Today you are going to the gym! Someone anticipates this event and prepares for it in the morning, carefully putting together their uniform, postponing gatherings with friends in a cafe until another day, preparing dinner for the household, and at the end of the working day they quickly turn off the computer and run to the nearest sports club. Another perceives this as a necessity to maintain the image of an active fashionable person or as a habit learned from childhood spent at training camps. But for everyone who has plunged headlong and all other parts of the body into the world of fitness and a healthy lifestyle, the main result is what they see in the mirror after many hours of stepping on the step or swimming in the pool. Unfortunately, the desired effect from training is not always noticeable. After all, many people forget that an active rhythm of life requires a special diet and composition of nutrition.

Pre-workout nutrition

So, into the diet pre-workout nutrition necessary:

1. Enable:

Proteins;
- carbohydrates.

2. Exclude:

Fats (or no more than 3 g).

Carbohydrates V pre-workout nutrition necessary to provide the muscles and brain with energy. During exercise, “fuel” is burned very quickly, and it is necessary that it be glycogen, since the body cannot supply the required amounts of energy from fat (due to lack of oxygen).
Squirrels in pre-workout nutrition will not be a source of energy, they are a source of amino acids for working muscles. As a result, immediately after training, muscle protein synthesis increases sharply.
Fat should be absent from pre-workout nutrition because it slows down the stomach and the speed of digestion. Fatty foods stay in the stomach longer and can cause colic, nausea and belching during exercise.

Best Pre-Workout Meals:
- poultry (turkey, chicken breasts) with coarse bread or rice;
- lean steak with potatoes;
- omelette made from egg whites with oatmeal.
The caloric content of food before training should be normal, as at other times. It is better to eat bulk food (a large portion of salad or a bowl of soup) an hour or two before training, so that it has time to be digested and the stomach is empty. More dense food (half a plate of porridge or cottage cheese) can be eaten 30 minutes to an hour before the start of the workout.
If you are training to build muscle, then 30 minutes before training, eat one large fruit with a low glycemic index (apple, pear, strawberry or any other berries) and wash it down with a protein drink (preferably whey protein). The protein calculation for this shake is as follows: 0.22 g of whey protein per kilogram of weight. For example, if you weigh 68 kg, then the cocktail (mixed with water) should contain 15 g of protein.
Also, 30 minutes before training, drink a glass of strong black coffee (with sweetener, but not cream) or very strong green tea. This will help the secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which mobilize fat from fat cells so that the body can use it as fuel. This way, you will burn more fat and less glucose, glycogen and amino acids during your workout. Fatigue during the training process will come much later. Your head will be clearer and you will be able to train more intensely. The effects of pre-workout coffee last approximately 2 hours. It’s better not to eat anything immediately before training, since physical activity distracts from the process of digestion (rhythmic contractions of the stomach to digest food). As a last resort, if you are very hungry, you can drink a glass of protein shake or milk.


Drinking regimen during training

The most important thing during training is not to forget to drink! Even with 2% dehydration, training will be sluggish and ineffective. Don't focus on the feeling of thirst. Intense exercise suppresses the thirst receptors in your throat and gastrointestinal tract, so that by the time you get thirsty, your body will already be dehydrated. Additionally, as we age, the body's thirst sensors become less sensitive. Adults need to drink water because they need to, and not because they want to.
If you notice symptoms of dehydration (two or more at the same time):
- feeling of thirst,
- dry mouth,
- dry or even cracked lips,
- dizziness,
- fatigue,
- headache,
- irritability,
- lack of appetite,
Start drinking water immediately and stop exercising for a few minutes until symptoms subside.

Drinking regimen next: drink a glass of water right before starting your workout and drink a little every 15-20 minutes during exercise. The amount you drink will depend on the amount of sweat. You need to keep your body hydrated and even super hydrated during your workouts.
If the workout lasts more than an hour, then it is advisable to drink special sports drinks. About 30-60 g of carbohydrates per hour should be supplied from them with sugars. The body will not absorb more than 60 g of carbohydrates during training, and training productivity may decrease. You should drink high-calorie drinks little by little, sipping every 10 minutes. Sports drinks also contain beneficial electrolytes (salts) that the body loses through sweat and urine.
During training, you can also drink fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed, not store-bought. It's safe to say that all store-bought juices, even those sold as "100% juice with no added sugar," are diluted with water and contain added sugars. Orange juices most often contain beet sugar, while apple juices contain corn syrup and inulin. The best juice is freshly squeezed orange juice, diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.

