- Pre-Workout Snacks
- 1. Yogurt with fruit and oats
- 2. Cocoa milk and toast
- 3. Banana smoothie and peanut butter
- Post-Workout Snacks
- 1. Sandwich with tuna pate
- 2. Have lunch or dinner
- 3. Protein omelet
- Other protein-rich foods
Making nutritious snacks in the pre-workout and high in protein in the post-workout helps to stimulate hypertrophy and improve the repair of muscle fibers, accelerating their development. This strategy should be used mainly by those who want to gain weight and increase the amount of muscle mass.
On the other hand, those who want to lose weight can also use this same strategy, but consuming less food to control their calorie intake.
Pre-Workout Snacks
In the pre-workout, the ideal is to have a meal that is richer in carbohydrates and with a little protein or good fats, which will help to maintain energy during all physical activity.
1. Yogurt with fruit and oats
Mixing yogurt with 1 fruit and 1 or 2 tablespoons of oats provides a good amount of carbohydrate and protein to maintain energy before training. Natural yogurt, for example, has 7 g of protein in each unit, the same amount found in 1 egg.
For those who want to lose weight, the best choice is to take only natural yogurt or mix it with fruit or oats, without adding everything in the same meal.
2. Cocoa milk and toast
Cocoa milk and whole wheat toast is a great pre-workout snack, as it provides proteins from milk and bread carbohydrates, which will supply your muscles with energy throughout your workout. In addition, cocoa is rich in antioxidants that will help with muscle recovery and prevent severe pain from appearing, even after a heavy workout.
To lose weight, cocoa milk is enough to give energy and face training. Another good option is to eat whole wheat toast with ricotta.
3. Banana smoothie and peanut butter
Taking a banana, milk and peanut butter smoothie is another pre-workout option that provides plenty of energy. Peanut butter is rich in protein, good fats and B vitamins, which will increase energy production during physical activity. To make it even more caloric, you can add oats to the vitamin.
For weight loss the best option is to make the vitamin only with milk and fruit, as this reduces calories while still maintaining a good amount of energy for training. See the benefits of peanut butter and how to use it.
Post-Workout Snacks
In the post-workout it is necessary a greater amount of proteins, antioxidants and general calories to favor a quick recovery of the muscular mass and to stimulate the hypertrophy.
1. Sandwich with tuna pate
The tuna pâté should be made by mixing the tuna with curd or natural yogurt, which can be seasoned with a pinch of salt, oregano and a drizzle of olive oil. Tuna is rich in protein and omega-3, fat that has anti-inflammatory action and helps to reduce muscle pain.
Wholemeal bread should preferably be used, and you can also accompany this meal with a glass of unsweetened fruit juice. To lose weight, the sandwich is also a good option, but one should avoid drinking the juice.
2. Have lunch or dinner
Lunch or dinner are great post-workout meals because they are complete and have large amounts of protein. When adding rice and beans, for example, in addition to having carbohydrates, this combination also brings amino acids and proteins that will recover muscle mass.
In addition, these meals usually include good amounts of meat, chicken or fish, which are foods rich in protein. To complete, you should add vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil over the salad, which will bring good fat and antioxidants.
Those who want to lose weight can use salad and meat, for example, or a vegetable soup with chicken or make zucchini pasta. See 4 substitutes for rice and pasta.
3. Protein omelet
Making an omelet is also a great choice for post-workout, as it is fast, full of protein and gives you plenty of satiety. A good way is to use 2 eggs for the dough, which can contain 1 or 2 tablespoons of oats to give more energy, and fill with shredded chicken, ground beef or grated cheese plus vegetables, for example. To accompany, you can have coffee with milk or a glass of natural fruit juice, without sweetening.
To lose weight, a vegetable or cheese omelette is an excellent choice, accompanied by black coffee or unsweetened tea.
Other protein-rich foods
See in this video more examples of protein-rich foods and how to combine rice with different vegetables and grains to form an excellent source of protein:
