Protein shake immediately after the gym, a banana before running and an energy gel during training. Sports nutrition often seems like a complex system of rules, but for most people the needs are much simpler.
New research shows that there is no universal formula for nutrition around training. The amount of carbohydrates a person needs depends on the duration and intensity of the workout, individual tolerance, and overall diet.
What to eat before a workout?
One of the most common mistakes is to overestimate the calories burned during a workout and then compensate for them with more food.
For a typical 45-60 minute workout at the gym, it is not necessary to eat immediately before the workout, especially if a person has had a normal meal a few hours earlier.
For longer or more intense workouts, carbohydrates become more important. A banana, a slice of bread, or another easily digestible food can provide quickly available energy and reduce the likelihood of fatigue.
Time also matters. A larger meal is usually best about two to three hours before exercise to limit the risk of heaviness, bloating, and stomach discomfort. If you only have 15 to 30 minutes to spare, a small serving of easily digestible carbohydrates, such as half a banana, is often more appropriate.
Training on an empty stomach increases the use of fat as fuel during exercise, but this does not automatically translate into greater long-term body fat loss. Overall energy balance is more important for weight loss.
Coffee can also be helpful before exercise. Caffeine has been shown to have a positive effect on athletic performance in many people, but it is not suitable for everyone, especially those with caffeine sensitivity, sleep problems, or heart palpitations.
What do we need during exercise?
For a standard workout in the gym, a group activity, or a short run, in most cases water is completely sufficient.
Energy gels, sports drinks, and other sources of fast carbohydrates make more sense during prolonged exercise. For long runs, cycling, or other endurance sports, carbohydrates during exercise can help maintain performance.
For workouts lasting more than about 90 minutes, approximately 30-60 g of carbohydrates per hour are often used, and for very long races and a well-trained gastrointestinal tract, the amount can be higher.
Gels do not contain any unique form of energy. Their main advantage is practicality: concentrated carbohydrates are easy to carry and take while moving.
During prolonged exercise in hot weather or heavy sweating, attention should also be paid to fluids and electrolytes, especially sodium. However, for a short workout under normal conditions, sports drinks are usually not necessary.
Protein bars are also not a particularly suitable source of quick energy during exercise. In addition, some contain significant amounts of calories, fat and added sugars.
Should I have a protein shake immediately after exercise?
It is not necessary to have a protein shake in the locker room.
After strength training, consuming enough protein helps to restore and build muscle tissue, but current data shows that the total amount of protein during the day is more important than consuming it within a few minutes after the last set.
For people who are actively training, a guideline of about 1.4-2.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day is often used, and for strength training and the goal of increasing or maintaining muscle mass, intake of about 1.6 g/kg per day is sufficient for many people.
A practical guideline for one meal is approximately 20-40 g of high-quality protein, with the amount needed also depending on body weight, age and overall diet.
The idea that anything over 20 g of protein is automatically excreted in the urine is misleading. The body absorbs and uses larger amounts of protein, although the effect on stimulating muscle protein synthesis does not increase infinitely with each additional serving.
A protein shake is convenient when there is no possibility of a normal meal or a person has difficulty reaching their daily protein needs. However, it is not mandatory.
A simple meal of protein and carbohydrates does the same thing. This could be yogurt with oatmeal and fruit, eggs with bread, chicken with rice, or another combination of whole foods.
Protein becomes even more important for older people
As we age, our bodies respond less well to the same amount of protein, and muscle loss gradually accelerates. That's why getting enough protein, combined with strength training, is especially important after middle age.
An analysis of 49 studies with a total of 1,863 participants found that supplementing protein in weight-training athletes can help increase muscle mass and strength, with the effect also depending on age and baseline protein intake.
For most people, however, the rule remains relatively simple: a normal meal before training, water during short workouts, and enough protein and carbohydrates throughout the day are more important than expensive products, gels and precise monitoring of the so-called “anabolic window“.