Nutrient timing: when to eat is just as important as what to eat!

**Side note: For this article, I will use the term ‘workout(s)’ to refer to ‘performance training workouts that are no longer than 1 hour’ (but many of the same principles can be used for practices and even games ) . Another article will be written later that will be more specific about the timing of nutrients in different sports events and practices.

Fuel for Training (Pre-workout) (30-35 mins)

Without going into too much detail (remember, there are many books written on this topic and I’m trying to boil it down to less than a page!), I want to say that your pre-workout intake should be limited to carbs, but may contain some protein. Recent studies in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition (IJSN) showed that there was no clear benefit to adding protein to a pre-workout shake. I recommend having a carbohydrate drink (CHO) or water (depending on the time of your last meal) within 30-45 min. of your training. Typically, 0.8-1.2 grams of CHO per kilogram of body weight is a suitable range for consumption. No matter the intensity of the workout, the body still uses the sugar (glycogen) stored in both the muscles and the liver as its first source of fuel. If there are insufficient levels of sugar stores in the body, it will break down what is available and convert it to sugar for fuel. Often with lean athletes, the body breaks down muscle tissue for fuel; this is NOT desirable. So make sure you have some CHO on your system. A good source of drink that I have found (which is reasonably priced) is American Bodybuilding’s Carbo Force. It is high in CHO, but not in sugars, so it will not have any detrimental effect on your training. This drink contains enough CHO so that you can consume about half of the drink before your workout and still have half left over for your post-workout CHO.

Hydrate for Performance (during training)

Research has shown that the best source of hydration during a workout is water. If energy is an issue, it’s okay to have a light CHO drink, like drinking Carbo Force or a little watered down fruit juice. If you want to start preparing the body to rebuild and repair muscle tissue after your workout, you can try a water drink infused with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). An example of this is American Bodybuilding’s Aqua Force, and I’m sure there are a few other products on the market that are similar. However, as a result of current research, you should stick with plain water or BCAA-infused water during your workout.

Ingredients to Repair, Rebuild, Regenerate (Post-workout) (30 mins)

After your workout, it’s imperative to start by replacing the fuel sources you’ve depleted. This would mean that you need to replace the sugars in your system. A medium to fast absorbing CHO would be optimal here. Examples would be Gatorade, Accelerade, or the rest of your Carbo Force. It is also important to consume protein to supply the body with the necessary amino acids to begin repairing muscle tissue that was broken down during training. Proteins that I have found to work very well are Muscle Milk (from Cytosport) and Pure Pro (from American Bodybuilding). (There are many proteins on the market, but many of them are ‘cheaper’ forms of protein that are not optimal for muscle tissue repair. If you have any questions about a particular product, please let me know.) If you wait too long, your body will first find another way to replace the sugars (by breaking down other tissues), and then may even stop repairing and completely rebuilding damaged muscle tissue. Many expert sports nutritionists also recommend consuming a well-balanced meal within 1.5 hours of training. This further enhances the recovery stage and helps ensure that the body has the necessary nutrients to adapt and repair itself.

The bottom line is that to get the most out of your workouts, in addition to eating a well-balanced diet throughout the day, you should plan your CHO and protein intake around your training schedule, followed by a balanced, nutrient-rich meal.