you train, it's critical to hydrate as water plays a vital role in keeping strength and energy levels peaked.
You should down an 'eating for muscle gain' pre-workout meal about 60 minutes before hitting the gym. The first component of this meal is, you guessed it, protein. Protein will keep your body in an anabolic state and help prevent muscle breakdown during your workout.
Your best bet is to get 30-40 grams of high quality protein, ideally from whey protein and casein. Blend 25-30 grams of whey protein in 300-400ml of skim milk to get this mixture.
When eating for muscle gain, whey protein is a top choice for your pre-workout meal because it is high in BCAA's-branch chain amino acids that work to prevent muscle catabolism. Mixing your whey with milk is a good idea because this will slow down the release of the protein and provide your body with a steady stream of amino acids throughout your workout.
Along with your protein shake you should also consume 1-2 portions of low-glycemic carbohydrates. These carbs are ideal before a workout as they get broken down and gradually absorbed by your body, providing it with a steady stream of energy.
Stay away from high glycemic carbohydrates when you are eating for muscle gain because they are released too quickly into your bloodstream, causing a surge in insulin levels. This will result in a quick rise in insulin levels followed by a sharp fall.
The fall in your insulin levels will weaken you and make you feel sluggish and tired. Choose carbohydrates that won't cause this rapid fluctuation in insulin levels because it's the last thing that you want to experience in the middle of a high intensity workout.
To maintain an even stream of sugars throughout your workout, choose pre-workout carbohydrates like oatmeal, apples, or brown rice that ensure steady energy levels.
If you are eating for muscle gain, remember to keep your pre-workout meals fairly small to allow for easy digestion so that you don't feel ill when you train. Do not workout on an empty stomach.
Here's a quick recap:
60 minutes before your workout:
1) Around 25-30 grams of whey protein mixed with 300-400ml of milk
2) 1-2 servings of carbohydrates like brown rice, oatmeal, or apple, which are gradually released into your system
l so like to throw in a cup or two of coffee before my workouts as I find that this increases my energy and amplifies my focus nicely.
