Can individuals incorporate nutritional snacks to consume before and after to have an effective workout and abundant energy?
Table of Contents
How Can Exercise Help The Body?
When many people start thinking about their health and how to improve it, they usually begin exercising and eating healthier around the last week before the new year to jumpstart their health and wellness journey. These small changes can help the body tremendously, as environmental factors like stress, physical inactivity, and various lifestyles can negatively impact it, leading to further stress and other adverse effects. For individuals dealing with musculoskeletal disorders or autoimmune disorders, exercises and a healthy diet filled with nutritional foods can help mitigate pain-like symptoms and overlapping risk profiles. For individuals with low back pain, core stabilization exercises can help reduce pain and disability while improving core muscle activation to strengthen weak muscles. (Nayyab et al., 2021) As a non-surgical therapy, exercise can benefit everyone and help many people reduce chronic diseases and issues they are dealing with. (Vina et al., 2012) At the same time, a person can exercise at any fitness level by incorporating the right amount of healthy snacks before and after a beneficial workout. We partner with certified medical providers who inform our patients about the importance of healthy snacks before and after working out to replenish the body and maintain energy throughout the day. While asking important questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to integrate small changes into their daily routine to restore energy through healthy snacking. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., envisions this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Secrets of Optimal Wellness
Pre- & Post-Workout Benefits
When starting to work out, it is important to ensure the body is properly fueled with carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats that can be converted into energy to perform exercise routines at full capacity. For athletic individuals, nutrition is closely connected to physical activity and the timing of energy use. (Januszko & Lange, 2021) Hence, it is important for individuals starting to work out to consume enough energy through nutritious foods before working out. Pre-workout supplementation can help significantly improve changes in body composition and strength. (Cabre et al., 2022) Pre-workouts have benefited people by increasing energy, enhancing strength and endurance, and reducing muscle fatigue through supplementation and healthy snacks. Post-workout recovery can help, and post-workout snacks can help maintain the body’s energy levels throughout the day.
Pre-Workout Snacks
Many pre-workout dietary supplements can support health and performance by increasing muscle mass and strength and providing energy during exercise. (Brisebois et al., 2022) At the same time, incorporating carbohydrates can replenish glycogen stored in the liver, providing energy to muscles. (Henselmans et al., 2022) It is important to note that eating an hour before working out can give beneficial results. Some of the snacks many people can make and eat before working out include:
- Chocolate milk with banana
- Frozen grapes
- Granola bar
- Pretzels
Post-Workout Snacks
It is important to restore and maintain that energy in the body with post-workout snacks after an intense workout. Many athletic and non-athletic individuals can incorporate carbohydrates and proteins to improve physiological and biochemical adaptations, promote faster recovery, and maintain the body’s hydration status. (Baroni et al., 2023) For instance, coconut water can be an alternative to sports drinks to replenish the body’s electrolytes. (O’Brien et al., 2023) Some of the post-workout snacks that are packed with protein and healthy carbs include:
- Smoothies made with fruits, Greek yogurt, and protein powders
- Chocolate milk with almonds
- Crackers with string cheese
- Cottage cheese
References
Baroni, L., Pelosi, E., Giampieri, F., & Battino, M. (2023). The VegPlate for Sports: A Plant-Based Food Guide for Athletes. Nutrients, 15(7). doi.org/10.3390/nu15071746
Brisebois, M., Kramer, S., Lindsay, K. G., Wu, C. T., & Kamla, J. (2022). Dietary practices and supplement use among CrossFit(R) participants. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 19(1), 316-335. doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2022.2086016
Cabre, H. E., Gordon, A. N., Patterson, N. D., & Smith-Ryan, A. E. (2022). Evaluation of pre-workout and recovery formulations on body composition and performance after a 6-week high-intensity training program. Front Nutr, 9, 1016310. doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.1016310
Henselmans, M., Bjornsen, T., Hedderman, R., & Varvik, F. T. (2022). The Effect of Carbohydrate Intake on Strength and Resistance Training Performance: A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 14(4). doi.org/10.3390/nu14040856
Januszko, P., & Lange, E. (2021). Nutrition, supplementation and weight reduction in combat sports: a review. AIMS Public Health, 8(3), 485-498. doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2021038
Nayyab, I., Ghous, M., Shakil Ur Rehman, S., & Yaqoob, I. (2021). The effects of an exercise programme for core muscle strengthening in patients with low back pain after Caesarian-section: A single blind randomized controlled trial. J Pak Med Assoc, 71(5), 1319-1325. doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.596
O’Brien, B. J., Bell, L. R., Hennessy, D., Denham, J., & Paton, C. D. (2023). Coconut Water: A Sports Drink Alternative? Sports (Basel), 11(9). doi.org/10.3390/sports11090183
Vina, J., Sanchis-Gomar, F., Martinez-Bello, V., & Gomez-Cabrera, M. C. (2012). Exercise acts as a drug; the pharmacological benefits of exercise. Br J Pharmacol, 167(1), 1-12. doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2012.01970.x
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