What to eat before training for mass gain and weight loss?

Nutrition in the development of power qualities and endurance of the CrossFitter is no less important than training itself. Both the quality and composition of the food and the mode of eating are important. Therefore, many novice athletes, deciding to switch to a healthy diet, are puzzled by whether it is possible to eat before training, how many hours and what to eat before training, depending on your goals - losing weight or gaining muscle mass. In this article, we've tried to answer all of these important questions to help budding CrossFitters resolve the dilemma of whether or not to eat before exercise.

It should be said right away that the answer to none of the above questions will be unambiguous, since it all depends on what specific goal a particular athlete is pursuing:

1. If the goal of training is to lose weight, then eating before training is worth at least 2-2.5 hours. At the same time, the amount of carbohydrates in food should be minimized - no more than 15-20 grams per serving. Otherwise, during training, the body will begin to spend energy from food, and not the energy of its own fat reserves. On the other hand, the amount of protein should be increased - about 20-30 grams per serving. In this case, protein is needed to provide muscles with a complete set of amino acids before starting a workout.
2. Fats in a pre-workout diet for weight loss are highly undesirable. They can significantly slow down the absorption of other nutrients from food and cause nausea during strenuous exercise. In any case, before exercising for weight loss, you should not feel heaviness in the stomach, but the feeling of hunger should not interfere with exercise.
3. If the goal of training is to gain muscle mass, then the meal should be made more thorough 1-1.5 hours before starting the workout. A portion of food should contain healthy complex carbohydrates and proteins, the amount of fat in a given meal should be limited - no more than 5 grams.
4. Eating carbohydrates before a muscle building workout will keep your glycogen stores loaded. As a result, the energy potential of the muscles will increase, the overall endurance and performance of the body during training will increase. Protein pre-workout supplies muscles with amino acids and triggers anabolic activity.

What is there to gain muscle mass?

Now that we have a general idea of ​​what to eat before exercise, it is worth taking a closer look at which foods will be beneficial before physical activity and which should be eliminated from the athlete's diet.

Considering the question of the benefits of using certain foods before training, one must not forget about the goal of a particular athlete. If the goal of training is to gain muscle mass, then the quantity and quality of food before exercise is of paramount importance.

A pre-workout meal aimed at gaining muscle mass should consist of a serving of high-quality protein (at least 20-30 grams) and complex carbohydrates (50-60 grams). Depending on your preferences, you can choose one of the proposed dish options:

• a small piece of chicken (or turkey) with durum pasta (the side dish can be replaced with brown rice or grain bread);
• a piece of lean fish with potatoes (or brown rice);
• lean beef steak with durum pasta or buckwheat;
• an omelet of 3-4 eggs with buckwheat (or other porridge);
• a portion of cottage cheese with wholemeal bread (you can add a little fresh berries and a couple of teaspoons of honey to the cottage cheese).

What to eat for weight loss?

If the goal of training is weight loss, then the list of foods allowed for pre-workout should be shortened. Especially it is necessary to remember the "golden rule" of losing weight: the consumption of calories should exceed their intake into the body. In the pre-workout diet of an athlete who wants to lose weight, there should be no high-calorie foods: simple carbohydrates and excess fat. Only small amounts of complex carbohydrates are allowed (no more than 15-20 grams per serving), as well as a sufficient amount of protein (about 20-30 grams per serving). At your own request, you can choose one of the proposed dish options:

• A small piece of chicken baked in the oven with buckwheat or wild rice;
• A small portion of white, lean fish, steamed with brown rice;
• 2-3 poached eggs or 2 eggs omelet with cottage cheese and herbs;
• A small veal steak with baked potatoes in their skins.

Eating food before exercise should not interfere with full-fledged exercise, so it is advisable to eat at least 1.5-2 hours before physical activity. However, do not neglect pre-workout meals, as if you are not nourished, you will not be able to exercise intensively and effectively enough.

Can you eat sweets before exercise?

Separately, we should dwell on the issue of eating sweets before training, namely simple (fast) carbohydrates. Fast carbs include:

• pastries (cakes, muffins, rolls, cakes);
• sweets (ice cream, candy, chocolate);
• sweet fruits;
• some vegetables and more.

Eating simple carbohydrates is an essential part of the daily diet for many people. But not many people know the mechanism of the effect of simple carbohydrates on the body.

As a general rule, simple fast carbohydrates are divided into two large groups: monosaccharides and disaccharides. Monosaccharides include glucose, galactose and fructose, and disaccharides include lactose, maltose and sucrose.

