Working out is a great way to be fit and look one’s best. Many people, daily spend hours in a gym but their fitness regime may not produce the results they expect. An important reason for this is that nutrition plays a crucial role in enhancing a person’s physique. A gym-goer may spend hours every day working out, but without supplying their 
Nutrition Tips to Follow Before a Workout
Perhaps the words “You are what you eat” are best understood by those who are fit. A person who wants to look their best must pay attention to what they eat. To look good, it’s essential to eat a balanced diet. A gym-goer who simply wants a lean body may not need to use supplements if he already eats a nutritious diet. On the other hand, someone who wants to build muscle mass will need to use supplements.
Is having a pre-workout supplement essential for everyone? The answer lies in understanding what a person’s reasons are for joining a gym. For a person who already eats nutritious food and just wants a fit and flexible body, pre work out supplements may not be necessary. However, even those who don’t need a pre-workout supplement will still need to use willpower to help them surmount early morning lethargy and to manage fatigue after their work out.
On the other hand, those looking for a six-pack, will benefit from healthy pre-workouts supplements because they add value and will give them the focussed energy necessary during workouts. Adding pre-workout supplements to such people diet will help them endure much more during their workout and will give them the extra push needed to carry complete that additional push up or stretch. Such supplements help prepare for strenuous physical activity the body will perform in a gym. Pre-workout supplements help pump nitric oxide and improve blood supply to the muscles during a workout. Such pre-workout supplements may include creatine, caffeine, and beta-alanine and should be complemented by drinking abundant amounts of water. Even coffee acts as a good pre work out supplement, yet drinking it should not become a habit. Of course, all supplements should be taken under the guidance of a dietician or trainer.
Post Workout Nutrition Tips
It’s important to understand the role played by Glycogen before the need for an ideal post-workout nutrition can be understood. The human body stores energy derived from food as glycogen. Glycogen is a reserve energy source and when the body needs energy, it is supplied by the breakdown of glycogen. However, glycogen can be depleted in the body. For gymgoers, it’s also important to understand the concept of negative nitrogen balance. A negative nitrogen balance occurs in the body when there are few amino acids to synthesise muscles. After a rigorous workout muscle protein is broken down leading to a negative nitrogen balance. Therefore the body is depleted of glycogen and suffers a negative nitrogen balance. Ideally, the body should be supplied with glycogen and amino acids so that it has everything it needs to grow muscles and have energy.
After a workout, the body should be supplied with amino acids, protein, and some carbohydrates to correct the imbalance caused by the workout. Protein can be supplied by whey protein; doing so improves muscle synthesis. Whey protein is an easy to digest protein and is a source of amino acids such as branch chain amino acids essential for muscle synthesis. Adding Branched Chain Amino Acids, BCAAs like Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine in right proportion gives more value for post work out supplement. Glutamine is another vital amino acid that is depleted after a workout. Glutamine post work out is very important for protein synthesis in muscles. Glutamine is also important in the small intestine for maintaining the immunity of the body. Other supplements that should be had post-workout include Dextrose and a few electrolytes because they give the body instant energy needed after a workout. It’s best to have between 20-25 grams of protein and 5 grams of glutamine after a workout. It’s also beneficial to supply the body with fresh fruit juice after a workout because juice supplies the body with carbohydrates.
Working out is a great way to be fit, especially because in urban India there are few sports fields. A gym provides an ideal and safe environment to workout because gyms have trainers, who know how to exercise safely, and nutritionists who create a diet chart tailored to each individual. Using the equipment in the gym, a person can transform their body especially when following the pre and post workout tips mentioned. Thus a strong combination of commitment, workout & post workout nutrition will pave the way for the desired results.
Attributed by,
Mr. Arvind Jain, Co-founder and Director of AS-IT-IS Nutrition