A healthy diet and exercise go hand in hand, so we found out the best foods to eat before the gym to help us reach our full potential
We spoke to Matt Roberts, personal trainer to the PM David Cameron, and nutritional therapist Julie Silver to find out the best foods to eat before the gym that will give us an energy boost and promote fat loss.
‘If you’re aiming for fat loss you want to train in low carbohydrate state, which means making sure the meal you have prior to your workout is based around fats, proteins and veg with no starchy carbs such as potatoes, rice or pasta. This will mean your body will use your fat stores over blood glucose for energy,’ advises Matt.
Here are Matt’s top tips on what to eat and drink before the gym…
Lean meat ‘Chicken and turkey are a great pre workout snack. The protein they provide will protect your muscles from possible breakdown during your session. This will allow you to more successfully improve your body composition by reducing body fat, maintaining muscle mass and keeping the metabolism high.’
Coffee ‘Not only does it give you energy but it also helps elevate certain hormones which in turn release fat acids into the blood. This allows you to burn them as fuel more easily during your session therefore promoting fat loss. Go for expresso over milky options however as milk will hinder this response.’
90% dark chocolate ‘This has a similar effect to caffeine as it has high caffeine levels so will give you a bit of a boost pre-training. High percentage dark chocolate is also low in sugar so this means it won’t dampen your body’s fat burning potential but will give you some extra energy to smash it in your session…. and its chocolate!’
Plenty of water 'It’s key to a good workout and it is essential that you are hydrated before training. A decrease by only 2% in hydration levels can effects muscle strength and work output. Aim for 1.5-2 litres a day and try adding in a pinch of rock salt to your water to improve absorption levels.'
Julie adds, ‘To keep energised and promote balanced blood sugar, I recommend a mixture of protein, gluten-free complex carbohydrate (less dehydrating than one with gluten), essential fats and a chlorophyll rich supplement that also contains minerals.’
Julie's top snack suggestions: -Oatcakes topped with coconut butter, organic peanut butter, almond butter or pumpkin seed butter -A handful of nuts or seeds with a banana -A smoothie made with mainly vegetables, -A healthy protein powder (pumpkin seed, rice or pea -A nutrient rich energersing chlorophyll supplement such as spirulina
Looking for some healthy recipe ideas? Why not try out some of these great fat burning breakfasts or healthy lunch recipes from top food bloggers