Post-workout nutrition

You should eat immediately after training, preferably within the first 20 minutes. If you abstain from food for 2 hours after the end of the workout, then the workout loses all meaning - as a result NOTHING TRAINED, a little fat will be burned, and that’s all, but there will be no increase in strength, muscle density, slimness and metabolic rate. In the first 20 minutes after training, the body opens the so-called post-workout (anabolic) window for consuming proteins and carbohydrates (but not fats). Everything that is eaten during this period will be used to restore muscles and increase muscle mass; not a single calorie from food will go to fat. This is very important.
Post-workout carbohydrates are best consumed in liquid form from simple, high-glycemic sources. You want to get a spike in insulin levels, with its anabolic and anti-catabolic (helps build lean muscle tissue) properties. Cranberry and grape juice are considered the best because they have a high glucose to fructose ratio. Consume approximately 1 g of carbohydrates from juice per kilogram PERFECT weight. A glass of grape juice contains 38 g of carbohydrates (155 kcal), and a glass of cranberry juice contains 31 g of carbohydrates (115 kcal). You can also eat any carbohydrate food that does not contain fat (bread, jam, sugar, potatoes, rice, pasta, fruits, vegetables, etc.).
In addition, immediately after training you need to load up on proteins. It's best in powdered protein drink form. In this way, muscle protein synthesis after training will increase 3 times (compared to fasting). So take a bottle of protein powder and juice shake with you if you're working out outside the home, and drink it all as soon as you stop working out. The amount of protein from the powder should be 0.55 g per kilogram of ideal weight. If you can't drink protein shakes for some reason, rely on egg whites.
If you have the opportunity to eat within an hour after training, then choose any protein food, just calculate the required amount of protein. Your dose of protein food can be determined very simply: it should fit in the palm of your hand. Since post-workout nutrition There is only one important goal - to promote the growth of muscle mass as quickly and effectively as possible - then this meal should not contain fat at all. Fat will slow down the flow of carbohydrates and proteins from the stomach into the blood.
Protein foods should be low-fat, i.e. if chicken, then breasts, not legs. If eggs, then only whites. Beef and pork should be avoided as they are always very fatty, give preference to veal. You also need to be careful with cheese, milk, yogurt and cottage cheese - as a rule, they contain at least 5% fat. The only exception is fatty fish (not fried!). You can and should eat it as often as possible.
After training, for two hours, it is advisable to exclude everything that contains caffeine: coffee, tea, cocoa and anything chocolate (even chocolate-flavored protein powders). The fact is that caffeine interferes with insulin and thus prevents your body from reloading glycogen into the muscles and liver and using protein for muscle repair. So if you train in the morning, wait 2 hours and then drink real strong coffee. A cup of coffee before your workout should help you stay alert and energized. If you can’t give up coffee or tea at all, choose their decaffinized analogues.


Workout and nutrition for weight loss

Drinking and eating regimen before and after training for weight loss
If you want to lose weight, just lose weight, and not build muscle, tighten up, etc., then:
- 5 hours before training do not eat proteins,
- 3 hours before training, do not eat at all,
- 30 minutes - 1 hour before training, stop drinking,
- during training DESIRABLE don't drink
- do not drink for an hour after training,
- Do not eat for 3 hours after training.
The results will be tangible.

Two Week Fitness Diet

The fitness diet requires five meals a day.

