The correct timing of food before and after exercise is truly one of the most important factors in muscle-gain. Please read the following information carefully and be sure to implement it as it will help you get the most benefit from your exercise routines.

Before Exercise

Food consumed before exercise is only useful once it has been digested and absorbed. So therefore you need to time your food intake in conjunction with your workout so you don’t feel full or severely depleted. Digestion time depends on the type and quantity of food you eat. If you eat a high quantity of food it will take longer to digest than a smaller quantity. If you eat a meal high in fat, protein and/or fibre, it too will also take longer to digest. A general guide is to have a meal 2-3hours before exercise or a lighter snack 1-2hours before exercise. However, you need to experiment to discover what meal timing works best for you.

After Exercise

Eating a carbohydrate-rich, moderate-protein snack or meal immediately after training helps to optimise gains in muscle mass by increasing production of anabolic hormones and supplying amino acids for protein synthesis. Therefore within 30 minutes of finishing training (the sooner the better), try eating a meal which provides 1g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight plus 10-20g of protein.

NOTE: If you feel dizzy, light-headed, queasy or suffer from a condition, then eat/drink carbohydrates immediately after exercise.