Revealed – why you may not be losing weight even after working out!

Achieving optimal results from your workout is not just through extensive training. A major part depends on what you eat before and after it. Your diet is responsible for fuelling your fitness regimen and ensuring that your body gets its supply of nutrients. A workout without a good diet will not yield good results and you will feel fatigued and lethargic. Ekta Tandon, a senior nutritionist and counsellor with Fitness First chain of gyms, lists out food items you should avoid eating before and after a workout.

Avoid eating these before a workout

The first rule is to never hit the gym on an empty stomach. But this does not mean that you eat anything your heart desires. Your pre-workout meal plays the largest role in supplying your body with optimal nourishment. Here’s what you should avoid eating. 

1. Say no to soda or energy drinks

It is often said that one should consume some amount of caffeine before they start their workout – the problem is some people end up having energy drinks. The high amounts of caffeine in these drinks can wreck ones sleeping habits, and when you don’t get enough sleep, your workouts and diet suffer. Opt for milk instead.

2. Last night’s leftovers

Chicken curry, pastas, rice are best eaten as a main meal. Cream sauces, seasonings and spices in these meals are likely to upset your stomach or trigger heartburn once you start moving. Hence, it’s a straight no-no to them before you hit the gym. Replace them with a fruit or a bowl of oats.

3. Deep-fried snacks

Anything which has been cooked in oil takes longer for the system to digest it. For example, potatoes may be good workout fuel, but that doesn’t mean you should grab some French fries before the gym. Deep-fried fatty snacks will slow you down, hence are a bad choice of meal before the workout. You can grab a sandwich or a chapatti roll with mixed veggie filling in it. Here are some foods you can eat before and after your workouts.

Avoid these after a workout

An intense, calorie-burning workout can do wonders for your physique, but it doesn’t give you the green light to eat anything and everything once you’re done. If you’re serious about building muscle and losing fat, you need to get serious about your post-workout meals. Here’s what you should avoid eating.

1. Avoid fatty snacks

Avoid eating fatty snacks like French fires or pizzas or burgers after your workout. Very small percentage of your meal should comprise fat. Your goal is to replenish your body’s glycogen and reduce, not add to, the amount of fat your body stores. Eat a banana immediately after your workout to replenish lost energy.

2. Milk chocolates or energy bars

Just because you are hungry doesn’t give you a reason to put your hands on these bars. These bars provide you nothing which you need for recovery. The negative impact of these bars is far worse than the instant energy given by them. Eat egg whites or have a protein shake instead. Read more about energy bars and find out whether they are healthy or not.

3. Salty snacks

Having salty snacks may curb your craving for a snack after a heavy workout but might deplete the levels of potassium which is of great importance then salt in your recovery. Have a bowl of upma or cereal after your workout. Read more to find out how you can cut down on your salt intake.  

4. Protein shakes

While protein is an important fuel source and aids muscle recovery, it can be a double-edged sword. Some of these bars and shakes pack high amounts of protein but omit sufficient carbs, and can thus deplete energy levels. As a general guideline, aim for a 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio to keep your energy levels up. Here are some more facts you should know about protein shakes.

Always drink water before and after your workout and even during if need be. It not only helps you recover faster but is essential to ward of toxins from your body.

You may also like to read: 

• Fun ways to exercise and lose weight
• Lose belly fat with exercises by Hrithik’s trainer Kris Gethin
• Can weight training help you lose weight?
• Walking for weight loss
• Get fit at your workplace with these expert recommended exercises and tips
• Why is high intensity interval training better (HIIT) for weight loss?
• 4 sexy and unusual ways to lose weight

Ekta Tandon is a senior nutritionist counsellor with Fitness First chain of gyms. She has over eight years of experience in consultation and planning nutritional programmes for various age groups and requirements. She holds a post graduate diploma in Dietetics and Public Health & Nutrition. She specialises in providing nutritional guidance for athletes, therapeutic diets for various diseases and has conducted workshops in schools and corporate offices.

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