When training for strength, and at the same time aiming to build and shape muscle, you can’t forget about providing your body with adequate amounts of protein and carbohydrates in your daily diet. Each meal is important and each has its role to play, with the pre-workout meal being particularly important as it has a direct impact on training effects. Check how to compose meals before visits to the gym.
What to eat before strength training?
The best pre-workout meal is to eat about 1.5 hours before your planned visit to the gym. It should be structured in such a way that it contains a large portion of protein and complex carbohydrates, so for example: meat and wholemeal pasta, fish and rice or wholemeal bread and eggs, etc.
Additionally the meal before the workout should contain at least a small portion of vegetables. Such a composition will give you energy and strength to work with heavy loads during the workout, and at the same time (thanks to protein) you will activate the process of growing muscle mass (general rules of composing a mass gaining diet can be found here).
Remember that intensive exercise requires a powerful dose of energy derived from nothing else but food. Pre-workout meals must be substantial and quite substantial, but still easy to digest. Avoid foods with a high content of fat and all hard to digest meals which could disrupt digestive processes, disturb sugar metabolism, put you in a state of fatigue and lack of strength, and thus significantly reduce your ability to train.
What to eat before the gym, that is 5 ideas for meals before strength training:
Buckwheat groats, grilled chicken liver, beetrootsalad 
2 ) brown rice, fish (e.g. hake, cod, sole) baked with herbs, Chinese cabbage salad
3 ) Wholemeal penne pasta, sauce made from canned tomatoes, minced turkey meat, garlic, basil and oregano
4 ) Boiled potatoes, baked or grilled chicken breast, boiled carrots or broccoli
5. egg white omelette with bran, oatmeal and spinach leaves
Portion sizes and quantities of individual ingredients should be adjusted to your individual weight and current training program (e.g. for mass or sculpting). In addition to a large protein and carbohydrate meal about 1.5 hours before your workout, you can also reach for quickly absorbed protein supplements several minutes before entering the gym.
Read also: What to eat after strength training
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