What To Eat Before And After A Workout: A Personal Trainer Explains

To celebrate Mindful Movement Week here at mindbodygreen, we’re sharing the many ways that fitness enthusiasts practice mind-body exercise.

Todd McCullough (TMAC) is the founder of TMAC FITNESS and located in Santa Monica, Ca. TMAC FITNESS’s mission is to assist in creating a culture that is conscious of the body and the world in which we live. For more workouts from Todd, please check out his video course, 20 Minutes To Strong, Healthy & Fit: A 7-Day Personal Training Program. And for even more info on all things fitness, check out our awesome video courses.

My food philosophy is pretty simple. If I can plant it, pick it or catch it, then I can eat it. If not, then I stay away. This is the same approach that I take when it comes to pre and post-workout snacks. It's a big step forward from my teenage days of crushing Ultimate Orange! When I fuel up before a workout, I usually go for a combination of sugar and fat. The sugar gives me energy before the workout, and the fat fuels me through the workout. I don’t always have access to both a sugar and a fat all the time, so I sometimes have to settle for just one.

1. Handful of Raw Almonds and Blueberries

2. Spoonful of Peanut Butter with a bit of raw honey

For post-workout meals, you need to focus on a combo of protein, fat, carbs and sugar. I suggest getting your carbs from veggies and having a small serving of sweet potatoes if your goal is to lose weight. Remember: Don’t overthink any of this, keep it simple. Just eat real whole food!

I make an effort to eat within 30-45 minutes after a workout. If that's hard to make happen, I pack fruit and raw almonds with me. Also, I make a conscious effort to drink a lot of water post-workout to assure that I don’t overeat. Dehydration is often mistaken as hunger. I should just hand out my business card at the smoothie stations at gyms and say call me in a month when you realize your hour cardio class followed by your banana, blueberry, mango, strawberry smoothie has actually made you gain five pounds! This $12 "healthy" smoothie sends your insulin levels on a roller-coaster ride, causing your body to store fat. You do need sugar post workout, but limit the smoothie to one or two servings.

Now with my 20-Minute Workout Videos my clients have the time to get their workout in AND cook a well-balanced meal at home.