With an average caloric intake of about 1400-1800 calories per day, such a diet ensures safe weight loss. A sample fitness diet is low in fat, high in carbohydrates and protein. When following a diet, you need to drink up to 2 liters of fluid per day. Even if your weight increases on the scale, it’s okay, it means you’re losing fat and gaining muscle. You shouldn't rely entirely on scales. The main thing is how you look when looking in the mirror, and changes can also be judged by your clothes. If you cannot eat strictly according to the diet, then try to count the calories you consume and choose the menu according to the calorie table, trying to eat the least fatty foods. If possible, do not take too long breaks in your diet, they contribute to fat deposits!
Fitness diet menu
1st day
Breakfast: 2 eggs (1 yolk, 2 whites), 100 g of oatmeal, 1 glass of orange juice, 50 g of low-fat cottage cheese.
Second breakfast: fruit salad, low-fat yogurt.
Lunch: 100 g boiled chicken, 100 g rice, green salad.
Afternoon snack: baked potato, low-fat yogurt.
Dinner: 200 g of stewed fish, salad, apple.
2nd day
Breakfast: 100 g of muesli, 1 glass of skim milk, 2 eggs, some fruit.
Second breakfast: 1 glass of carrot juice, 50 g of cottage cheese.
Lunch: chicken salad (150-200 g of meat), 1 potato, apple.
Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt, fruit.
Dinner: 150 g fish, 1 cup boiled beans, salad (can be served with low-fat salad dressing).
3rd day
Breakfast: 200 g strawberries, 100 g oatmeal, 2 egg omelet.

Lunch: 200 g fish, 100 g rice, salad.
Afternoon snack: fruit, yogurt.
Dinner: 100 g turkey, 1 cup corn, salad.
4th day
Breakfast: 1 grapefruit, 100 g rolled oats, 1 glass of milk.
Second breakfast: banana, 100 g of cottage cheese.
Lunch: 150 g chicken, 50 g rice.
Afternoon snack: 1 glass of vegetable juice, bran.
Dinner: 120 g beef, a cup of corn.
5th day
Breakfast: peach, 100 g of oatmeal, omelette, glass of juice.
Second breakfast: 1 glass of vegetable juice, 100 g of rice.
Lunch: pita bread, 100 g turkey, apple.
Afternoon snack: salad, 100 g of cottage cheese.
Dinner: 100 g chicken, salad.
6th day
Breakfast: omelet, 100 g buckwheat, 1 glass of milk.
Second breakfast: cottage cheese, banana.
Lunch: 200 g fish, 100 g rice, salad, 1 glass of orange juice.
Afternoon snack: baked potato, yogurt.
Dinner: 150 g shrimp, vegetable salad.
7th day
Breakfast: apple, 2 egg omelet, 100 g buckwheat.
Lunch; 100 g cottage cheese, peach.
Dinner; 100 g beef, vegetable mixture (corn, carrots, peas).
Afternoon snack: yogurt, 100 g rice.
Dinner: 150 g chicken, vegetable salad.
Day 8
Breakfast: 1 grapefruit, 100 g muesli, 1 glass of skim milk, 2 eggs.
Second breakfast: 70 g rice, 1 peach.
Lunch: 120 g chicken, salad, half a plate of pasta, 1 glass of orange juice.
Afternoon snack: yogurt, apple.
Dinner: 120 g beef, vegetable salad.
9th day
Breakfast: omelet, 100 g buckwheat, fruit, 1 glass of orange juice.
Second breakfast: banana, cottage cheese.
Lunch: 100 g fish, 100 g rice, peach, 1 glass of orange juice.
Afternoon snack: yogurt, 50-100 g dried apricots.
Dinner: 200 g fish, baked potatoes, vegetable juice.
10th day
Breakfast: 1 glass of blueberries, 100 g of oatmeal, omelet.
Second breakfast: 100 g low-fat cottage cheese, 50 g raisins.
Lunch: 100 g chicken, baked potato, 1 glass of vegetable juice.
Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt, orange.
Dinner: 100 g fish, vegetable salad.
11th day
Breakfast: a slice of watermelon, 2 eggs, 50 g of bran bread, 1 glass of orange juice.

Lunch: 100 g rice, 200 g squid.
Afternoon snack: 150 g fish, salad.
Dinner: 100 g chicken, corn salad.
12th day
Breakfast: 1 glass of carrot juice, 100 g of oatmeal, omelet.
Second breakfast: 100 g of rice with raisins and dried apricots.
Lunch: 100 g chicken in pita, salad.

Dinner: 120 g beef, 100 g broccoli.
13th day
Breakfast: grapefruit, 100 g of oatmeal, omelette.
Second breakfast: 50 g of cottage cheese, peach.
Lunch: 120 g turkey in pita bread, boiled corn on the cob.
Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt, apple.
Dinner: 150 g fish, vegetable salad.
Day 14
Breakfast: 1 glass of orange juice, 2 eggs, 100 g of muesli, 1 glass of milk.
Second breakfast: banana, 50 g of cottage cheese.
Lunch: 150 g chicken, green salad, 100 g rice.
Afternoon snack: yogurt, peach.
Dinner: 150 g of river fish, vegetable salad.

