Pre- & post-workout meals

Hey you!

Finally it's friday, and today it's actually Food-friday! Let me explain you why 'food friday'...

Normally when people hear the word 'diet' they think of some kind of eating plan which won't work for long term. But when it comes to weight loss and fat loss, you really have to focus on the importance of nutrition. This doesn't mean what you are allowed to eat but when you should eat it, the same goes with beverages that you include in your daily routine. 

So here some basic rules for pre- and post-workout meals:

1. No post-workout coffee:

If you are a total coffee addict there is no need to worry now, you don't have to give up drinking coffee ( searching for an alternative?Click HERE ).

So, why you shouldn't drink coffee post workout:

To start with, if you are adding sugar, milk, cream, syrup etc. to your coffee, try to cut those out! If you simply can't make sure to drink your coffee pre-workout. 

Now, the reason why you should drink your coffee before you workout, is because post workout you are in a state where your muscles are already starting to repair themselves, and when you are drinking coffee after exercising, you go even deeper in the state of muscle destruction. 

2. No pre-workout meat:

If you have a meat-loaded meal before you workout you are going to slow down your metabolism which means that the food you ate takes actually longer to be digested, meaning the whole process zaps on your energy. So, I would have this type of meal at least 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours after your workout and have it +/- 2 hours before your workout if you simply can't get enough of meat. 

3. No meat but protein instead:

Don't get me wrong now with #2! Just because you shouldn't be eating meat pre workout doesn't mean that you should avoid proteins before hitting the gym. If you have a protein shake before you hit the gym is just the perfect way to increase the effectiveness of your workout. 

Your pre-workout shake should be simple, meaning mixing your powder with water or unsweetened almond milk and if you need a bit more energy you can even add coconut oil or rape oil (along with your almond milk or water!)

4. Saving fat for post-workout:

As you may know, fats are very important for a healthy diet (get more info about that HERE). The trick is to get the right amount of fat at the right time. If you have restricted your fats to only 'good' fats like Omega-3, save those fats for after your gym session to get ultimate results. NEVER BEFORE: they also slow down your metabolism.

5. Big meals are for after your big workout:

If you just finished your gym session, sit down and have a great meal and enjoy larger portions. Try to schedule your routine so that you eat after you hit the gym. 

If you aren't able to do that, sit down and try to reschedule your breakfast, lunches or dinners to prevent any potential workout plateaus you might encounter down the road. 

6. Consider your glycemic index:

If you constantly read my blog you should know now that fruits are a great source of energy, some of them are even so full of energy that they leave us only little room for fat burning. (click HERE for more info about fruits)

The best food for burning fat is the banana. Most people think that they are great workout snacks but their glycemic index is very high, just as carrots'. Plus, they increase their glycemic index the moment they ripen. The riper, the higher the index!

Grapefruits, berries, cherries, apples and pears are much better alternatives for pre- and post workout meals. 

These simple rules should help you to get better and better and get more faster and impressive results in your own personal situation! May the food be with you! 

Have a nice weekend my lovely ones!

Clean eating vs. IIFYM

Hi there!

When I started hitting the gym again, 2 years ago, I also started eating healthier and cleaner. And after two months, I came across the words 'clean eating' and 'IIFYM' ( meaning: If it fits your macros). And as you may guess, discussions started again. Some people say that clean eating was healthier, while others say that IIFYM was easier and better for the body. 

But what exactly is the definition of clean eating? 

I am trying now to keep things as simple and basic as possible. People define 'clean eating' as consuming high nutrient dense food sources that are best used by the body for optimized training, better conditioning and to a toned body in an easy way.

Some of the main foods while eating clean are:

• sweet potatoes
• brown rice
• oats
• broccoli
• chicken breast
• turkey breast
• egg whites
• lean ground beef
• healthy oils(olive, canola, flaxseed)
• walnuts
• almonds

Processed foods, sugar and fat laden are kind of prohibited, because they don't have any high nutrient value and are quite bad for your body. You can compare this with a car, you wouldn't put low octane gas in a sports car because it wouldn't run efficiently, well the same goes with your body.  

And What exactly is IIFYM?

IIFYM means ' If it fits your macros' which can be defined as consuming almost any food , high or low nutrients, as long as they fit into your macronutrient or caloric total. 

These are some foods that you are ''allowed'' eating :

• low fat yogurt or ice cream
• baked lays
• candy bars
• protein bars
• white breads
• processed foods

These foods would be considered as taboo for the clean eating approach. The main argument proposed by the IIFYM is that you can still meet your macro goals and achieve lower levels of bodyfat even though you include some 'bad foods' in your diet. Another argument is that if you include these kind of foods, your are more likely to resist to cravings than with clean eating.  

Clean eating vs IIFYM, which one is best for you? 

The problem is that if you are 'clean eating' you may risk to over eat and don't lose the weight or body fat you actually want to, while the IIFYM approach fixes your macro and caloric total-intake which you are not allowed to pass. But the disadvantage of IIFYM is that you can eat whatever you want as long as it fits your macros, meaning that you may lose weight or bodyfat, but then again there's the same problem with the car and the fuel. 

That's why I personally think that a good combination of both of them would be best for everyone. You can take the good foods from clean eating and combine them with IIFYM approach. Meaning that you are giving your body the best fuel but still have an eye on your caloric total intake.

I know that the beginning is always hard if you have to calculate your macros and weigh your foods everyday, but time after time this will become a routine and you will get used to it. 

But the most important thing is, you are losing the weight and body fat you want and you will definitely feel better again!