Pre-workout shakes can be a good meal option, as long as they include the fundamental macro and micronutrients.

The meal you consume before training is crucial for physical exercise, as it influences sports performance, prevents muscle catabolism, provides energy to perform the exercise and delays the onset of muscle fatigue. One of the options widely used today are pre-workout shakes, due to their convenience and easy digestion.

However, for pre-workout shakes to be the right solution, it is important to know what their composition should be, how far in advance they should be ingested and the main nutrients involved.

PRE-WORKOUT MEAL: ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS

The pre-workout meal, whether in the form of a shake or a solid meal, is included in the athlete’s eating routine and, as such, its composition depends on individual energy and nutritional needs, as well as the type of training.

An athlete’s nutritional needs vary significantly according to age, gender, and body composition, type of training, duration, intensity and regularity.

The objective – losing weight or body fat, increasing muscle mass, among others – also influences the composition of this meal.

In any situation, the two main macronutrients involved are protein and carbohydrates.

Regarding carbohydrates, they are essential to guarantee the existence of energy available during training and delay fatigue, as well as to avoid muscle catabolism (destruction) inherent to the training itself.

As far as the carbohydrates in this meal are concerned, they must be low on  the glycemic index  to ensure a gradual release of energy.

Protein is the basis of muscle tissue, and its intake is important to minimize catabolism and promote the creation of new muscle tissue, stronger and more adapted to exercise.

Regarding micronutrients, the literature suggests that physical exercise may increase the need for riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B6, iron, sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Types of training

Depending on the type of exercise and its intensity, the proportion of carbohydrates and protein in the meal before training varies.

In endurance/resistance training, the need for carbohydrates is greater compared to strength training, since in the latter, as the movements are shorter, repetitive and intense, the deficit in muscle glycogen does not occur in the same way as in training. of resistance.

For efforts lasting 1 to 2 hours, it seems to be sufficient to ingest between 0.5 and 1g/kg of body weight of carbohydrates, while for longer and more intense training these values ​​can reach 2g/kg of weight.

Protein, on the other hand, is particularly important in strength training to ensure muscle growth while minimizing muscle loss. Normally, an intake of between 0.15 and 0.25g of protein/kg of weight is recommended.

Fat is a nutrient that is not recommended in a meal before any type of training.

PRE-WORKOUT SHAKES: WHAT FOODS TO INCLUDE

As previously mentioned, pre-workout shakes are an option increasingly used today as an alternative to traditional “solid” meals.

When selecting foods to ingest in pre-workout shakes, priority should be given to foods with an energy content appropriate to the intensity of the exercise you are going to perform and with the appropriate proportion of the fundamental nutrients mentioned above.

To ensure protein intake in your shakes, choose foods such as eggs, low-fat dairy products, protein supplements such as Whey, or combinations of foods of plant origin such as oats  with  nuts  or vegetable drinks.

With regard to milk, as it is a difficult food to digest and can cause abdominal discomfort during training, its relevance in pre-workout meals must be assessed on an individual basis.

In this context, and if you feel uncomfortable with milk, it is recommended to opt for yogurts or cheeses or lactose -free milk. If you don’t feel it, you can consume it before training.

To ensure your carbohydrate intake, choose cereals, particularly oats, fruit, vegetables and nuts in moderation. You should, however, avoid foods that are very rich in fiber, such as bran, dark green leafy vegetables and seeds, to avoid discomfort.

PRE-WORKOUT SHAKES: WHEN TO CONSUME THEM?

Ideally, you should consume your shake at least 1 hour before starting your workout, so as not to delay digestion or cause gastric discomfort.

On the other hand, you should avoid eating foods rich in fat or fiber in the 2-3 hours before physical activity, as they take longer to digest and can cause gastric discomfort during exercise.

As a general rule, the closer you are to training time, the simpler your pre-workout shake should be

PRE-WORKOUT SHAKE SUGGESTIONS

Oat smoothie, natural skyr yogurt and red fruits

– Ingredients –

• 2 tablespoons of fine oat flakes
• 70g of red fruits
• 1 natural skyr yogurt of 150g

– Preparation method –

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until you obtain a creamy smoothie. If you want the shake to be more liquid, you can add water or skimmed milk.

Whey shake with banana

– Ingredients –

• 1 scoop of isolated Whey Protein (flavor to taste)
• 200ml of water
• 1 banana

– Preparation method –

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until you obtain a creamy smoothie. If you want the shake to be more liquid, you can add more water.

Vegan oat shake

– Ingredients –

• 1 scoop of isolated vegetable protein supplement (e.g. pea protein)
• 2 tablespoons of oats
• 200ml oat vegetable drink
• 1 previously cooked apple

– Preparation method –

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until you obtain a creamy smoothie. If you want the shake to be more liquid, you can add more water.

Mango and carrot pre-workout shake (lactose-free)

– Ingredients –

• 100ml egg whites previously cooked in the microwave
• 1 soy yogurt without added sugar
• ½ small mango
• 1 carrot

– Preparation method –

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until you obtain a creamy smoothie. If you want the shake to be more liquid, you can add more water.