Pre- and post-training nutrition
Nutrition is an essential component of training. Without energy, the body cannot perform or recover in order to repeat the exercise later in the day or the next day while maintaining the same level of efficiency.
Sports nutritionist Alexandra Lavoie takes stock of the subject and offers some suggestions for snacks to eat before and after exercise.
Some principles of digestion
"The period of time between when you eat and when you start training determines what you should eat," explains Alexandra Lavoie.
Firstly, because:
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Carbohydrates are digested in 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on their source and the individual.
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Proteins take 2 to 4 hours to digest.
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Fats require 4 to 6 hours to digest.
A peanut butter toast a few minutes before a very intense workout may not give the desired result, since nuts are very fatty. "But it all depends on the athlete; you have to try different things to see what works for you, " says the nutritionist.
Carbohydrates are your friends
There has been a lot of talk about the ketogenic diet in sports media and cycling blogs. We have also discussed here the possible benefits of low-intensity training while consuming only a small amount of carbohydrates. However, carbohydrates are necessary for intense, long-term exercise (for intense exercise lasting 45 minutes or less, they are not essential). Without them, there will be no improvement or effective recovery.
For more information on this topic, read our two articles:
Carbohydrates, weight loss and periodization
Take advantage of winter to lose weight... healthily
BEFORE…
… a short workout
If the meal was eaten 3 to 4 hours earlier, it is not necessary to eat. Unless you are hungry or have had an incomplete meal.
Pre-workout snack, 30 minutes before starting: foods that contain only carbohydrates or almost only carbohydrates. Cereal bars, fresh or dried fruit, bread with jam, homemade muffins. 1 to 2 hours before exercise: carbohydrates and protein, for example, yogurt with fruit or soy milk with a cereal bar.
… a long workout
Here, it doesn't matter if you've just had a full meal a few hours ago, you still have a snack.
The same principles apply as for short training sessions in terms of timing and types of food. "And if the meal is not complete, it is better to have two snacks: the first two hours before departure, the second 30 minutes before you start pedaling," says the expert.
AFTER
Is it absolutely necessary to stick to the 30-minute window to replenish glycogen and help repair muscle fibers with protein?
"It all depends on how long it is until the next training session," explains Alexandra Lavoie. "If you have to perform later in the day or the next day, then it's very important to make sure you eat well within a short period of time, i.e., less than 30 minutes, in order to recover properly." Otherwise, you can wait up to two hours without any problems.
Precise figures for recycling
While there is often talk of a ratio of 3 parts carbohydrates to 1 part protein for recovery snacks, Alexandra Lavoie provides details on the ideal amounts to consume in order to obtain maximum benefits.
Your snack should therefore include:
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Carbohydrates: 1 to 1.2 g for every kilogram of your weight
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Protein: 0.25 to 0.3 g for every kilogram of your weight
For example, after interval training, a 70-kilogram cyclist will want to consume 70 to 84 grams of carbohydrates and 17.5 to 21 grams of protein.
What might these post-workout snacks look like?
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200 g flavored Greek yogurt + 1 banana
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600 ml chocolate milk + 1 banana
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A milkshake containing 500 ml of milk (regular or soy), 500 ml of frozen fruit, and 100 g of Greek yogurt.
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60 g granola + 200 g Greek yogurt + ¼ cup dried fruit
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80 g of cheese + 2 cereal bars
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One meal (90 g of chicken contains approximately 25 g of protein; vegetables and rice are added)
You can contact Alexandra Lavoie at: alexandra_nutrition@hotmail.com