5 Pre and Post workout meals on the Keto Diet

Rock your workout with these keto pre-post workout meals.

If you know anything about exercise and fitness, you know how important your pre or post workout meal can be to reach your exercise goals. Give your body the right set of nutrients before or straight after your workout. It is important for your body’s ability to replenish and recover from those workouts.

The better your body is at recovering and repairing itself after a workout, the more results you will ultimately see. This is no different on the Keto Diet. The only difference will be what nutrients your body needs.

So what type of food should you bring with you to the gym to help you get the most out of your workout?

5 Pre/post workout meals on the Keto Diet

1. Fat bombs
2. Fresh berries
3. Fatty fish
4. Whole eggs
5. Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt

Fat bombs are a great source of energy.

1. Fat Bombs

It is crucial to give your body the right nutrients to get through your workout. That means fat on keto. As we know, the idea behind a Ketogenic Diet is to get our bodies to switch its primary fuel source from glycogen (sugar from carbohydrates) to fats.

This makes fat bombs the perfect pre or post workout snack. You might be asking yourself, what is a fat bomb? 

A fat bomb is similar to an energy ball or energy bar. It is a term used to describe a very wide variety of high-fat, keto-friendly snacks.

Unlike traditional energy bars, which focus their energy base on carbohydrates and sugars like oats and fruit, bat bombs are typically made of really great high-fat sources like coconut oil, nut butters and cream.

Fat Bombs have become so popular recently that it is almost impossible to find a keto recipe book or website that does not have multiple Fat Bomb recipes. You get to choose the ones that you like.

Berries are packed with antioxidants and energy.

2. Fresh Berries

You might read this title and think to yourself 'but J.P… you can’t have fruit on keto!'

You are right - kind of. Let me explain:

You are absolutely right. Most fruits are completely off limits on the Keto Diet, but most people can have certain berries like strawberries and blueberries in limited amounts.

This makes fresh berries not only one of the best ways I know to kill the sweet tooth monster when he strikes, but also one of the best pre workout snack options available.

Berries offer a natural energy boost as they contain a small amount of complex carbs and antioxidants.

This small bump of complex carbs gives you a quick, fast-burning source of energy that is able to push you through even the most rigorous of workouts.

Salmon is a great option too.

3. Fatty Fish

Fish like Salmon, Tuna, Trout, Sardines and Mackerel are all great sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.

These 'good fats' are exactly what you are looking for in the way of a solid pre/post workout meal.

If that wasn’t a good enough reason; they also make an incredible, natural protein source for your body to aid in muscle repair and growth.

Things like smoked salmon or canned tuna are also incredibly easy to keep with you and eat on the go.

Get your egg on.

4. Whole Eggs

Eggs have been a bodybuilding staple for as long as most of us can remember. I’m sure that we can all recount images from our childhood of big muscle-bound men on TV or movies cracking half a dozen eggs into a glass and drinking them raw!

While that approach is no longer advisable because of salmonella, the idea remains the same. Eggs are packed full of all kinds of nutrients. In fact, the egg is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.

Whole eggs are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They contain antioxidants to protect the eyes and choline to aid in brain function. They are also packed with the Omega 3 fatty acids that you’re looking for on Keto to help drive you forward and keep you moving at your best.

Hard boiled eggs are great because you can make a ton of them at once - and they are easy to take with you just about anywhere.

Enjoy some yogurt.

5. Cottage Cheese or Greek Yogurt

Low in carbohydrates, these high fat dairy options are absolute Keto power houses.

Not only are they loaded with the precious fats you are looking for on Keto; but they also offer a great, natural source of protein to help build and repair those muscles long after your workout is finished.

You must be very careful, though. Always be sure to read the labels before buying anything. Stick to plain, unsweetened, full fat dairy or coconut products to avoid hidden sugars.

Conclusion

As always, the food possibilities on Keto are seemingly endless. All it takes is a shift in your traditional view of food and a little imagination; and the sky’s the limit.

