The Importance of Eating Well Before a Gym Session

I have noticed a pattern in how easy I find the gym verses what I eat for my lunch on any given day.

I eat the same breakfast every morning – porridge with fruit, nuts and seeds – and I honestly don’t think I could do any better than this. It is high calorie, well balanced and has a decent amount of protein.

And it gives me three of my fruit (banana, cherries and blueberries) each day.

Lunch is another matter.

I actually think it is my lunch that is causing my weight loss to be so slow (well, that or menopause…)

Most mornings I make a loaf of bread. This is what is generally for lunch. Sometimes with soup (which I think probably makes it more acceptable), but sometimes I have it with cheese or egg.

These two options aren’t necessarily bad.

But they also don’t seem to be the best.

My third option, which I have about once a fortnight, is chocolate spread.

Yes, I know. I’m healthy eating, and chocolate spread is definitely not a healthy option. I know this, but sometimes…

The last option, which I have occasionally, is a baked potato with cheese and salad, or pasta with chopped up veg running through.

These two are the best. Not just on paper but in reality.

I have noticed that when I have one of the latter two meals for lunch, my energy at the gym is incredible. I lift heavier weights, with greater ease and I tend not to injure myself.

When I have bread, I feel sluggish, am unable to lift heavier weights and actually, sometimes feel like I don’t even want to go.

So this week, I am changing things up a bit. I have decided to try quinoa, which is a gluten free grain, which I will cook and cool in the morning.

To this, I will add all sorts of salad ingredients, a minimum of ten types (think peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, spring onions, beetroot, avocado, dried apricots or goji berries and seeds). I’ll toss it in a lovely homemade orange and ginger dressing.

The plan is to have this each week day over the summer. I will still make a small loaf of bread each day, because I know of at least one adult in my house who won’t like the quinoa.

I want to make the best use of my time at the gym and if I’m feeling sluggish I can’t do this.

Hopefully the lack of gluten will be good for me as well as the gluten-free people in the house.

And, of course, veg are good for everyone.