Pre/During/Post
Here’s my typically fueling regime around a workout in the hopes that others may find it helpful! Included are the supplements that I find extremely beneficial for maximizing my workouts and recovery. While these work for me, make sure to talk to your physician or medical professional before starting any supplement regime. Also, if you have any questions about products or brands to used, leave a note in the comments. Finally, please note that these supplement are for my goals of increasing running and lifting performance, not for weight change.
Pre-
Before getting a started with a workout, there a few things we want to address to make sure you are in the right state depending on your goal. For athletic performance, you want to make sure you are adequately hydrated and have readily available fuel in the form of easily digestible carbs such as fruit or pre-workout gels/chews. The general recommendation is to eat 1–3 hours prior to your workout, but make sure to experiment with what works best for you. I will usually have a little cordycep mushroom coffee or add some nitric oxide/beet juice to my fluids prior to the workout, especially on the days where I need a little kick to get myself going.
Nitric Oxide- Naturally found in beet juice/beet root extract, this can help increase vasodilation to promote blood flow to muscle groups during exercise. Great for endurance athletes to improve muscular endurance.
Caffeine — Gets the body going for strength days, just make sure you are not sensitive and maintaining adequate hydration. Caffeine will give you a little kick and pick up the metabolism for that extra push.
Cordycep mushroom (dual extraction)- This mushroom extract helps stimulate the central nervous system and adrenal glands to promote and maintain steady energy levels though the day. Try it for yourself and see what you think!
During-
Unless you plan on working out for extended periods of time(60+ minutes), you probably don’t need anything more than some water and electrolytes during your workout. If you’re someone who had trouble keeping muscle on the body, you can try adding a some BCAA’s to your fluids during the workout. I’ve noticed my body retains lean mass much more efficiently, especially when I’m in a run heavy program. I aim to get in about 16–20 oz of fluids for every 45 minutes of moderate to high intensity activity.
BCAA- Branched chain amino acids were a game changer for me. One of the biggest issues endurance athletes face is muscle loss. Although the goal is to race at a lighter weight, we want to maintain the good weight. I currently add a tsp to my workout mix and have another tsp before bed and since then, I’ve maintained muscle even while at a calorie deficit. (Extremely helpful when leaning out)
Post-
Fueling after a run is the most important thing anyone can do to maximize their workout efforts. The goal is to replace glycogen stores and absorb amino acids to start the recovery process immediately. Aim to fuel with a combination of carbs and proteins(ratio varies depending on your goal) within a 20 minute window. After a workout, my appetite isn’t ready for a full meal so a smoothie works best for me. My go-to option is to combine water, protein, and green powder into my shaker bottle as I’m walking up to the showers or a spinach and berry protein smoothie if I’m home.
Protein- There are tons of different options on the market, but after trying so many, I’ve been sticking to a grass-fed beef protein because of both quality and taste! Whey is also a great post workout option as it is a complete protein and is metabolized very quickly but should be avoided by those who are staying away from dairy/lactose. Vegetarian proteins are also a good option, but my experience is they taste much more chalky and grainy relative to animal, milk, or egg based proteins.
EC