Monosaccharides have a more simplified chemical structure, they are broken down and absorbed by the body much faster than disaccharides. Monosaccharides always have a distinct sweet taste. However, both groups of simple carbohydrates are highly undesirable for athletes, especially if their goal is to lose weight.

You've probably noticed how hunger only intensifies after 10-15 minutes after eating another candy. The fact is that the use of simple carbohydrates in food (especially on an empty stomach) dramatically increases blood sugar levels, thereby provoking a surge in insulin. Insulin, in turn, attempts to normalize and lower blood sugar levels. Sugar levels, reaching critically low levels, provoke a sharp outbreak of hunger. It turns out a kind of vicious circle, where simple carbohydrates, having an increased calorie content, do not saturate the body, causing a feeling of satiety, but, on the contrary, provoke more and more outbreaks of hunger, which inevitably leads to overeating and, as a result, gaining excess weight.

That is why it is not recommended to eat sweets not only for athletes who want to lose weight, but also for those who strive to gain quality muscle mass. The only exception to this rule, when training aimed at gaining muscle mass, may be the consumption of small amounts of simple carbohydrates immediately after training during the "carbohydrate window".

The carbohydrate window is the state of the body immediately after training, which consists in an acute lack of nutrients. Eating small amounts of fast carbohydrates and protein during this period leads to an increase in anabolic activity throughout the body and, as a result, muscle growth. However, a number of scientists are skeptical about this theory, citing the fact that the occurrence of the "carbohydrate window" is closely related to the diet before exercise.

Studies have shown that consuming a small amount of amino acids (about 5 grams) or 20 grams of whey protein immediately before training (in 2-3 minutes) increases the overall endurance and performance of the body during training, and also maintains an increased concentration of amino acids in the blood at a constant level more 2.5-3 hours. Therefore, in this case, the body immediately after training does not experience an acute need for nutrients, and the effect of the "carbohydrate window" will not occur.

It turns out that the athlete needs to be extremely careful with the consumption of simple carbohydrates. Be sure to take into account the entire daily diet of a particular athlete, since the excess calories obtained during the unlimited intake of simple carbohydrates can lead to excess weight.

Sports nutrition before exercise

The appearance of sports nutrition on the market made a splash. All kinds of dietary supplements and other additives faded into the background. All the attention of novice athletes was riveted to the advertising of sports nutrition, where already titled athletes lured potential buyers with their sculpted bodies, in the middle of mixing another protein shake in a trendy shaker. Little by little, the strong connection between a beautiful body and sports nutrition took root in the minds of novice athletes.

But in reality, everything is different. The role of sports nutrition in building muscle mass is greatly overestimated. A pre-workout protein shake can only be justified if you don't have the opportunity to have a full pre-workout meal.

Protein and gainer

Therefore, if you do not have time for a full meal 1.5-2 hours before training, it is recommended to consume 20-30 grams of whey protein or a similar amount of a gainer (if the goal of training is gaining muscle mass, not losing weight) 1 hour before the start. training.

Amino acids

If the main goal is to gain muscle mass, it is recommended to consume a small amount of BCAA amino acids (10-15 grams) immediately before starting a workout. However, the use of BCAAs has recently been questioned in the scientific community, as numerous studies show the sufficiency of amino acids in the daily diet of the average athlete. Scientists consider the use of BCAAs justified only in case of insufficient intake of amino acids from food, for example, with a low-calorie diet.

Fat burning complexes

If the main goal is to lose weight, then it is possible to use a special fat-burning complex before training (about 30 minutes before the start of training). But in the case of the use of such fat burners, all sorts of side effects may appear, so the use of such supplements is best coordinated with a specialist.

L-carnitine

A more preferred and widely used sports supplement for weight loss is L-carnitine. Take L-Carnitine 30 minutes before your workout. The mechanism by which L-Carnitine works on the body is very different from that of fat burning supplements. L-carnitine helps transport fat cells to the place of their utilization - the mitochondria of muscle fibers, but does not have fat burning properties by itself. Therefore, one intake of L-carnitine to trigger the mechanism of burning fat stores is not enough, you need intense aerobic activity during training. Unfortunately, in many cases, it is useless to take L-carnitine without aerobic activity. However, this sports supplement has no side effects and has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.

It should not be forgotten that sports nutrition is just an addition to the athlete's basic diet and cannot replace a complete daily diet.

How many hours before class can I eat?

