Eating for Strength and Health

As more and more research becomes available, the benefits of coordinating nutrient timing with strength training sessions has altered the way fitness professionals view human performance and cardiovascular health. Your food plate should contain a balanced combination of macronutrients like complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and lean proteins. Discovering which nutritious foods to eat around exercise times is fundamental for cultivating a vibrant lifestyle that minimizes chronic illnesses and bolsters strength and longevity.

Nutrient timing is the calculated consumption of sustenance a few hours before and following resistance training. Post workout nutrition is often regarded as one of the most influential principals for repairing damaged muscle tissue and restoring energy reserves. During arduous weight lifting sessions protein cells are broken down and exhausted, while exercised muscles will experience a certain level of micro-damage. This fragmentation is a healthy and normal part of the muscle building process and it is sometimes expressed as body soreness. Therefore, it is imperative to regenerate impaired musculature and depleted energy stores by providing the body with ample protein and nourishment after exercise (Aragon et al., 2013).

Proteins are involved in over 1,000 biocatalytic functions and are indispensable for reconstructing muscles. They support metabolism by reinforcing its capability to collect and discharge bodily waste. Protein availability will provide efficient circulation of oxygenated blood throughout the entire body, especially during exercise. Furthermore, amino acids strengthens hormonal cells that control necessary functions like metabolism, stress, sleep and reproduction. One of the greatest benefits of providing your body with adequate amounts of protein is the advancement to your immune system and its capacity to make antibodies quickly in order to respond to foreign pathogens (Yang et al., 2022). Here are some examples of lean protein: Salmon, Chicken Breasts, Ground Beef, Ground Turkey, Eggs, Tempeh, & Tofu.

According to Tagawa et al., (2022) 1.5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day may be the most appropriate amount of total protein intake for maintaining and augmenting muscle strength along with resistance training.

For a 150 lbs. (68 kg) person = 102 grams of protein per day

As protein is responsible for initializing numerous bodily procedures, carbohydrates are mandatory for providing limitless energy for physical activity. According to Murray (2018) during intense intermittent exercise, muscle cells split open and release glucose or energy to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which kickstarts muscle contractions. To sustain uninterrrupted contractile strength during HIIT workouts, muscle cells will necessitate a steady flow of glucose or carbs to produce ATP. It has become common practice to consume sufficient volumes of carbs before, during and following exercise, for the purpose of boosting athletic performance and expediting muscle recovery time.

Glucose also serves as a critical power repository for neurons in the brain and under normal circumstances, it’s the only fuel the mind uses to produce ATP. Nearly 60% of the glucose found in blood is metabolized by the brain and since its a perpetual consumer of glucose, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for NET carbohydrates is 130 grams per day. For athletes who exercise daily, the requirement is much higher and often times, they do not meet the total daily carb requirement of (8–12g per kg of body weight [BW]) considered necessary to fully replenish muscle glycogen stores (Murray et al., 2018).

The US Institute of Medicine’s recommended daily allowance for carbohydrate consumption in sedentary (inactive) adult men and women is 130 g, with additional carbohydrates required to match that oxidized during physical activity, a value that varies with the duration and intensity of exercise. For instance, on days that involve only light physical activity of relatively short duration, considerably less carbohydrate is required to restore muscle and liver glycogen than on heavier training days.

Murray, B., & Rosenbloom, C., 2018, para. 2

With the above information, we can safely assume that the average adult requires a minimum of 130g of carbs everyday. While more active individuals who frequent the gym 3-5 days per week may benefit from consuming upwards of 3-5 grams of carbs per kilogram of bodyweight. For a 150 lbs. (68 kg) person that could be between 170-340 grams of NET carbohydrates per day. Net carbs includes all vegetables and all forms of carbohydrates. Here are some examples of Complex Carbohydrates: Vegetables, Fruit, Rolled Oats, Ezekiel Bread, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Millet, Farro, Sweet Potatoes, Beans, & Lentils.

So, why is having enough stored energy (glycogen) important during exercise?

The most important reasons for stockpiling energy or fuel within your muscle cells is for intensifying workouts and preventing the onset of chronic illnesses. Frequent exercise combined with nutrient timing has the capability to initiate a shift in your physiology prompting muscular growth, decreased body fat, and reductions in cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood pressure levels, ultimately reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease.

The availability of energy within your system may inspire the courage or motivation to push your body a little harder by lifting heavier weights or running faster. The challenge will force your body to respond to the increased demands leading to a breakthrough in muscle strength, endurance, balance, coordination, and muscle development.

In addition to its correlation with good physical abilities such as high balance skills, low fall risk, and excellent athletic performance, high muscle strength is also known as an important indicator of physical fitness associated with high bone density; lung function; and low risk of depressive disorder, diabetes mellitus, and death. Notably, physical activity guidelines firmly encourage muscular strengthening exercise to promote good health.

(Tagawa et al. 2022).

The last macronutrient that unifies a well balanced food plate are fatty acids and the greatest misconception about them is that they are ALL bad. However, that’s not the case and most health professionals would agree that Trans Fatty Acids aka unsaturated trans fats have the most detrimental effect on cardiovascular health. These harmful ingredients are produced during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils, which is common practice to manufacture solid fatty acids. The following foods have the highest amount of trans fats are also the ones that you want to minimize in your diet: cookies, cakes, breakfast cereals, crackers, dairy products, margarine, fried potatoes, potato chips, popcorn, candy and household shortening (Dhaka et al., 2011).

