Like "wood is needed to make a table", food is needed to build muscle or simply to stay in shape. Muscles are wasteful organs: keeping them functional requires an important amount of energy from the whole organism.
Energy comes from food and this is why for those who love to play sports or simply for those who want a healthier lifestyle, combining the right caloric and nutritional intake - together with your favorite train activity - is essential for building lean mass and losing body fat. But if energy comes from food, it’s equally true that this energy must come from food at the right time.
Here arises the question of many: but if I go to train will I have to eat sooner or later? And if I have to do it later, what would be best for me? Let's go in order.
Should I eat after training?
If you follow a balanced diet - with the right amount of protein during the day, starting with breakfast - then eating immediately after training may not be so important. Often the most important meal is the one preceding the activity: that’s what determines performance and above all provides an excellent stimulus for muscle growth.
If we are talking about the famous anabolic window (that immediately post-workout period of time where muscles has a greater predisposition to growth), it’s important to pass on a concept: a meal containing a certain amount of protein allows our body to have aminoacids in circulation for several hours, providing energy in activity and important nutrients to build lean mass immediately after training. A small detail: it’s better that the meal is in any case at least a couple of hours away from the scheduled workout.
If I don't have time to have a full meal before training, what can I eat next?
There are tons of versatile solutions. A natural low-fat Greek yogurt with the addition of a few tablespoons of granola and a fruit, a snack biscuit with a teaspoon of dried fruit spread, a bar for post strength training with overloads or a bar for running or cardio post workout.
In conclusion: evaluate the actual need for a snack or meal after training because sometimes the solution may be to schedule the other meals of the day based on the time you do the activity.
Dott.ssa Benedetta Belli - Nutrizionista Probios