Many people working out in the gym or at home underestimate the role of proper nutrition in achieving their goals. Without it, there will be almost no result, even if the training is intense and regular: under conditions of increased activity, the body quickly uses up the supply of nutrients, resulting in a lack of nutrients, which leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of training. When creating a nutrition plan, you need to consider your training goal, as it will be different for losing weight and building muscle.

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    Basic principles

    When working out in the gym, it is very important for both beginners and experienced athletes to follow the basics of proper nutrition. Studies have shown that results (weight loss or muscle gain) depend only 30% on the training itself. The greatest contribution to improving the body is made by a healthy diet.

    Nutrition during regular exercise differs from nutrition during a sedentary lifestyle. This is due to the fact that playing sports takes a lot of strength and energy. Therefore, the body requires more nutrients, which can be obtained from food.

    To ensure that the results of your training are not long in coming, you must follow these rules:

    • try never to skip breakfast, as after sleep the body needs nutrients;
    • eat more vegetables and other foods containing fiber, which is necessary to cleanse the intestines;
    • drink enough clean water, since when doing fitness, due to increased sweating, the water-salt balance is disrupted;
    • consume more protein to strengthen muscles, which will ultimately lead to better body quality;
    • give preference to complex carbohydrates (whole bread, rice, buckwheat, durum pasta, etc.);
    • Eat fast carbohydrates (sweets) immediately after training and for breakfast.

    These principles are common for different goals - losing weight or gaining muscle mass. But there are also features that should be taken into account to quickly achieve the desired result.

    For weight loss

    Many women who go to the gym want to lose weight. In addition, this is often required by men during the drying period in order to show muscle relief. Nutrition in this case plays a vital role.

    The opinion that you won’t be able to lose weight without a strict diet is wrong. You just need to create a balanced diet.

    The determining parameter when choosing a diet is calorie content. To calculate how many calories you will need to consume each day, you can use this formula:

    • Daily caloric intake = Weight (kg) x 30

    The resulting number will indicate the number of calories needed to maintain weight. Those losing weight need to reduce it by 10-15%. This will be the required daily caloric intake for weight loss.

    For example, you can take a girl weighing 60 kg. The daily maintenance calorie content will be 1800 kcal. To lose weight, you will need to cut it by 10-15%. The result will be a range from 1530 to 1620 kcal. This is the range you will need to stick to daily to burn excess fat.

    It is also important to determine the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet. To lose weight it should be like this.


    Pre-workout nutrition

    Weight loss exercises should be carried out 4-6 times a week. This can be only cardio or circuit strength training, when the exercises are performed non-stop at high intensity.

    Regardless of whether you are training in the gym or at home, you need to understand what you need to eat before, after and during them. These meals are key, since it is during the period of physical activity that the body needs an additional source of energy.

    There is a common myth among girls that you cannot eat before training when losing weight, because in this case the exercises are carried out to burn calories. But before training, it is imperative to ensure an adequate supply of nutrients. Otherwise, it will not be possible to conduct the lesson with maximum efficiency.

    For this purpose, you should consume complex carbohydrates. Additionally, you should eat something protein. This will provide the body with the necessary amino acids, which will prevent muscle breakdown.

    Specifically, a pre-workout meal can consist of rice or buckwheat with a piece of lean meat (boiled chicken, beef, turkey, etc.).

    If it is impossible to eat normally 1-1.5 hours before training, you can use sports nutrition. Whey protein is suitable for this, which you need to drink 30-40 minutes before the start of class. In addition, you can eat BCAA immediately before training.

    It is important to count the calories of your pre-workout meal. In order for the weight to go away, you need to consume less than will be spent. Therefore, you should roughly determine how many calories you plan to burn during the lesson and reduce it by 20%.

    During training

    To make your workout more productive, you should take care of your nutrition during the workout itself. In this case, there is no need to eat solid food, as it will take too long to digest. As a result, the body will not receive nutrients on time. In addition, it is difficult to exercise with a full belly.

