The Worst Kept Secrets In the Fitness Industry (Part 4): Pre-workout Meals

There is no denying that you are what you eat. We’ve established that through countless retweets and status sharing during the late 2000’s. But what about purposeful nutrition? Sounds puzzling? Truly and honestly isn’t.

The whole point of this piece is to give you an understanding of how the human body operates in relation to food more than to simply bestow some sample recipes which you can try out if you’re feeling experimental.

It’s science time, bitch!

Let’s start with the basics. You are composed of muscles, fat, bone, internal organs, blood vessels and a few other gross components lodged in between. Check. Your muscles are the driving force behind your movement and are connected to your bones via tendons. Check. Your muscles store carbohydrates to be utilized as energy when required. Check. Your body stores fat to be utilized as an energy source when required. Check.

Now that we’ve established this little cycle of operation, let’s get down to explaining how different muscles use different fuels depending on different activities.

You have carbohydrates stored in your muscle as glycogen. Glycogen is broken down into Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is the energy currency used by the body’s muscles. Then you’ve got fats stored around your body which are made from lipids which are made from triglycerides. Those fats are stored as per required future need but they require breakdown before being utilized directly as energy which is not an instantaneous as when glycogen is used.

In the most basic terms, your muscles are not all the same, they are composed of different muscle fibers, namely types I, IIA and IIB. Each muscle fiber type has largely different functional characteristics. Individual muscles are composed of numerous individual fibers which are organized into motor units designated for specific functions and grouped within the muscles. “

“What’s a motor unit? Am I like an engine in a car? Ugh this is so confusing!” You blurt out naked in front of the mirror, your hands and mouth covered in dry Nutella.

Simply stated, motor units are just groups/bundles of muscle fibers. Any time you want to move anything, be it your finger, arm or eyelid, your brain instantly signals the appropriate muscle fibers and the relevant motor units within via the spinal cord and voila; the miracle of movement!

Type I

Commonly referred to as “slow twitch” muscle fibers. This fiber type is characterized by high endurance and low power/speed production capabilities. It’s most notably in action during long endurance events such as marathons or steady-speed jogs, etc.

Type IIA

Commonly referred to as “fast twitch” muscle fibers. This fiber type is a unique mixture of both Type I and Type IIB.

Type IIB

Commonly referred to as "fast twitch glycolytic". This fiber type is characterized by low endurance and high power/speed production. It’s most notably in action during short bursts of energy such as sprints, weight lifting, etc.

Fun Fact: Lifting a spoon recruits the same motor units as lifting a dumbbell does. The main difference is in the number of motor units recruited to achieve this action. Lifting a dumbbell naturally requires more force, which in turn recruits more motor units till the threshold that allows for the lift has been bypassed.

This brings us back to our original topic; pre-workout nutrition!

Those different muscle fiber types feed upon different types of fuel. Your Type IIB (fast twitch) muscles requires energy on-the-go due to the high intensity nature of the activity. Carbohydrates storages (glycogen) are usually the optimal choice as they are already there and are the fastest and easiest to break down to produce energy (ATP). These storages are quite limited and are usually depleted rather quickly. However, if your physical activity drags on for longer, your body is forced to start switching to fat, breaking them down and converting them for use as ATP molecules by the muscles.

“Holy fuck balls. We’ve been at this A-level bio course for like two pages now. What does this mean for my pre-workout meal?”

Complex carbs and proteins.

That’s what you want your pre-workout meal to have. You need a steady stream of proteins (preferably whey based) for quick breakdown and release of amino acids so your muscles aren’t forced to catabolize other muscles for repair. On the other end, carbs are a must, they are the main energy currency and the source of quick energy. But you want to avoid simple carbohydrates. These kinds of carbs (think processed flour, sugar, etc.) cause a spike in your insulin which would ultimately result in an energy spike followed by a crash; not good for your workout and overall mood.

Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain flour, cereal, oats, etc. are comparatively much better suited to provide your body with a steady stream of energy throughout the entire workout rather than just spiking it and leaving your sweaty corpse in the dust.

My optimal recommendation for a pre-workout meal?

• 2 whole soft-boiled eggs OR 3 scrambled egg whites
• One bowl of oatmeal flakes with ground cinnamon and diced banana
• Assortment of water-filled fruits (watermelon/cantaloupe/kiwi/apricots,etc.)

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This is usually my pre-workout meal of choice but you get the basic premise. Think peanut/almond butter on whole grain toast with banana. Think small tuna salad. Just focus on avoiding processed sugars and flours and ensuring there’s a protein source in there.

Hit me with any questions you’ve got by commenting below or by tweeting me on @Foxicakes