Workout myths and reality

14 February, 2013

The belief that what we eat is easily balanced by workouts is still held by many people. But this myth has been busted, with several studies showing that effective results can only be achieved if right kinds of foods are consumed before and after the gym session. For instance, if you consume loads of calories and no muscle-building foods, heavy exercise will just burn them down, leaving you dizzy and exhausted.

Effective workout depends majorly on what you eat before because it prepares your body for the stress, and the meal after that is responsible for muscle building and body repair. Here are some tips that you must keep in mind to get maximum advantage from workout.

Around an hour before you hit the gym make sure that your body gets good dose of carbohydrates. You can eat an apple or banana, a toast, cornflakes or idlis. All these foods are digested pretty fast, and will give you required energy. But if you had a heavy meal, start working out only after a gap of two to three hours. But never go to gym on an empty stomach.

The ideal pre-sport meal should be low in fiber and rich in fluids. Before the workout have only moderate quantities of carbohydrates and protein and make sure you have lots of fluids, because they keep the body hydrated and cool the system. If there is not enough water in the body during the workout, its temperature can reach dangerously high levels.

An hour after the workout, the level of cortisole (a destructive hormone) shoots up making the body susceptible to infections, that's why the hour just after a workout is known as the window period, as it allows the infections to enter the body. So, you should have a little but nutritious meal, also have a drink rich in electrolytes to make up for the loss of water and salt due to sweating. If you have proteins that are harder to digest be sure to add lots of fiber rich greens in your meal.

After exercise your body requires quality carbohydrates, lean protein and heart healthy fats and fluids. Muscles need carbohydrates which are present in bread, cereals, rice, fruits and vegetables. Proteins also assist in absorption of essential nutrients. The best option for a post workout DIY supplement is to take the watery part of curd which is rich in protein, chop a banana and apple into it and put it in the blender. It's a perfect combination of proteins and carbohydrates, reported NNIS.