    Sports supplements will again help you get out of this situation. In particular, you can increase energy during training by consuming BCAA. This is a complex of essential amino acids that are involved in the construction of protein structures.

    This supplement is absorbed almost instantly, preventing muscle breakdown. It is especially important to take it during long-term cardio training, which leads to muscle loss.

    After training

    Immediately after training, there is an urgent need to replenish lost nutrients. Many girls who work out to lose weight skip this important meal, believing that this will make the fat burning process last longer.

    In fact, if the body does not receive the necessary nutrients, it will begin to get rid of energy-consuming muscle, not fat. As a result, the quality of the body will rapidly deteriorate.

    In addition, during the post-workout period, a protein-carbohydrate window opens, when all incoming substances are absorbed by the body several times better than usual. They say about this phenomenon “throwing it into a furnace,” since food is very quickly converted into energy.

    Another advantage of a post-workout meal for those losing weight is the ability to consume fast carbohydrates without harming your figure. Therefore, after class you can eat something sweet (candy bar, banana, etc.). The calories consumed will be used to replenish energy reserves - glycogen.

    Don't forget about proteins. They are necessary for muscle recovery. You can get it by eating lean meat (chicken breast, turkey, beef).

    But it is advisable to consume solid food 1-1.5 hours after class. Immediately after training, it is better to drink a portion of whey protein. Then the protein will be absorbed much faster.

    Sample menu

    The table shows a sample daily menu for athletes who want to lose weight:

    This menu includes 6 meals throughout the day. The portion size is selected independently so that the daily calorie content corresponds to the calculated value.

    For gaining muscle mass

    Often people, especially men, go to the gym not to lose weight, but to build muscle mass.

    Sometimes you may encounter the misconception that to achieve this goal, the main thing is to eat as much as possible and literally everything that comes to hand. But in this case, it is more likely that you will gain excess fat rather than muscle.

    Therefore, as with weight loss exercises, you will have to follow certain rules.

    Calorie content and ratio of BZHU

    The misconception described above is based on the fact that to gain muscle you must eat in a calorie surplus. This is true, but the diet must be correct and balanced. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates should be kept within the following limits:


    The resulting value is increased by 30%. Ectomorphs can add up to 40-50%. For endomorphs, it will be enough to increase the basic caloric intake by 10-20%.

    For example, for a thin man (ectomorph) who weighs 65 kg, the calorie content to maintain weight will be 1950 kcal. When strength training to build muscle, it will need to be increased by 40-50%. That is, you will need to eat 2730-2925 kcal every day.

    Pre-workout nutrition

    Nutrition before, during and after training will be slightly different from what is recommended for weight loss.

    You will also need to eat proteins and complex carbohydrates 1-1.5 hours before class. But the calorie content of this meal should be higher. That is, the number of calories spent during training should be less than the number eaten before it.

    Ectomorphs who want to gain weight in the shortest possible time can drink a serving of gainer 30-40 minutes before class. This supplement contains protein and a large amount of carbohydrates. Therefore, mesomorphs and endomorphs who easily gain fat should use it with caution.

    During training

    Proper nutrition during training will be the same as when losing weight.

    You can take BCAA in the middle or throughout the session.

    In addition, an isotonic drink can be used to restore the water-salt balance. This supplement contains minerals that the body needs to cope with excessive sweating. Drinking an isotonic drink allows you to avoid dehydration and increase endurance.

    After training

    After completing strength training aimed at gaining mass, the muscles are destroyed. To stop the catabolic processes that lead to this, you need to provide the body with nutrients.

    For this you need a sufficient amount of proteins and carbohydrates. Moreover, protein should be quickly digestible, and carbohydrates should be fast.

    A gainer that contains both is ideal for a post-workout meal. In addition, you can drink protein and supplement it with a banana or a sweet bar.

    1-1.5 hours after training, a full meal of solid food should take place. You can eat chicken breast with rice, buckwheat or potatoes.

    Sample menu

    The daily nutrition program for gaining muscle mass is presented in the table:

    As described above, when eating to build muscle, one additional meal is added. This is necessary to achieve the calculated calorie intake.

    And a little about secrets...

