Wanting to gain muscle and get lean or build your stamina to push past that finish line? It is nutrition at the right times and the right macronutrients that help with your fitness goals.
Optimal nutrition for fitness may feel challenging (and sometimes it mat be) but making some surprisingly simple changes can be worth it. Starting with water and staying hydrated will help everything. Regardless of your fitness level or ultimate this list will help you hit the ground running.
Getting the best out of your workout goals with these pre and post nutrition tips.
FUELLING UP BEFORE EXERCISE
Eating a small meal or snack before a workout can increase your energy and performance and get more gains. However, not any snack will do!!
The pre workout snack should have 75% of calories from carbs and 25% from protein. Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in your muscles and is the primary source of energy and important for short intense workouts, such as weights, pilates, sprints, whilst proteins are your muscle repair and support macronutrient. 
REFUELLING AFTER GYM
Following a your exercise bout and a stretch, it’s time to grab a snack or meal.
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or not, even though it may seem counterproductive it’s not. Eating after exercise and refuelling will help muscle growth which ultimately promotes body fat loss. If it’s a non strenuous workout well then you may be able to skip that meal.
To get the most out of your training, you'll want to grab something that contains 15 to 25 grams of protein to help build muscle, plus some carbs to replenish all the glycogen you used up during exercise.
TIMING IS KEY TOO
Eating within 30 minutes after working out — when your blood flow is higher — ensures your muscles get the nutrients they need to repair and grow.
If you’re sealing the deal on those performance gains, protein may seem like the key thing to focus on in your diet, but you need more than chicken and eggs to make muscle. Quality carbs are necessary to perform and get the best out of your exercise, whilst protein is for muscle recovery and repair. The more Muscle you have while healthy fats such as omega-3s might help prevent muscle loss. And, remember: The more muscle mass you have, the more fat you burn at rest — which equals a toned, leaner you.