Would you ever buy a car and not use it at all? Unless you're Cardi B herself, it doesn't make sense. The argument is that you wouldn't go to the gym or work out without eating properly since it just won't work. It doesn't matter if you are a professional or any regular guy. There are several sorts of workouts, and each follows a specific food plan; in this article, we will discuss weight training eating tips. 

We'll talk about what you should eat if you're performing weight training, how much you should eat, and when you should eat it to maximize the output of your hard work in the gym.

Weight training is a sort of strength training that incorporates weights as a form of resistance. Similar to how aerobic conditioning develops your heart, weight training puts stress on your muscles, causing them to adapt and get stronger.

Bulking, in which you gain weight and muscle, and cutting, in which you shed the fat you gained while bulking while maintaining the same muscle mass, are the two phases of weight training.

Healthy Weight Training Eating Tips

While we are all aware that weight training or strength training benefits bone health, makes the aerobic activity more productive, and helps you reach your physical objective of gaining or losing weight. We often overlook the importance of the diet that goes along with it. So, let's start with what you should consume if you're doing weights.

What to Eat and How Much of It?

Protein, carbohydrate, and fat are the only three vital nutrients you should concentrate on. Macronutrients are what we term them in a nutshell, and don't forget to check the calories you intake with them. So, all we have to do is choose foods with those nutrients and consume them as needed. As simple as that.

Now, what food items contain those nutrients? Let us start with protein.

Healthy Protein Rich Food

Give your body the protein it requires with the help of these food items. 

• Eggs: One egg has around 6 grams of protein and 78 calories.
• Almonds include 6 grams of protein and 164 calories per ounce.
• Chicken Breast - A single roasted chicken breast without skin has 53 grams of protein and 284 calories, and it's plenty to consume once a week.
• Oats include 11 grams of protein and 307 calories per cup.
• Cottage cheese has 28 grams of protein and 163 calories in a single cup of low-fat cottage cheese.
• Milk includes 8 grams of protein and 149 calories per cup of whole milk.
• Whey Protein - This store-bought protein supplement contains 20 to 50 grams of protein per serving, depending on the brand.
• Broccoli, Fishes, Shrimps, Brussels sprouts, and Peanuts are other examples of high-protein food.

Research has shown that consuming between 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein for every kilogram of weight is best for building muscle. And the calories intake from protein should be between 30% to 35% of the total calories consumed.

Also read: Pre-Workout Food Ideas

Healthy Carbs Rich Food

Carbs are not always bad for you. Yes! We said it; there you go. Want to start your carb intake today? We have curated a list of healthy carbs just for you. 

• Quinoa — Quinoa is a high-carb food that includes 70% carbohydrates. It also has health advantages such as improved blood sugar control and heart health.

• Oats- In addition to having a high protein level, 1 cup of raw oats has 54 grams of carbohydrates, including 8 grams of fiber.

• Bananas - A banana has roughly 31 grams of carbohydrates in the form of starches and sugars.

• Boiled Potatoes – A 100-gram serving of mashed potatoes has roughly 20.7 grams of carbohydrates, made up of starch, sugar, and fiber.

• Apples — 100 grams of apples have 14-16 grams of carbohydrates.

• Other high-carb foods include kidney beans, beets, oranges, and chickpeas.

For carbohydrates, if you are in good shape and don't have any diseases like Diabetes, consider eating 3 to 5 grams of carbs for every kilogram of weight. That means someone who weighs 60 kg should consume around 200 to 300 grams per day. The calories intake from carbs-rich food should be between 50 to 55 percent of the total calories consumed.

Also read: Foods to Enhance Your Workout

Healthy Fat-Rich Food

For High-Fat food, we don't need to mention the items explicitly. Items mentioned in the above two categories, like Cheese, Whole Egg, Nuts, Fish, etc., contain a good amount of fat. Apart from that, you can eat Avocados which have about 80% fat content, Dark chocolate (65%), Olive oil, and so on.  

When you are eating for weight training, consider 0.5 to 0.8 grams of fats for every kilogram of weight per day, and the calories intake from High-Fat food should be between 10 to 15 percent for best results when doing weight training.

Now that we understand which are the right nutrients, what kind of food you should eat while following a weight training diet plan, and how much quantity. We are ready to discuss the right time to eat it and finally conclude the weight training eating tips.

When Should You Eat It?

Gym and working out is a lifestyle, so you have to follow the diet plan both at the gym and the rest of the day. This is why a weight training diet plan is divided into 3 categories:

1. Pre-Workout Diet 

The macronutrients mentioned above should be consumed appropriately before going to the gym. On average, you should consume 20-25 grams of proteins and carbs each day since they provide the necessary energy boost for strenuous workouts and aid in muscle repair.

Two factors determine the number of nutrients: It should be more for heavier individuals, and the sooner you take the nutrients before going to the gym, the higher the number of nutrients you should take.

2. At Gym Diet 

You lose important fluids when you work out, like glucose and water, and it's important to refill them, especially if you are doing intense workouts. Just keep a 1L bottle of glucose water by your side and keep yourself hydrated to maintain the energy.

3. Post-Workout Diet 

According to several studies, the anabolic window opens after any workout, which is the optimal time to consume nutrients since the body is working its best to rebuild the muscles that are broken during weight training. As a result, it's recommended to have your first meal as soon as possible. Because the post-workout diet spans the remainder of the day, you should meet your daily macronutrient requirements as per the article.

Remember, don't overwork yourself; you don't have to be excessive; be consistent and follow these weight training eating tips, and you'll see results in no time. Happy working out!