    The story of one of our readers Alina R.:

    I was especially depressed about my weight. I gained a lot, after pregnancy I weighed as much as 3 sumo wrestlers together, namely 92 kg with a height of 165. I thought the belly would go away after giving birth, but no, on the contrary, I began to gain weight. How to cope with hormonal changes and obesity? But nothing disfigures or makes a person look younger than his figure. At the age of 20, I first learned that plump girls are called “WOMAN” and that “they don’t make clothes that size.” Then at the age of 29, divorce from my husband and depression...

    But what can you do to lose weight? Laser liposuction surgery? I found out - no less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - LPG massage, cavitation, RF lifting, myostimulation? A little more affordable - the course costs from 80 thousand rubles with a nutritionist consultant. You can, of course, try to run on a treadmill until you go crazy.

    And when will you find time for all this? And it's still very expensive. Especially now. That's why I chose a different method for myself...

We all want to have a fit and beautiful body. To do this, we are ready to live in the gym and eat exclusively lettuce leaves. But is food restriction always good for our figure? What is the difference between nutrition on a training day and a rest day, says Ilya Fokin, trainer at the ALEX-FITNESS fitness club.

Today we will talk about the difference between nutrition on a training day and on a rest day, for a person who does not have big problems with his figure and excess weight. We will present a young girl, under 30 years old, who wants to lose a couple of extra pounds and tone her figure for the beach.

Day of rest

There should be 4-6 meals a day. These are: breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, second lunch, dinner and a small snack before bed. Yes, just before bed. It turns out that before going to bed it is not only possible, but also necessary to eat. The diet should be balanced, which includes: fiber, complex carbohydrates and protein. But eat small small ones. No more than 200 grams per meal.

Menu:

Breakfast. You definitely need to have breakfast. Without eating, we will feel tired in the morning. For breakfast, it is best to eat rolled oatmeal or oatmeal porridge. It should be brewed with water, not milk. The beneficial substances of rolled oats are not absorbed with milk. To make our porridge tasty without milk, you can add half a banana to it. It should be chopped or simply mashed with a fork. You can also add half a small apple to the porridge by grating it. Thus, at breakfast we get fast carbohydrates contained in a banana and fiber in cereals.

Drinks allowed include coffee with milk, but without sugar, or any unsweetened tea. As a dessert for tea, you can eat some berries or one fruit. If you love sweets very much and cannot completely give it up. It’s better to eat it at breakfast, but under no circumstances, not in the afternoon.

Lunch. Eat a slice of whole grain bread with low-fat cheese (the fat percentage should not be higher than 17%). To this you can add two boiled eggs, but without the yolks. You can drink any tea without sugar.

Dinner. For lunch, eat a piece of lean meat (meat or fish should be eaten every day. The size of one serving should be equal to your palm without fingers) with a side dish in the form of a vegetable salad dressed with olive oil. You can also drink unsweetened tea or drinking water. As a dessert, fruit or berries.

Second lunch. about the same as the first one. You can replace the salad with buckwheat or boiled green beans.

Dinner. Choose any side dish. For example, boiled cabbage or broccoli. Lean fish. Drinks: tea or drinking water. Avoid dessert at dinner.

Second dinner. This is an extreme meal, be sure to eat 100-150 grams of cottage cheese with 5-9% fat content. The fat contained in cottage cheese will be used to absorb calcium. Otherwise, calcium will not be absorbed, and subcutaneous fat will not be removed. This last meal should be about half an hour before bedtime. It is better to avoid drinking drinks at night.

Training day

There are almost no differences in nutrition on a rest day and on a training day. There should also be 4-6 meals. You need to eat a little more. That is, at breakfast we brew more porridge. And we can even add a small portion of berry jam to it. You need to eat about two hours before training. So that the body has the strength to exercise. After training, be sure to have lunch within an hour and a half.

Another difference between nutrition on a rest day and on a training day. On the day you exercise, do not drink alcohol under any circumstances. It contains a lot of sugar. Therefore, all your efforts will be useless. In addition, training together with alcohol is too much stress on the heart. If you rested well and drank on Friday, postpone sports until Monday. 48 hours must pass after drinking alcohol.

