If you look through any social media community or watch any influencer page, you will eventually see something about what to eat to get the most out of your fitness routine and optimize your nutrition to improve fat loss.
Whether it’s protein timing, fasted workouts, or pre-workouts, there’s a lot of info on what’s “best.”
There are tons of factors that impact what you’ll need for exercise, but here are some guidelines to keep in mind.
Guidelines for what to eat before a workout
Tip #1
The purpose of exercise is not to lose weight, it’s to improve your metabolism and physical ability. Any recommendation you hear that focuses on how to improve fat loss during exercise should be discounted immediately.
Tip #2
The purpose of food is nutrition. That means supplying your body with the resources to function properly on its own. Any recommendation you hear that replaces the natural function of your metabolism is doing more to stall you than help you.
A great way to get the nutrition you need is through a meal replacement shake, like Keto Chow. Keto Chow has 1/3 of your daily recommended nutrients, like protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Tip #3
During exercise, we need 3 different fuels: ATP, glycogen, and fat. Your body stores enough of all three in sufficient quantity. You do not need to eat more just for your workouts.
Tip #4
After exercise, you need to recover. Protein intake is key to that process. The period of time you are in recovery and the amount of time it takes your body to digest protein, overlap. As long as you get a good amount of protein into your body each day, when you eat it doesn’t matter.
Tip #5
Exercise is a stressor and puts your body into “fight or flight” mode. Part of that process is the reduction of digestive function. Contrary to popular belief, eating something before a workout is no more beneficial than not eating before a workout. Do whatever works best for your schedule or routine.
With that in mind, what if I told you there was something that is quickly digested, already part of metabolic function, enhances energy management, and improves performance?!
The best thing to have before a workout
Salt is the best thing you can consume prior to exercise. We all know electrolytes are key to hydration and cellular health. Sodium in particular has been shown in several cases to be highly beneficial to physical performance.
In the book WIN: Achieve Peak Athletic Performance, Optimize Recovery and Become a Champion (2021), Dr. DiNicolantonio recommends around 3 g. of sodium in a liter of water, one hour before physical activity. Studies have shown that this can help reduce heart rate, lower how much your core body temperature will rise (keeping you cooler), decreases perceived exertion, improves muscle function, and more.
An easy source of sodium that you can add to your favorite drink is Keto Chow Electrolyte Drops. They’re a perfect source of hydration for your workout and are sourced from the Great Salt Lake.
In Conclusion
In general, what you eat in a day is more important than spending time planning food around your workouts. The effort is not worth the reward. If you want to do something to improve your performance and get more out of the work you do, try increasing your sodium intake just before your exercise.
