Best Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Nutrition for Different Body Types

Best Pre-Workout and Post-Workout Nutrition for Different Body Types : To meet your workout nutrition needs, you need to eat a healthy meal 1-2 hours before exercising, and another one 1-2 hours after. What and when you eat is very important, especially if you’re active. However, not everyone has the same nutritional needs, since different body types require different supplements.

In this article, we’ll explain the difference between body types, and tell you how to design the best pre- and post-workout meal plan depending on your body type.

Body types

The three basic body types are the ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph. The ectomorph is light-muscled, skinny, flat-chested, fragile, and generally has trouble gaining weight. The endomorph is soft and round, gains fat most easily and has difficulties losing it. The mesomorph has a powerful to athletic build and gains muscle easily. It is also known as the best body type for bodybuilding. All of these body types differ, which is why we all need to learn to listen to our bodies and adjust our exercise routines, goals, and nutrition accordingly.

Workout nutrition guidelines

These are workout nutrition guidelines by body type and fitness goal that should help you clear out the path towards your aims.

Ectomorph

General goal – endurance support or muscle gain
Pre-workout – Eat normally 1-2h prior (ectomorph meal)
During workout – Water, BCAA drink, 1 P+C drink (protein + carbohydrate)
Post-workout – Eat normally 1-2h (ectomorph meal)

Endomorph

General goal – strength sport support or fat loss
Pre-workout – Eat normally 1-2h prior (endomorph meal)
During workout – Water or BCAA drink
Post-workout – Eat normally 1-2h (endomorph meal)

Mesomorph

General goal – intermittent sport support or physique optimization
Pre-workout – Eat normally 1-2h prior (mesomorph meal)
During workout – Water, BCAA drink, 1 P+C drink
Post-workout – Eat normally 1-2h (mesomorph meal)

Pre-workout and post-workout supplements

Proper nutrition is incredibly important for all body types, but you may not get enough vitamins, minerals, or macros from food, depending on your lifestyle. You may also feel sluggish during your workout or not see the results you expect. Fortunately, you can use supplements to boost your energy pre-workout and muscle recovery time post-workout. All body types can take the following pre-work and post-workout supplements, but the amount you should take will change.

Pre-workout

Caffeine: The most common pre-workout ingredient because it’s very effective at boosting energy levels and muscular endurance. Caffeine is commonly found in coffee.
Beta-Alanine: Commonly found in a pre-workout for muscle gain, beta-alanine plays a role in carnosine synthesis, which reduces lactic acid build-up. A reduction in lactic acid will boost your muscle endurance and help you succeed at high-volume exercises.
Nitric Oxides: Helps to increase blood flow by widening your blood vessels. This allows your body to transport nutrients to your muscles faster, improving muscle endurance.

For best results, take a workout supplement 20-30 minutes before you start exercising.

Post-workout

BCAAs: Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, promote muscle repair and regeneration. BCAAs work quickly to reduce the effects of muscle breakage.
Creatine: Creatine is a well-known supplement that boosts athletic performance, training volume, and lean muscle mass by increasing water retention in the muscle. Keep in mind that women won’t gain as much muscle mass as men, even if they use creatine, but it can be useful in making more gains in the gym.
Pea Protein: Made from split peas, pea protein is optimal for people who have a milk or soy allergy. Most formulas contain a significant amount of protein and are low in fat.

For best results, take a post-workout supplement 10-30 minutes after you stop exercising. But if that time window is unrealistic for you, anytime after is fine as well!

Although the pre and post-workout supplements listed are usually safe, you should always consult your doctor before taking supplements. If you consume too many supplements or a supplement that doesn’t agree with you, potential health issues may arise.

If you’re more concerned with nutrition, rather than maximizing your workout, take a multivitamin or individual vitamins that promote health. These include but aren’t limited to polyphenols, vitamin D, beetroot powder or extract, quercetin, vitamin K2, vitamin B12, and magnesium.

To ensure you’re getting enough nutrients to stay healthy, get a blood test before you start supplementing. That way, you’ll know what’s missing from your pre and post-workout diet.

Pre-workout and post-workout nutrition

Pre- and post-workout meals are important, and people who benefit from them the most are those who manage to find some gym time and squeeze it into their everyday routine. These foods and snacks offer the right balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates to fuel workouts, satisfy hunger, and aid with recovery. Even if you’re an endomorph trying to lose weight, skipping a pre-workout meal can lead to low blood sugar levels, causing fatigue and lightheadedness.

Pre-workout

High protein oatmeal – if you don’t want to clean up the plate before hitting the gym in the morning (oatmeal is a classic morning staple), you can eat it as an afternoon snack. Make a banana oatmeal serving, add one whisked egg into the mix, and put it in the microwave. You can also make more servings and store them in the fridge.

Apples and peanut butter – cut the apple into pieces, add some peanut butter, and sprinkle it with some chia seeds and raisins. Prepare it, put it in the fridge, and eat the meal on your way to an indoor cycling exercise.

Egg and avocado toast – this is a great pre-workout meal, and if you have a heartier appetite, add a fried or hard-boiled egg for some extra protein; a great choice before a morning run.

Mushroom protein – mushrooms are widely known for their medicinal properties. Lion’s Mane (Hericium Erinaceus) is one of the few that taste like shrimp or lobster and is about 20% protein. It’s known to improve brain function, enhance nerve regeneration, and decrease inflammation. The mushroom contains b-glucans, hericenones and erinacines – compounds with therapeutic effects that make Lion’s Mane amazing, thus it is commonly used as an ingredient for the best pre workout supplements.

Chicken, sweet potato and green beans – also known as the “leftovers from the night before”. Don’t hesitate to heat up a small portion of this meal an hour before your workout, because the chicken-sweet potato-green bean dish contains a decent amount of nutrition.

Post-workout

Egg white and spinach omelet – to refuel your body after a good training session, combine the nutrients of spinach with the protein of egg whites. Eat in smaller, snack-size portions.

Trail mix – the best thing about trail mix is that you can mix it yourself. Combine your favorite nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, and sweet treats. Stash the trail mix in an airtight bag and keep it in a dry, cool place to prevent spoilage.

Banana bites – this is a simple, easy-to-make, and tasty snack. Get some Greek yogurt (partial- or full-fat) and peanut butter, mix them and spread the mix between slices of banana. That’s a snack packed with protein, fat, and carbs.

Avocado tuna salad – mash up some avocado in a bowl (use a potato masher or a fork), add some tuna, red onion, celery, walnuts, and apple. Next, add salt, pepper, cumin, and pickle juice. Serve it between slices of bread or as a salad topping.

Green smoothie – sometimes it’s much easier to drink your greens than to eat them. If you crave some greens after a strenuous training, cram some bananas, apples, and spinach in a blender and make a nutrient-full shake.

Pre-workout and post-workout nutrition is important for providing the body with the right kind of fuel when needed, otherwise, it’s more likely to break down. The right nutrition helps you maximize your gym efforts and often makes a big difference between a killer workout and a failed one. When your body is properly fueled, it can last longer and be pushed further.