No matter what you choose, make sure that you choose something with a high fat content. This fat is going to be the source of energy for your workout.

It will keep you from crashing and help you to perform at your best. Experiment over time and see what works best for you.

If you enjoyed this article, please leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought! I love hearing from you and connecting with you. You guys are the reason I’m here.

Keto Strong – A Beginners Guide to High Performance Keto

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About J.P. Wells 

J.P. Wells has spent the last 13 years of his life learning about and pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle. After sustaining a life changing injury during his time serving in the United States Military, he dedicated his time to learning, and researching ways to heal and re-build his body to get back to the active lifestyle he grew up loving.

JP Wells

On his blog J.P. Wells Fitness, J.P. Wells shares his knowledge, and passions he has come to learn from the fitness industry, and fitness culture. He understands that health and fitness is not just a one-time choice, but a lifestyle. Success in your goals is not made up of large single decisions, but rather a series of small choices made well throughout every day.

Check him out on Facebook or Twitter.

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Supplement Basics

This article is intended for the beginner who wants to amplify their bodybuilding efforts by starting to add supplements to their bodybuilding routines. The information contained here is very basic and therefore won't be of much value to most bodybuilders who already know what supplements are working best for them.

First things first: supplements are not essential

Supplements are not essential. It is possible to get all the nutrients you need for muscle growth from food. Supplements, as per the name, were originally made to supplement the diet to make up for any shortfalls in nutrition a person might not be getting from their current diets. They are also convenient. It is easier to drink a protein shake to give your muscles what they need straight after a workout than to eat a chicken and a loaf of bread on your way home from the gym. They also help to achieve a person's caloric goals. For example, a person needing to increase caloric intake can do this much easier by adding a mass gainer (high in calories) to their diets and a person looking to decrease calories (for fat loss) can take a low calorie (and low carbohydrate) protein shake instead of a meal which would typically be high in carbohydrates and fats. They are also cheaper regarding macro nutrient content. Gram for gram, it is cheaper to consume protein from certain nutrition shakes then other sources like meat. 

Do not depend on supplements only

It is not healthy to leave food altogether and use supplements only. Firstly, a lot of nutrients can only be found in real food. An apple, for example, has a great variety of minerals, vitamins, anti-oxidants and other micro nutrients that are not found in supplements. Supplements are mostly made to be easily absorbed by the body. When you stop eating normal foods regularly, your digestive system gets used to easily digested, powdered foods and will (after a period of time when it has only been using powdered nutrition) struggle to digest normal food.

Supplements are not steroids

There is a big difference between supplements and steroids. Do not expect them to do the same thing. Supplements sold in stores are not as potent, but do not have the same risks and side effects as steroids.

Can you take supplements if you are under the age of 18?

Yes you can, but not all supplements are considered safe for people under the age of 18. It is not recommended for people under the age of 18 to use creatine, testosterone boosters or high levels of caffeine and other stimulants. Meal replacements, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are fine for younger people to take, as long as they don't have the other stuff. Some argue that under 18's should not take a supplement at all because they don't need to, though. As with all age groups, supplements cannot replace a healthy diet, but add to it.

Supplement timing

Here are the most common times for people to use supplements.

Pre workout

Pre-workouts are usually mixed with water and used half an hour before exercise. They are usually high in stimulants like caffeine and are used for energy, to increase endurance and strength during exercise, to increase muscle pumps and to amplify a workout's ability to grow muscle. Ingredients often include creatine, beta-alanine, caffeine, HMB, nitric oxide boosters, testosterone boosters and vaso-dilators.

Intra-workout

These supplements are used during a workout. This is also usually in a juice-like form, mixed with water. They are used to re-hydrate, give energy, and keep the body in an anabolic (muscle building) state, reduce muscle break down and increase endurance. Common ingredients for these include electrolytes, amino acids, carbohydrates, sugars, creatine and beta-alanine.

