Pre and Post Workout Strategies For Optimal Performance & Recovery

Exercise is incredibly beneficial for our health, helping to improve sleep, strengthen bones and muscles, and reduce stress. Whilst exercise is good for us, it can be considered a ‘stress’ on the body if performed incorrectly. What we do around our exercise, such as pre and post workout nutrition & recovery can ease this ‘stress’ on the body and provide better energy, enhanced muscle healing and reduced risk of injury. So, what can we do to help make our workouts work for us?  

 

PRE-WORKOUT STRATEGIES

Food

Fuelling your body prior to exercise provides sufficient energy for your workout and  helps to sustain the quality of your workout for longer, resulting in reduced muscle  damage. What and when we eat is critical and failing to fuel properly can lead to earlier onset of fatigue, reduced performance and even stomach upset (if you know, you know)! Whilst everyone is different, most people can generally tolerate their last meal 2-4 hours or a snack 1-2 hours prior to exercise without stomach upset - this meal or snack should align with the following guidelines:  

• Rich in carbohydrates to provide energy  
• Easy to digest – avoid particularly fatty foods as these slow digestion
• Low in fibre (especially if you have tummy issues)!  
• Tasty – this should be familiar to you and something that you enjoy.  

Your pre-workout snack or meal will depend on your individual requirements but some ideas include sweet potato ‘toast’ with a boiled egg, a small bowl of yoghurt with fruit and honey or a fruit smoothie.  

Hydration  

Good hydration has been shown to sustain and enhance performance, whereas dehydration has been associated with performance decrements. It is recommended that you drink approximately 2-3 cups of water in the 2-3 hours leading up to exercise. If you exercise first thing in the morning, small sips of water leading up to exercise can also help and allow your body to use the fluid more effectively.  

Adding supplements to your water prior to a workout has also been shown to improve strength and reduce fatigue. Some effective pre-workout supplements include:

• Caffeine – can enhance performance, improve strength, delay feelings of fatigue and stimulate fat burning.  
• Beta Alanine – an amino acid that increases muscle stores of carnosine, it helps increase exercise capacity and muscle endurance whilst reducing fatigue.
• Acetyl L Carnitine – facilitates the transport of fatty acids to the mitochondria for conversion into energy, helping improve endurance and reduce fatigue.  

Naked Harvest’s range of Natural Pre-Workout contain all three supplements, making it a great addition to your pre-exercise routine! Check out the range here.

 

POST WORKOUT STRATEGIES

Nutrition

Exercise triggers the breakdown of muscle tissue and consuming enough protein post workout provides the body with the amino acids it requires to repair and rebuild this tissue. Protein also provides building blocks for the body to build new muscle tissue and when consumed after a workout, can even help to reduce muscle soreness. Consuming 20-40g of protein every 3-4 hours throughout the day is recommended to assist with muscle recovery. If you are specifically aiming to build muscle, eating 20-40g of protein within 2 hours of working out can be beneficial. Carbohydrates are also important post workout to replenish glycogen stores – this is particularly important for those doing endurance exercise. A fluid source should also be included to help rehydrate.  

A protein smoothie made with Naked Harvest’s THRIVE Plant Protein, milk of your choice and some fruit is the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates and fluid for your post workout meal!  

 

Rest/sleep  

Exercise creates small tears in our muscles and the repair of this tissue is what helps our muscles grow. It’s important to know that this process occurs during our recovery, rather than the exercise itself, demonstrating just how important rest is for repair. If we aren’t giving our body enough time to recover, it will continue to break down tissue, leading to reduced strength and injury risk. We need rest days!  

Recovery is often broken down into the following categories:  

• Active recovery – staying physically active during recovery with gentle, non strenuous movements, whilst avoiding the movements performed during normal training. Examples include walking and gentle mobility.  
• Passive recovery – healing that occurs when the body is allowed to rest with  minimal energy output or effort (doing as little as possible!)  

Incorporating both forms of recovery into your exercise routine is beneficial; active recovery assists with circulation and removal of waste products from tissue and passive recovery helps to promote recovery from muscle pain by reducing inflammation. How much active vs passive recovery you require is individual and the most important thing we can do is learn to listen to our bodies! Pushing through a workout when we feel sore or fatigued isn’t going to help us achieve our goals so it’s incredibly important to listen to our body and honour its needs - even if it means choosing to skip a workout and relax instead!  

Sleep is the ultimate form of passive recovery because most muscle repair and growth occurs during sleep. Sleep deprivation alters hormonal balance and can lower levels of growth hormone, which is required for tissue growth and repair. Whilst we ideally want to aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night, we also need to ensure sleep quality is optimal. Some strategies to improve sleep quality include:  

• Maintaining a consistent sleep routine by going to bed and waking at roughly the same time every night  
• Avoiding exposure to bright lights before bed  
• Having a relaxing nighttime routine  

Adding Naked Harvest’s Moon Mylk to your nighttime routine is the perfect way to wind down before bed. Plus, the magnesium in Moon Mylk is great for post workout muscle soreness – a win-win for recovery!  

 

Pre and post-workout nutrition, combined with adequate rest and recovery, enhances our health and fitness. Pre-workout nutrition fuels performance, while post-workout nutrition supports muscle growth. Together with sufficient rest, these practices aid tissue repair, reduce fatigue and prevent injuries, boosting overall health and wellbeing.

Ready to take your performance and recovery to the next level? Use my code ‘GEORGIEGRIGG’ to enjoy 15% off all the products mentioned in this blog, plus the entire Naked Harvest range. Enjoy!