Bytager the publication "What to eat before, during and after the home trainer"
The home trainer is a valuable ally for those who want to train seriously, maintain their physical condition, or work on specific areas, without depending on the weather or shorter days. However, some people forget that nutrition around exercise is important to optimize each session. With the right nutrition before, during, and after your home trainer workouts, you'll improve your performance and accelerate your recovery. Here are our tips for recharging your batteries, even while riding at home.
By Guillaume Judas – Photos: https://fr-eu.wahoofitness.com/, zwift.com
Nutrition before a home trainer session must provide rapidly available energy while ensuring good hydration.. Unlike training on route or off-road, where various factors can mask poor preparation, every effort is immediately felt if you run out of fuel while pedaling on the spot, especially when using an app that measures your watts.
Before the effort, It is important to be perfectly hydratedTo do this, drink 300 to 500 ml of water in the one to two hours before the session. If possible, to anticipate the effects of the heat, which are inevitable when cycling on the spot, opt for a drink with electrolytes.
Before the session, avoid foods that are difficult to digest, such as fats (fatty cheese) or complex proteins (fried eggs). Choose easily digestible carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, banana, whole-grain bread with honey, or energy bars. For morning sessions, fruit juice with oatmeal or yogurt may be sufficient. The key is to find what your stomach tolerates, without feeling heavy or acidic.
During the session: stay efficient
Nutrition during a home trainer session is crucial, especially for long or intense workouts.Of course, you avoid some of the risks associated with hunger pangs, because since you're at home, you can interrupt the session at any time and head to the fridge. But don't forget the requirement of a session on a home trainer, without freewheeling moments and with well-calibrated effort series. A drop in energy risks being counterproductive for the quality of training, as well as for recovery. The fact remains that at home, you have the advantagetage to have your drinks and other supplies at hand. You just need to plan the right quantity.
For hydration, take a sip of water or sports drink every 10 minutes. In case of an intense session, aim for at least one liter per hourFor solid foods, choose fast carbohydrates like energy gels or dried fruits. Avoid foods that are difficult to digest so as not to hinder your performance.
This type of training has the advantagetage to allow you to experiment with different nutritional strategies without outside distractions. Adjust the amount and type of carbohydrates according to your feelings to find the ideal formula.
After the session: optimize recovery
Post-workout recovery is essential for reconreplenish glycogen stores, rehydrate and repair muscle fibers. A good post-workout strategy speeds up recovery and prepares you for subsequent sessions..
After exercise, you must first consume carbohydrates, fast in the case of a very intense training session or a virtual competition, or more complex in the case of an intermediate session. Good reflexes start with the consumption of fruits, cereals, wholemeal bread or a drink with maltodextrins. For proteins, do not forget to consume Greek yogurt or eggs, to promote muscle repair.
Without forgetting of course to take water and drinks rich in sodium, potassium and magnesium to compensate for the loss of mineral salts due to perspiration. Ideally, Eat solid foods within 30 to 60 minutes after exerciseFor an intense session, a complete meal with carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables is recommended.
The specifics of home trainer training sessions
Indoors, sweating is often more significant than outdoors., which makes fluid and electrolyte intake crucial. Furthermore, the constant intensity of exercise on a home trainer allows for better planning of carbohydrate intake, without the hazards of an outing in a natural environment.
In these conditions, Optimized nutrition improves your performance during each session and reinforces the benefits of your training. With proper preparation beforehand, strategic fueling during, and effective recovery afterward, you'll get the most out of your home trainer sessions while staying in shape all year round. However, every user is unique: testAdjust, find the combination of foods, liquids and timing that works for you.