Important to know:

  • Losing water is not losing fat. Therefore, putting on plastic bags or sweatshirts and sweating in the hope of losing weight is a mistake.
  • You need to drink 6-10 glasses of water per day.
  • You can only snack on nuts. Such as: almonds, hazelnuts, cashews and walnuts. But no more than 40 grams per day.
  • The break between meals should be 2-3 hours.
  • It is recommended to exercise three times a week. More frequent exercise can lead to depression and the body will not have time to recover.
  • A common mistake is to replace fresh fruits with dried fruits. Fructose remains on the dried fruit, but it no longer contains fiber.
  • Sometimes allow yourself your favorite treats. No one has ever gotten better from one piece of pizza a month or a small cake. But don't get carried away with it.

This article will talk about proper nutrition on training and rest days, whether you need to eat differently, and the effect of reducing calorie intake on rest days for weight loss.

I’ll say right away that on training days and rest days, the same amount of calories, carbohydrates, proteins and fats should be supplied.

Why should you eat the same?

Most people have the opinion that on training days you need to eat more than on rest days, since a lot of effort is spent on physical activity, and therefore more energy and calories are consumed. Nutrition on training and rest days is very important; when the body is resting, it spends fewer calories, and excess food can be stored in subcutaneous fat. This is where a very big mistake lies for both those losing weight and those gaining weight.

At the end of the workout, the body needs up to 3 days to fully recover, depending on the complexity of the physical activity.

It turns out that after physical activity, during this time, the body must receive a complete set of nutrition, rich in vitamins, microelements and other important substances, so that muscle fibers are fully restored, glycogen reserves are replenished and the functioning of the musculoskeletal system is normalized.

For example, a man weighing 75-80 kg. during the day spends 2200-2500 cal., a woman weighing 55-60 kg., 1600-1800 cal..
Medium training, 1.5 hours. takes about 400 calories, then at the end of the workout it is necessary to make up for this loss, if for weight gain then 60% carbohydrates and 30 proteins, for weight loss, on the contrary, 70% proteins 30% carbohydrates.
Choose carbohydrates, fast ones are allowed in small quantities after training, for example marmalade or marshmallows, they are low in fat, and the protein after training is whey, and before bedtime it is casein.

But the process doesn't stop there, on rest days you need to eat as much food as on training days to restore muscles, grow or lose weight , the main thing is to select the products correctly. Everything for gaining weight -, for losing weight -, and for maintaining weight - here.

Typically, training takes place after 1-2 days, so our body is in a constant process of recovery, and if at this moment we limit it in nutrition, then the muscles will not recover, the next workout will be at half strength, and the results will drop.

Don't forget to look at the correct power system for and.

Reducing calories when losing weight

With muscle restoration and weight gain, I hope everything is more or less clear, but what then will a decrease in caloric intake for weight loss entail?:

♦ Reduce recovery rate

This is very important when losing weight, without a sufficient amount of energy, the muscles will be restored by 50%, you will not have the strength to give your all in training and thus burn a large number of extra calories.

Unrestored muscles will lead to overtraining, and this is a very bad condition in which muscles ache, previous loads are not given, appetite decreases, mood drops, and irritability appears.


♦ Reduced metabolism

When your metabolism, or in other words, your metabolism, has decreased, your weight loss stagnates, fat will be burned with difficulty, and the scales will stop at a certain point. The result of hard training will be almost 0% effectiveness, which will immediately discourage you from engaging in sports.

Therefore, eat often, drink a lot, focus on low-fat protein foods and carbohydrates.

♦ A few words about sports nutrition

If you take protein, BCAA, L-carnitine and other sports supplements for weight loss, take them daily in the same doses. These supplements will help you not only lose weight, but also tighten your muscles, making them elastic and toned (this is only possible when visiting the gym, or other physical exercises, lying stupidly on the couch, will bring minimal results).

Therefore, eat the same every day, exercise and you will create the body of your dreams 😉

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When exercising regularly at home or in the gym, the question of nutrition before and after training inevitably arises. What, when and how much can you eat after exercise to lose weight and make your body slim?

First of all, you need to know that You will only lose weight if you burn more calories each day than you consume.. If you follow this main principle of weight loss, you will get rid of excess weight, even if you do not follow the rules of what to eat before and after training. However, a competent approach to eating after exercise will help you optimize the process of losing fat and creating a beautiful body.

Pre-workout nutrition

So, first, let's look at what to eat before training. This will largely depend on when you practice.

