FUEL YOUR WORKOUT

Summer is the time where, for most of us, we find ourselves more active than any other time of year.  Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand so it is incredibly important that you know how to fuel your workouts properly and how to nourish post-exercise so your body repairs and rejuvenates itself optimally.  As Dr. Michael Colgan states in Optimum Sports Nutrition, “nutrition is a magic bullet that will help you more than you ever dreamed to achieve your athletic goals.”

The more active you are the more nutrients you need to sustain your physical performance.  If working out regularly, it is important to eat small frequent meals throughout the day (every 3-4 hours).  This will maximize body fat loss, build muscle mass and maximize energy storage for your next workout.

What you fuel your body with at each one of those intervals is incredibly important. The power of foods influences your hormones and there are 3 specific hormones that need to be considered for optimum performance: insulin, serotonin and dopamine. The key to burning body fat, building muscle mass and maximizing your athletic performance is to keep your insulin levels stable.  Many athletes are used to “carbo-loading,” but releasing too much glucose into the bloodstream at one time by overeating carbohydrates (especially high glycemic carbohydrates like white rice, pasta, floured breads, sugar, etc.), can elevate your insulin levels and as a result, you will end up burning your muscle mass and storing your body fat, which is the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish.

When eating too much glucose/carbohydrates prior to a workout you also trigger the hormone serotonin to be released.  Serotonin “dulls” the nervous system limiting the amount of muscle you can contract which will then limit your energy, endurance and performance.  The focus then is to release dopamine, by eating protein before a workout, as increased dopamine will maximize your muscle endurance resulting in running harder, faster and longer.  Some of the highest dopamine rich foods include: chicken, turkey, game meat, walnuts and cottage cheese.  Eating more protein and less glucose 2 hours before your workout is the way to manipulate the synergy of serotonin and dopamine. 

Another important factor to balancing insulin, serotonin and dopamine is to always combine your carbohydrates with protein and essential fats.  Note, your carbohydrates should always be fibrous – fruits, vegetables, and minimal gluten-free whole grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, millet, sprouted breads, buckwheat and amaranth). This combination will prevent spikes in blood sugars and the release of too much serotonin, and as a result you will increase energy, endurance and performance.

An interesting note about carbohydrates: there is a point at which carbohydrate consumption in your body exceeds the level at which it can be used for energy or stored as body fat.  Over a 3-4 hour period, women can only use 25 grams of carbohydrates (1/2 cup rice or 1 piece of sprouted bread) and men can only use 50 grams of carbohydrates (1 cup of rice or 2 pieces of sprouted bread).  Any more than that may tip the balance of the 3 hormones.  If you cut your carbohydrates too low, you can also hinder your performance, so finding your personal fuel mix is important. 

It is also important to nourish your body post-workout. This will provide you with the nutrients needed for muscle repair and growth and the energy needed to be stored for your next workout. A protein shake is always an excellent and convenient fuel mix within 30 minutes of a workout. A protein shake combines the perfect combination of protein, essential fats and glucose.  Ensure you eat a main meal 1.5 to 2 hours after that.

Example of an ideal workout fuel plan:

Breakfast

  • 1/2 cup of cottage cheese (protein – dopamine)
  • Tbsp ground flaxseed (essential fats – repairs the cells)
  • Fresh berries (fibrous carbohydrate – serotonin, insulin)

Snack

  • 4 Tbsp walnuts (dopamine and essential fats)
  • Apple or pear (glucose and fiber)

Lunch

  • Spinach salad (fibrous carbohydrate)
  • Turkey breast or chicken thigh (protein-dopamine)
  • Tbsp olive oil (essential fat)

Workout

Post-Workout

Protein shake (whey, berries, ½ banana, water, hemp oil)

Dinner

  • Wild salmon or game meat
  • 1 cup wild rice or quinoa (men), 1/2 cup wild rice or quinoa (women)
  • Steamed asparagus with tsp. ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil

Remember every body is different and finding your personal fuel is the best way to ensure you are giving your body the specific nutrient requirements it needs.  Your body knows how to perform optimally when it has the right fuel.  If you are lacking energy, strength and endurance during your workouts you know you are not hitting your fuel mix and you may be well served by consulting with a nutritionist or naturopathic doctor.

Some of the above information was taken from the video, “The Science of Endurance Nutrition,” by Lars Gustafson.