“Consumption of trans unsaturated fatty acids was associated with a 34% increase in all cause mortality, a 28% increased risk of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) mortality, and a 21% increase in the risk of CHD. Further, this data suggest that industrial trans fats confer a 30% increase in the risk of CHD events and an 18% increase in the risk of CHD mortality.”

de Souza et al., 2015, Discussion: PRINCIPAL Findings

The ingestion of healthy fatty acids like Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) has been shown to diminish the liability of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD). CVD is a broad term that encompasses multiple conditions of the heart including Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). Studies confirm that the Mediterranean diet is first rate for curtailing CVD risk factors by lowering cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure levels. Depending on your total caloric intake, dietary fat consumption may vary widely based on your goals. It is recommended that the percentage of calories coming from healthy fats is approximately between 20-35% (Liu et al., 2017). Healthy fat sources include Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salmon, Nuts, Nut butters, Avocados, Flax Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Chia Seeds, Beans, and Eggs.

For a 2,000 calorie/day nutrition plan, 25% of 2,000 equates to 500 calories from healthy fats. Serving examples are 2 tbsp. of Almond butter, which is approximately 196 calories and half a medium sized Avocado that is approximately 120 calories. The Mediterranean diet calls for a higher percentage (35-40%) of calories coming from fats, however, it’s still beneficial to achieve lower values around 20-25%.

Recent clinical evidence supports the hypothesis that including plant and seafood sources of PUFA and MUFA in the diet improves cardiometabolic risk factors. Mediterranean diets generally derive a relatively high proportion of calories from fat (typically 35–40% of kcal or more) with much of the fat calories coming from plant and vegetable oils sources of MUFA [50]. Mediterranean-type diets commonly emphasize consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, nuts, and olive oil [15].

Liu et al., 2017, clinical interventions

Now, what to do with all this data?

Lets begin with the facts.

Evidence suggests that following a nutritional infrastructure closely similar to that of the Mediterranean Diet will provide valuable advancements to your cardiovascular health. Next, we know that eating generous amounts of protein will foster a vibrant immunity, hormonal cohesion, efficient delivery of oxygenated blood, and improved muscle development and repair. Remember that carbohydrates are converted into glucose, which fuels the mind and powers the muscles during resistance training. And on low activity or rest days, our bodies’ do not require as much energy restoration from carb sources. Meanwhile healthy fats like Salmon, nuts and Olive Oil will enrich heart health and decrease the exposure of chronic ailments. The last piece of data comprises of developing our muscle strength by challenging our physical fitness to manufacture a body with balance, energy, heart health, stamina and longevity.

Its paramount to compile every pre and post workout meal with adequate quantities of protein, carbs and fats for the goal of building strength, progressing our life span and reshaping our physique. Whether you are vegetarian, pescatarian or a meat eater, the rule is simple, start with protein and go from there. Eating nourishing foods in close proximity to resistance training has the means to intensify workouts, which will nurture a body with high muscle strength, superior immunity, hormonal stability, and minimal exposure to CVD. I cannot begin to tell you how vital it is to eat well not just before and after exercise, but everyday. In fact, I am telling you… pay attention to the foods you eat, especially around your workout times because not only will you become the strongest version of yourself, you will also become the healthiest!

Stay Fit!

P.S. Here is how to structure your perfect post workout meal: The following example will be vegetarian, but substitute your own lean protein accordingly and aim for 25-35 grams of protein at each meal.

First, add 3.5 ounces of Tempeh (222 cal, 22g protein, 12g carbs, & 8g healthy fats) to your plate. Next we look at carbohydrates, which in this instance, can be a combination of vegetables and grains like 1 cup oven roasted Broccoli (120 cal, 6g protein & 10g carbs) and 1/2 cup cooked Basmati Brown Rice (113 cal, 3g protein, 25g carbs, & 1g fat). To finalize your well-balanced meal , we need healthy fats. Here, we can add 1/4 avocado (65 cal, 1g protein, 3g carbs, & 6g fat) on top of the tempeh with some pico de gallo salsa or hot sauce. Collectively, you have constructed an ideal post workout meal giving you a total of 520 calories, 32g protein, 50g carbs, & 16g healthy fats.

Below is another example of a post workout meal.

Works Cited

Aragon, A. A., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2013). Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window?. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/

de Souza, R. J., Mente, A., Maroleanu, A., Cozma, A. I., Ha, V., Kishibe, T., Uleryk, E., Budylowski, P., Schünemann, H., Beyene, J., & Anand, S. S. (2015). Intake of saturated and trans unsaturated fatty acids and risk of all cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 351, h3978. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h3978 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4532752/

Dhaka, V., Gulia, N., Ahlawat, K. S., & Khatkar, B. S. (2011). Trans fats-sources, health risks and alternative approach – A review. Journal of food science and technology, 48(5), 534–541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-010-0225-8https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3551118/

Liu, A. G., Ford, N. A., Hu, F. B., Zelman, K. M., Mozaffarian, D., & Kris-Etherton, P. M. (2017). A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking action to reduce consumer confusion. Nutrition journal, 16(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-017-0271-4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5577766/

Murray, B., & Rosenbloom, C. (2018). Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. Nutrition reviews, 76(4), 243–259. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy001 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6019055/

Tagawa, R., Watanabe, D., Ito, K., Otsuyama, T., Nakayama, K., Sanbongi, C., & Miyachi, M. (2022). Synergistic Effect of Increased Total Protein Intake and Strength Training on Muscle Strength: A Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Sports medicine – open, 8(1), 110. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00508-w https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9441410/

Yang, J., Du, N., Jiang, W., & Liu, C. (2022). Effect of Protein Nutrition Level on Protein Metabolism during Volleyball Exercise Based on Edge Computing in the Medical System. Journal of healthcare engineering, 2022, 1614748. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/1614748 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8769822/