Post workout

Post workout supplements are the most common, supplying immediate nutrients that a muscle needs to recover and grow straight after exercise. People trying to lose weight will mostly opt for high protein and low carbohydrate shakes; and people looking to gain mass will mostly opt for high carbohydrate and moderate protein shakes. These shakes are similar to hick milkshakes and are usually mixed with water or milk, depending on caloric goals. Common ingredients for these are protein, carbohydrates, creatine, testosterone boosters, amino acids and fats.

Before bed

Supplements used before bed are usually slow release proteins like casein, so that the body has a steady inflow of protein to feed muscles during a long period where nothing will be consumed for the body to use. They can also include testosterone boosters, glutamine and growth hormone boosters to speed up recovery.

Meal replacements

Meal replacements, as per the name, are supplements used in the place of a meal. These are used due to costs, convenience or better management of macro nutrient balances like decrease carbohydrate or increased protein intake. These are often in the form of shakes and bars. They are also taken as snacks (between breakfast and lunch; or between lunch and dinner).

Remember to keep whole foods in your diets, especially foods that are rich in fiber and micro nutrients. Supplements can also be costly, so choose wisely and try a few brands and products out to see what works the best for you. STAY STRONG!

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Creatine and its Different Forms

Creatine has gained a lot of popularity in bodybuilding and sports circles over the last few years. Today we look at what creatine actually is, what it does and the different forms that it is available in.

What is creatine?

Creatine is an organic acid that contains nitrogen. It is organic because its molecules contain carbon and it is acidic because it has a pH level less than 7. Don't let the word 'acidic' scare you; acids are very common in the body. For example, proteins are broken into amino acids in our bodies. Nitrogen is needed to make protein for new tissue like muscles, skin and hair.

Creatine is a natural substance found in meat and fish and in our bodies. It is naturally created to form basic functions. It is not essential to consume creatine to sustain life because our bodies produce creatine naturally from the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine.

Creatine has the primary role of supplying energy to the body - particularly for muscle movement. Energy cannot be created without creatine.

Creatine as a pre-workout supplement

Creatine is often sold as a pre-workout supplement because it increases the body's ability to produce energy at a faster rate with supplementation. Since the body can produce more energy with added creatine, it is able to achieve a greater work load during workouts - which in turn leads to greater strength and muscle growth. This allows people to achieve their workout goals at a faster rate than normal.

Creatine is very effective in boosting anaerobic performance such as weight lifting, sprinting and other activities that require short bouts of energy.

To find out the difference between pre-workout, intra-workout, post-workout and meal replacement supplements (along with other tips for people who are just starting out with supplements), click here.

Creatine as a muscle building supplement

Taking a creatine supplement leads to greater weight gain, initially in the form of water retention and then later in the form of muscle growth. By pulling more water into muscle cells, creatine increases protein synthesis. There are many protein shakes and meal replacement supplements that contain creatine to boost muscle growth and recovery.

This article is a great introduction to supplementation for building muscle specifically.

The risks of taking additional creatine as a supplement

A great deal of research has been done on the possible health risks of taking creatine as a supplement, of which almost all studies conclude that creatine is safe to use. There has been some speculation that creatine damages the kidneys or the liver, but no studies have been able to prove this so far or find any correlation between creatine consumption and kidney or liver damage. However, it is still recommended that people with any kidney or liver issues avoid creatine supplementation.

It is generally recommended that not enough studies have been done to prove that creatine supplementation is safe for people under the age of 18, since the long-term effects of creatine during the growth phase before adulthood are not completely known.

Negative side effects

Studies have not shown any negative side effects that could cause long term health problems in adults so far, however some people do experience short term negative side effects because creatine retains a lot of water. For example, creatine monohydrate would have a lower absorption rate than other forms of creatine. This means that the unused creatine sits in your gut until your body expels it with other waste products. People can experience nausea, bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea and cramps if a large amount of creatine sits in the gut, pulling too much water into it.

