{"id":10882,"date":"2020-07-07T11:26:56","date_gmt":"2020-07-07T09:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fondvlongo.wpengine.com\/?post_type=longevity_articles&p=10882"},"modified":"2021-01-14T11:27:39","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T10:27:39","slug":"what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity","status":"publish","type":"longevity_articles","link":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/en\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/","title":{"rendered":"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Consuming a healthy and balanced diet, and exercising regularly are among the foundations for living a long and healthy life, as well as contributing factors to overall wellbeing. The body needs energy to carry out daily activities or during sports and physical activity. What are the ideal foods to consume before and after a workout to ensure the greatest benefits?<\/p>\n

WHAT TO EAT BEFORE EXERCISING<\/strong>
\nFirst of all, it is essential to eat properly before doing any physical activity. Exercising in a fasted state can cause hypoglycemia and hunger spikes, it increases the risk of fainting, and may even result in a muscle catabolism process that may put toxins in the bloodstream. Food taken in before playing sports or any other physical activity, even walking to work, is important because it is the body\u2019s source of energy during these activities. <\/p>\n

In general, nutritionists recommend a simple and light pre-workout meal (to avoid complex and prolonged digestion) with an adequate amount of nutrients, to ensure the right energy and nutritional intake. If you practice sports in the morning, for example, it\u2019s recommended to have a quick snack before physical activity, and then have a rich and complete breakfast afterwards. Lunch should be consumed at least 3 hours prior to exercising to make sure it doesn\u2019t affect the digestive process, and should be based on carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, such as whole grains and vegetables, and with minimal protein and fat to enhance both strength and endurance. If you exercise in the evening, have a snack (banana, walnuts, granola bar) about 2 hours before working out. <\/p>\n

WHAT TO EAT AFTER EXERCISING<\/strong>
\nFirst of all, never skip a meal after physical activity. Nutritionists recommend consuming 30 grams of protein within 1-2 hours after each workout. Protein is essential for muscle recovery, and helps regenerate muscle fibers after physical activity. In fact, athletes should always consume healthy amounts of protein from various sources, such as fish, legumes, whole grains, and dairy products. Fats are also important for those who exercise, especially healthy fats like vegetable oil, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. After exercising, the body gets rid of toxins and must replenish energy reserves, as well as restore damaged muscle tissue. <\/p>\n

In the 15-30 minutes post-workout, the muscles are able to quickly absorb nutrients to synthesize new tissue and repair the damage caused by physical activity. This time frame is called the “anabolic window” (which gradually decreases within 2 hours), and some nutritionists recommend eating a protein snack immediately after a workout to regenerate the muscles. This is especially true for those who play sports at an intermediate to professional level. For those who simply want to lose weight and\/or maintain a healthy weight, it is still recommended to take advantage of the increased basal metabolic rate and eat 1 or 2 hours after exercising. In any case, it is good to consult a nutritionist to evaluate your situation and choose an appropriate diet.<\/p>\n

THE IMPORTANCE OF HYDRATION<\/strong>
\nAnother fundamental issue is hydration: replenishing fluids lost during physical activity, especially on hot and sunny days. The risk we face is dehydration which, in addition to decreasing athletic performance, can be harmful to the body. It\u2019s advised to drink water before, during, and after training, to replenish the liquids lost during the workout. If necessary, it can be useful to consume water rich in mineral salts and\/or saline supplements in moderation.<\/p>\n

SOURCES<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Arem H. et Al., \u201cLeisure time physical activity and mortality: a detailed pooled analysis of the dose-response relationship\u201d, JAMA Intern Med. 2015 Jun;175(6):959-67. doi: 10.1001\/jamainternmed.2015.0533<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Paddon-Jones D, Rasmussen BB. \u201cDietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia\u201d Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care – 2009 Jan;12(1):86-90. doi: 10.1097\/MCO.0b013e32831cef8b<\/li>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