1. If you exercise in the morning on an empty stomach

Exercising in the morning on an empty stomach is one of the most popular ways to burn additional fat, although trainers around the world are still arguing about the effectiveness of this method of losing weight. Adherents of the theory of training on an empty stomach claim that at this time glycogen reserves in the liver are minimal, which means your body will draw energy from your fat and accordingly “destroy” it. Opponents of this theory say that training time does not affect the reduction of body fat, but you can easily burn muscles with morning exercises, which will accordingly distance you from a beautiful, toned body.

Of course, the option of training on an empty stomach is only suitable for those who or who have a gym near their home. Because keeping the body hungry for several hours (during and before training) still not very useful. But if you still choose to exercise in the morning before breakfast, then you don’t need to eat anything before training, although you should definitely drink water.

  • If you do strength training for muscle growth
  • If you do high-intensity training (tabata,)
  • If you find it difficult to tolerate training on an empty stomach, feel dizzy and weak

2. If you exercise in the morning after a snack

What pre-workout nutrition should you choose if you can’t exercise on an empty stomach? For example, in the case of intense training or due to lack of physical strength to exercise without food. In this case, arrange for yourself light carbohydrate snack 30-45 minutes before training. This could be coffee with a banana, bread with a piece of cheese, or muesli bars (this should to be a small portion of food, about 100 g). In this case, you will have energy and strength to study. You can even drink a glass of kefir or milk if that's enough for you to study.

Please note that this does not have to be a large, full breakfast. The snack should be small, otherwise it will simply be difficult for you to study. In addition, intense workouts on a full stomach can cause indigestion or even vomiting. If you prefer a full breakfast and only then exercise, then in this case it is better to give preference to cereals and exercise at least 1.5 hours after eating.

3. If you exercise in the morning after breakfast, in the afternoon or in the evening

In other cases, the optimal pre-workout nutrition option is considered complex carbohydrates. 1.5-2 hours before class, eat buckwheat, rice, durum wheat pasta or oatmeal if you exercise after breakfast. If you can’t eat before training, then again the carbohydrate snack mentioned in the previous paragraph will save you. But it is advisable to plan your day so that before class you have a full meal with complex carbohydrates.

Another tip for pre-workout nutrition: don’t eat purely protein foods before exercise. This will not give you energy and you will not be able to exercise to your full potential.

What to eat after training? Within half an hour after training, it is necessary to close the protein-carbohydrate window, during which the body experiences a strong need for nutrients. If you replenish your body with proteins and carbohydrates at this moment, this will help the body support your muscles.

You need to close the anabolic window 30 minutes after exercise. It is recommended to do this with a protein-carbohydrate combination at the rate of 60 to 40. On the day of aerobic exercise, give 60% to carbohydrates, 40% to proteins. On days of strength and aerobic strength training, on the contrary, 60% are proteins and 40% are carbohydrates. Examples of post-workout nutrition:

  • Protein shake with low-fat milk
  • Low-fat cottage cheese with fruits
  • Omelette or eggs with bread
  • Lean chicken sandwiches

If you want to lose weight, then the calorie content of the dish should be about half as much as you spent in class. For example, while exercising, you burned 500 kcal. This means that within half an hour after it ends, eat a protein-carbohydrate dish with an energy value of 250 kcal. Protein and carbohydrates should be a 60/40 mix depending on the type of workout you are doing. A full meal should be 1.5-2 hours after this intermediate meal after training.

If you train in the morning on an empty stomach or after a small snack, then after training it is quite acceptable to have a full breakfast 30-45 minutes later. But this option is not suitable for those who are working to increase muscle mass; in this case, it is better to stick to the standard option described above.

What should you not eat after a workout?

First, avoid fatty foods(including full-fat milk and full-fat cottage cheese). Fat prevents the absorption of nutrients into the blood, so it is advisable to eat only low-fat foods after training. Secondly, after training, you should not consume products containing caffeine, which interferes with the use of protein for muscle recovery.

By following these simple pre- and post-workout nutrition tips, you'll improve your performance and take another step toward achieving the body of your dreams. However, remember that the issue of nutrition before and after training is not the main one for those who want to lose weight and tone their body. The most important thing is to eat throughout the day, maintain a general calorie deficit, consume enough proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Therefore, you can always adjust the menu to suit your individual capabilities.