Essential Pre And Post Workout Diet Explained By Food Darzee

difficult in the beginning. Some might even question dieting during a fitness regime and those who don’t aren’t sure of what to eat. Dr. Siddhant Bhargarva, Co-founder, Fitness and Nutritional Scientist at Food Darzee answers all our doubts and questions.

Why is it essential to consume food before and after workout?

Pre-workout:

Conventionally, one needs the energy to fuel a workout. Now the energy source would differ and so would the pre-workout nutrition. For example, something which needs explosive strength / quick action movements / sprinting would need a quick source of energy. i.e. high glycemic/ moderate glycemic index foods (carbohydrates). So, bananas. Oats, dates, form good pre-workout meals. If the exercise is less explosive and more sustained and endurance based, a good source of fat must be included, thus nuts along with a carb source should be added to give you long -lasting energy.

Post Workout:

Post workout is all about replenishment and recovery. Fast acting carb source like fruits will help replenish the glycogen stores and a large amount of protein will help in recovery. So, egg, meats or even a whey protein supplement will help in recovery.

Can there be variations in these meals to make it less boring?

Absolutely. We need to select food groups and play around with the ingredients. Although there is going to be some structure as to execute this correctly, only a select few ingredients can be used. Therefore, massive variety is not possible.

What should one eat before working out?

Oats, Poha, Upma, Banana Berries and nuts like walnuts almonds hazelnuts or seeds like chia flax can be used.

What about after work out?

Protein sources like meats, eggs and whey protein supplements with a fruit is a good post workout.

How does pre and post workout food affect our body?

Fuel is pre-workout. Replenishment and recovery are post workout. An absence of fuel will make your workouts suffer. An absence of recovery will leave you sore and make the future workouts suffer. Reaching to your goal becomes difficult then.

For vegetarians, what protein variants can be included in the diet?

Hung curd, Pulses, Whey protein and Cottage Cheese form great protein sources.

What happens if one works out and does not follow a regular diet?

The results will suffer massively. 75 % is diet related. Less energy less recovery will not help you get to your goal.

Would you recommend products like cold-pressed juices and energy drinks before or after workouts?

Not typically because they have refined simple sugars, you rather make your own energy drinks and add a spoon of coffee powder for an added kick. But I wouldn’t recommend using products sold on the shelf.

What shelf products can one consume while following a regime?

At times maybe, energy/ protein bars are one good food group. Hung curd yogurts (unflavored) are another good shelf item.

Any other dietary guidance on those starting a fitness regime from scratch?

Watch your macros. Find out how much nutrition your body actually needs and not what is theoretical. Get a body fat scan done. It will help in determining your calorie range to get to your goal. Then get the amount of protein required correct, this is one of the more crucial elements.

You should know roughly how much fat protein and carbohydrate you should be consuming.

Another thing is that you need to plan your meals for you to follow effectively. Don’t make your meals haphazard. Structure them and following the diet regime becomes easier. Also, select simple things to make otherwise you won’t be able to keep up.