  3. Kumar V. et Al. \u201cAge-related differences in the dose-response relationship of muscle protein synthesis to resistance exercise in young and old men\u201d – J Physiol – 2009 Jan 15;587(1):211-7. doi: 10.1113\/jphysiol.2008.164483. Epub 2008 Nov 10.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    By Fondazione Valter Longo Onlus editorial staff<\/strong>
    \nFondazione Valter Longo Onlus aims to make scientific dissemination by raising awareness among the scientific and non-scientific community of a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition through the production of explanatory scientific articles, textual, infographics and multimedia content, and the dissemination of clinical activities scientific, informative and educational aspects of the Foundation and its team of professionals. Dietary pathways, scientific discoveries, clinical studies, treatments and technologies, national and international awareness events, prevention initiatives as well as Longevity recipes are just some of the topics addressed in articles and in-depth interviews published daily and written in collaboration with the Foundation’s specialists. Also active on social networks, Fondazione Valter Longo Onlus editorial staff also offers a monthly newsletter sent to all members, to stay up to date on the most interesting news related to the world of Health, Nutrition and Longevity.
    \nContributors:
    \nRomina In\u00e9s Cervigni<\/strong>
    \nAlessandra Fedato<\/strong>
    \nMaria Liliana Ciraulo<\/strong>
    \nCorinna Montana Lampo<\/strong>
    \nCristina Villa<\/strong>
    \nContact:     press@valterlongo.com<\/a> or + 39 02 2513 8307 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-10882","longevity_articles","type-longevity_articles","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Fondazione Valter Longo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Fondazione Valter Longo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Consuming a healthy and balanced diet, and exercising regularly are among the foundations for living a long and healthy life, as well as contributing factors to overall wellbeing. The body needs energy to carry out daily activities or during sports and physical activity. What are the ideal foods to consume before and after a workout … Continue reading "WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY"\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Fondazione Valter Longo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/fondazionevalterlongo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-01-14T10:27:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/longavity_bnr.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"604\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/longevity_articles\\\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\\\/?lang=en\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/longevity_articles\\\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\\\/?lang=en\",\"name\":\"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Fondazione Valter Longo\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-07-07T09:26:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-01-14T10:27:39+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/longevity_articles\\\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\\\/?lang=en#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/longevity_articles\\\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\\\/?lang=en\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/longevity_articles\\\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\\\/?lang=en#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/\",\"name\":\"Fondazione Valter Longo\",\"description\":\"L\u2019opportunit\u00e0 per tutti di una vita lunga e sana\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Fondazione Valter Longo Onlus\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/fvl_logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/fvl_logo.png\",\"width\":150,\"height\":201,\"caption\":\"Fondazione Valter Longo Onlus\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/fondazionevalterlongo\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/fondazionevalterlongo\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/create-cures-foundation-fondazione-valter-longo\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCIuHoRDTpeFvdP3ulPOKlLg\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Fondazione Valter Longo","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Fondazione Valter Longo","og_description":"Consuming a healthy and balanced diet, and exercising regularly are among the foundations for living a long and healthy life, as well as contributing factors to overall wellbeing. The body needs energy to carry out daily activities or during sports and physical activity. What are the ideal foods to consume before and after a workout … Continue reading \"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY\"","og_url":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en","og_site_name":"Fondazione Valter Longo","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/fondazionevalterlongo\/","article_modified_time":"2021-01-14T10:27:39+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":604,"url":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/longavity_bnr.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en","url":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en","name":"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - Fondazione Valter Longo","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/#website"},"datePublished":"2020-07-07T09:26:56+00:00","dateModified":"2021-01-14T10:27:39+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/longevity_articles\/what-to-eat-before-and-after-physical-activity\/?lang=en#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"WHAT TO EAT BEFORE AND AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/","name":"Fondazione Valter Longo","description":"L\u2019opportunit\u00e0 per tutti di una vita lunga e sana","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/#organization","name":"Fondazione Valter Longo Onlus","url":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/fvl_logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/fvl_logo.png","width":150,"height":201,"caption":"Fondazione Valter Longo Onlus"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/fondazionevalterlongo\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/fondazionevalterlongo\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/create-cures-foundation-fondazione-valter-longo","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCIuHoRDTpeFvdP3ulPOKlLg"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/longevity_articles\/10882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/longevity_articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/longevity_articles"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fondazionevalterlongo.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}