As mentioned above, meals should be taken at least 1.5-2 hours before the start of the workout. In some cases, when the athlete's metabolism is slow, food should be taken 3 hours before training. In any case, before starting a workout, you should feel light and your stomach should not be full. Otherwise, all the blood in the body will accumulate in the stomach area, and energy will be spent on digesting food, and the body's resources will simply not be enough for effective physical activity.

The timing of food digestibility

The question of how long before a workout you need to eat is closely related to the period of digestion of food in the body.

The food we prepare for consumption cannot be assimilated unchanged. In order for food to be digested, used for construction needs and energy costs, the body needs to spend a sufficient amount of time and effort. With the help of the digestion process, the human body is able to obtain building protein from the amino acids of digested food, from fatty acids and glycerin - fat, the body transforms glucose into energy and stores it in the liver in the form of glycogen.

The digestion of food in the human body occurs under the influence of many factors. The chemical composition of the food consumed, the type and duration of cooking, the amount eaten, the diet, the state of the gastrointestinal tract - all this affects the degree of digestion and the time of digestion of food.

The influence of heat treatment on the digestibility of products

So how does the heat treatment of food affect the rate at which it is absorbed by the body? Here's some important information:

• The digestibility of the protein increases significantly when it is heated, as there is a partial destruction of the structures of the protein molecule (denaturation), which in turn leads to a better breakdown of proteins by gastric enzymes.
• When animal fat is heated, its energy value is partially lost, as it is rendered from the product. When boiling fatty meat, more than 45% of the fat goes into broth.
• Vegetable fat also undergoes chemical changes when heated. When deep-fried foods are fried, thermal oxidation of vegetable oil occurs, and toxic compounds are deposited on the surface of the fried food.
• Heat treatment of potatoes helps to convert the protopectin contained in it into a more digestible form - pectin. Excessive acidity can interfere with this process, so sauerkraut or other sour food should be added to the soup after the potatoes have already boiled.
• Raw starch cannot be assimilated in the body at all, so potatoes and Jerusalem artichoke must be cooked.
• Sucrose found in fruits and berries is converted to glucose and fructose under the influence of temperature and acids.

Digestion time of staple foods

To make it easier for you to decide what foods and for how much you can eat before training, take into account the table below. It indicates the time of digestion by the human stomach of certain types of food.

Along with the time of food digestion, the degree of its digestibility is also a significant factor. For example, food of animal origin (proteins and fats) is absorbed in the body by about 90%. Fiber and plant foods, on average, are absorbed by the body by 60%, if the food is mixed - by 80%.

Egg white is considered to be the standard of assimilation of products. It is absorbed in the body by about 98%. The high degree of assimilation of egg white can be explained by the fact that the egg itself is a single cell and there are no intercellular spaces and connections in its structure. The same cannot be said about meat, since in order to digest meat protein, the body needs additional enzymes to "break" and digest these intercellular bonds.

How much and what to eat before a workout?

Don't overeat before exercising. It is best to limit yourself to a small meal containing only the proteins and complex carbohydrates the body needs. Nutritionists say that the amount of food sufficient to satisfy hunger, but protect against overeating, should be enough to fit in one handful. The picture below shows some simple products. They can be easily eaten before exercise, replenishing the body with energy and not worrying about discomfort during exercise. A significant portion of these are a component of the paleo diet, another healthy way of eating CrossFitters. Each of these products can serve as a complete stand-alone snack. In this case, it is not necessary to mix them and prepare dishes. So, we look at what to eat before training so as not to experience nausea and heaviness in the stomach during exercise.

Well, now you know what to eat before training. But if time permits, and you want something more complex and sophisticated, then you can cook some tasty and nutritious dish. For example, a tuna omelet, the recipe for which is given below.

Ingredients for 4 servings of omelet:

• small zucchini - 1 piece;
• onions - 1 piece;
• eggs - 7 pieces;
• tuna in its own juice - 1 can;
• salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar - to taste.

Preparation:

Wash and peel the zucchini thoroughly, cut into small cubes or slices. Chop the onions finely. In a frying pan greased with vegetable oil (but it is better to cook in a non-stick frying pan without adding oil) put onions and zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and bring until half cooked. Put pieces of tuna with vegetables and mix. Then, in a separate bowl, mix the eggs with salt and pour the mixture over the fish and vegetables. Bring until tender over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Serve chilled, cut into pieces and season with balsamic vinegar to taste.

A serving of tuna omelet will provide you with high-quality protein before your workout, and serve as a source of complex carbohydrates with a couple of slices of cereal bread or some brown rice.

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