Eat Right and Perform Better

Did you know that the timing, type and amount of food eaten before workouts and events can drastically affect the quality of a training session and the outcome of the event?

Here are some snacking tips:
Keep the Carbs. Carbohydrate is the main energy source used by the nervous and muscular systems and is essential for peak performance. A high carbohydrate pre-workout snack with protein eaten 10 to 40 minutes beforehand can provide the energy to fuel the activity while allowing enough time for digestion. Conversely, a snack high in fiber, protein or fat may not fill up muscle energy (glycogen) stores, can slow digestion, cause an upset stomach and impair performance.

Timing is Everything. The recovery process is also influenced by when and what you eat before and after activity. By eating the ideal blend of carbohydrate and protein immediately before and after exercise, you reduce muscle damage, stimulate muscle growth, refill energy stores and ensure your body is prepared for the next workout or event. Proper repair and building of tissues after each training bout can prevent chronic fatigue, injury and over-training. Pre and posttraining and event snacks should be convenient and in a rapidly digestible form. This helps deliver the necessary nutrients for growth and repair to muscles at the right times. Liquid shakes with the proper blend of nutrients are ideal because they are quickly absorbed.

Pre-workout Snack Guidelines
In general, the proper amount of carbohydrate in a pre-workout snack can be as high as 0.5 gram per pound of bodyweight (0.5g/lb) for long endurance type activities.

Pre-workout snacks should be consumed 10 to 40 minutes before activity to ensure the main gas tank is "topped off" at the onset of training and the stomach is relatively empty. This is especially important for early morning workouts.

Post-workout Snack Guidelines
There is a "metabolic window" that lasts for approximately 60 to 90 minutes after intense training when the body is highly receptive to nutrient uptake. During this timeframe, you have the best chance of reducing muscle damage, maximizing
exercise induced strength and muscle size by eating the appropriate amounts of carbohydrate and protein immediately after training. Once this window is closed, there's no making up for the potential gains in size even if you eat perfect the rest of the day. A fast-acting liquid formula allows nutrients to be delivered to muscles to take advantage of this opportunity.