A must-eat for gaining muscle and losing fat! Nuts plus whey? Nutritionists teach you the general principles of supplementation before and after exercise, and eat the right nutrients

Sports nutrition has become increasingly popular recently, and many fans will send private messages to nutritionists to ask how to improve exercise results and what to eat before and after exercise to gain muscle and lose fat. Many people drink whey protein to supplement protein, but are you really eating it right?

In the previous column, the nutritionist also mentioned that nuts are rich in vitamin E, magnesium and other micronutrients, which can reduce soreness after exercise and prevent cramps, so nuts and whey are the key to sports supplements!

This time, the nutritionist will use the concept of "lazy package" to share with you more about the sports benefits of whey protein and nuts!

The main principles of supplementation before and after exercise

First, let’s review the principles of replenishment before and after exercise. It is recommended to eat some small-volume food that can slowly replenish blood sugar before exercise, such as dinner rolls, small biscuits, etc. The calories should not exceed 100 calories. As for post-exercise replenishment, the sooner the better. The carbohydrate and protein requirements will vary depending on whether you are looking to increase muscle or reduce fat:

a. Fat loss: The key is to reduce carbohydrates, so you can eat some protein foods after exercise, such as drinking whey protein, eating chicken breast or tea eggs, to supplement some calories with protein without taking in carbohydrates.

b. Muscle building: Carbohydrates are the main source of energy, supplemented by proteins. The calorie ratio of carbohydrates to proteins is 2-4:1. You can drink sugary whey, or eat yogurt with 1 serving of fruit, such as a banana, which can provide sufficient calories and a good ratio of carbohydrates to proteins.

Whey protein types and correct serving sizes

Whey protein can provide protein to repair muscles and has become the first choice for sports protein supplementation in recent years. Whey protein on the market can be roughly divided into three types: concentrated, isolated and hydrolyzed. Concentrated whey contains about 70-85% whey protein, isolated whey contains more than 90%. Hydrolyzed whey is whey protein that is first broken down into small molecular amino acids by enzymes. Its absorption rate is much higher than concentrated and isolated whey. Therefore, if you want to replenish quickly, hydrolyzed whey is a good choice.

“Do I need to consume a lot of protein after exercise to help my muscles grow?”

“What’s more important is to eat enough and at the right time.”

Studies have found that when protein supplementation after exercise is "0.25 grams per kilogram of body weight", the best muscle synthesis efficiency can be achieved, so eating more will not be more effective! Taking a 50 kg girl as an example, she needs to supplement about 12 grams of protein after exercise, which is about 15 grams of whey protein available on the market. For an 80 kg boy, 25 grams of whey protein is enough!

In addition to sufficient intake, the time of replenishment is also very important. The sooner the replenishment is made after exercise, the better. It is recommended to replenish within 30 minutes and no later than 1 hour to achieve the best effect!

Eat nuts to accelerate your goal of gaining muscle and losing fat

Since exercise is often accompanied by "destruction" and "repair", and "destruction" comes from the increase of oxidative stress, which in turn leads to inflammation and muscle soreness. These not only affect athletic performance, but also reduce the intensity, time and frequency of our exercise. For example, iron legs may prevent us from exercising for several days, which of course hinders us from achieving our goal of gaining muscle and reducing fat!

"Sports people should pursue the effect of "avoiding damage and accelerating recovery" when it comes to sports supplements! ”

"The antioxidant nutrient contained in nuts - vitamin E, is an important key to supplement"

Studies have found that supplementing with vitamin E can reduce oxidative damage during exercise, thereby reducing muscle damage and inflammation during exercise, and increasing exercise intensity and frequency. However, the National Nutrition Survey indicates that vitamin E intake is only 60% of the recommended amount, so if we exercise without vitamin E, it is of course easy to have inflammation problems! Therefore, for people who exercise, the most urgent supplement is vitamin E.

The vitamin E contained in nuts is not only helpful for sports supplementation, but scholars have also found that a low-calorie diet combined with eating more walnuts (accounting for 15% of total calories, about 30-40 grams of nuts for a 50 kg girl) can promote weight loss. Such results are very suitable for people who are losing fat. Replacing part of the calories in daily life with nuts can help achieve the goal of losing fat and weight!

Since any exercise may cause muscle soreness, and many people want to achieve a fit body and standard weight regardless of whether they do aerobic or resistance exercise, eating nuts during exercise is not limited to any form of exercise, nor is it limited to "exercise days". You should also eat enough nuts on weekdays to maintain adequate nutrients!

"Whether you're building muscle or losing fat, you need to take in enough protein after exercise. The vitamin E in nuts can repair damaged muscles and speed up recovery."

As a sports enthusiast, you can simply blend nuts and whey protein together to make a whey nut drink. There are also "high-protein cereal nut bars" or "nuts with added whey protein" on the market. These are all good choices for taking in protein and nuts at the same time. While taking nuts, you can also supplement minerals and high-quality fats, all of which can help achieve exercise results.

It is also recommended to combine other foods according to your weight, exercise intensity and goals to achieve the purpose of gaining muscle and reducing fat! Finally, don’t forget that nuts are rich in high-quality oils, but you must buy nuts that have a safety record and are packed with nitrogen to ensure that the oils do not oxidize. Buy the freshest nuts!

This article comes from Good Food Class

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