Athletes and fitness enthusiasts are always looking for ways to improve their performance and achieve their goals. [the_ad id=”6157″]Good nutrition can help your body perform better and recover faster after each workout. Optimal nutrient intake prior to exercise will not only help you maximize your performance but also minimize muscle damage.

The timing of your meal is also an important aspect of pre-exercise nutrition. To maximize the results of your training, try to eat a complete meal containing carbs, fiber, protein and fat 2–3 hours before you exercise.

However, in some cases you may not be able to get in a full meal 2-3 hours before working out. In that case, you can still eat a decent pre-workout meal. Just keep in mind that the sooner you eat before your workout, the smaller and simpler the meal should be. So if you eat 45–60 minutes prior to your workout, choose foods that are simple to digest and contain mainly carbs and some protein. This will help prevent any stomach discomfort during exercise.

A study showed a positive anabolic response after the ingestion of 20 grams of whey protein before exercise.
Many studies have documented the potential of pre-workout protein consumption to improve athletic performance. Consuming protein alone or with carbs prior to exercise has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis.

Walk-run Interval Training: An interval program is a great way to torch calories and kick up your fitness level.

Time: 30 minutes including warm-up and cool-down

• First 10 minutes: Warm up with gentle walking that gradually gets brisker.
• Next 16 minutes: Break into a gentle jog that feels somewhat challenging for one minute. Recover for three minutes with moderately paced walking; by the end of the three minutes you should have the energy to jog again. Repeat sequence three more times.
• Last four minutes: Walk at an easy pace to cool down.

Challenge yourself: Gradually ramp up your walking pace so it gets brisker toward the end of your three-minute recovery interval.