To speed up recovery, you must eat good food pre- and post-workout; also, you must hydrate yourself properly. In this article, an expert has suggested some tips for smart eating.
During summer, your body is already working hard to maintain body temperature via sweating, which gets amplified during workouts. Therefore, eating and hydrating consciously before and after your workout is important to stay energised, prevent fatigue, and speed up recovery.
Pre-workout
Before a workout, you need to keep your body energised without feeling too heavy or sluggish.
According to Functional Nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, CEO & Founder, iThrive, a Pune-based health and wellness platform, if you don’t have leptin resistance, insulin resistance, or diabetes, you could have a light snack like a small banana pre-workout. This helps in providing energy for muscles. If you have leptin resistance or insulin resistance, or if you are an athlete or your workout is going to be more intense, you should add a little protein, like a boiled egg or a scrambled egg. Just keep in mind that the portion of meals you eat should be light so that your body doesn’t spend too much energy on digestion or you don’t feel too heavy in your gut.
Hydration
Hydration is highly important as well, especially during the summer, as we tend to lose both water and minerals through sweat. Drink filtered, purified water, and always add electrolytes or trace minerals to your water to improve hydration as well as compensate for losses via sweat.
You can also have coconut water with a pinch of pink salt to maintain electrolyte balance.
Post-workout
After your workout, your body requires nourishment to recover. Remember to support your muscles with good-quality protein. After 30-45 minutes of your workout, have a bowl of rice (avoid the rice if severely diabetic) with grilled chicken, mutton, or fish along with some sautéed vegetables. You can also drink smoothies made with banana, protein powder, and coconut, which are also excellent options for energy post-workout. Also, don’t forget to include hydrating foods like cucumber and watermelon, which help cool your system and replace lost fluids.
To summarise, during summer, try to keep your meals light, fresh, and rich in nutrients. Try to avoid overly spicy and oily foods, especially before and after workouts. And make hydration your priority, as your body tends to lose fluids a lot during summer.