Because of the water retention effects of creatine, it is best used during bulking phases and is best avoided while cutting.

Does creatine actually work?

The effects of creatine vary from one individual to the next, since bodily function, genetic make-up and substance interactions differ between people. There have been some cases where people don't get any of the positive benefits of creatine after weeks of use, where others benefit greatly. One key example of the different levels of benefit that individuals receive from creatine is the example of diet. Since creatine is only found in meat and fish foods, vegetarians would generally see a much greater effect from creatine supplementation than people who eat a lot of meat and fish - who are already consuming creatine-rich foods regularly.

Additionally, some forms of creatine work better than others. Not all creatine is created equal. Some people respond better to some forms of creatine when others respond better to other forms. In general, creatine in powder form has shown to be more effective in studies, compared to liquid forms (even so, some people report having a much more positive effect using the liquid form).

Different forms of creatine

There are different forms of creatine which can be bought at stores as supplements. Here is a list of the most common forms and their key characteristics.

Creatine forms by processing

Creatine monohydrate

• It is the most popular form of creatine
• It is the most basic, natural form of creatine which is the least processed
• It is less soluble in water compared to most other creatine forms

Micronized creatine

• Is basically micronized creatine monohydrate
• Micronizing the creatine breaks it down into smaller parts
• This increases the amount of the creatine that is absorbed and actually used by the body

Creatine serum (liquid creatine)

• It is basically creatine monohydrate which has been dissolved in water
• It is supposed to be absorbed more easily, but some people report no effects of this form whilst others report that it works very well
• Some argue that this liquid form of creatine breaks down because of the water content over time, rendering it useless

Buffered creatine

• Is made at a higher pH level than regular creatine monohydrate
• It supposedly has the same effects as monohydrate without the possible negative side effects like stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and cramps
• It is also believed that it does not break down as much as monohydrate - meaning that less in needed for the same effect as monohydrate

Creatine forms by bonding with other substances

There are many other creatine forms that companies create by bonding it with other substances. Many more types of bonded creatine will be created by these companies in the future.

Creatine ethyl ester

• It is creatine combined with ester on a molecular level
• It is said to be the form of creatine with the highest absorption percentage 
• Apparently, everybody feels the positive effects of this form of creatine and doesn't cause any negative side effects like stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and cramps

Effervescent creatine

• It is creatine combined with sugar or sodium and a bubbling agent
• Has better absorption and taste than regular creatine

Creatine citrate

• A form of creatine with molecules (citric acid) that increase absorption
• It is more water soluble and absorbent, but is needed in a higher dose for the same effect as creatine monohydrate 

Di-creatine malate/tri-creatine malate (tri- is more absorbent)

• Another type of creatine that is bonded with molecules (Malic Acid) to increase absorption
• This creatine form is also more water soluble

Creatine orate

• Another form of creatine bonded with a molecule (orotic acid)
• Orotic acid increases energy production in the body. So basically, creatine orate has two different substances that both increase energy at the same time

Creatine HCL (hydrochloride)

• This is creatine bonded with hydrochloric acid
• It is more water soluble and absorbent than monohydrate
• Many say that this is the best form of creatine around at the moment, while others say that it does not work at all

Creatine nitrate

• Creatine that is bonded to nitrate
• This form has the benefits of creatine combined with the additional benefits of nitrate, which also aids the body's energy production systems

Hydration when using creatine

Since creatine pulls water into the muscles, you need to stay well hydrated when using this supplement. Failing to get enough water will diminish creatine's effects and could make you dehydrated. This could be detrimental to your goals. 

For this reason, I suggest that people who are currently using creating should not drink alcohol at all. It will increase the negative effects that alcohol has on muscle growth.

I advise cycling creatine instead of taking it all the time. You can find out why here. While on creatine, I make sure that I am consistently sipping on water and never go thirsty because of its water-retention benefits (I call them benefits because the increased water retention in muscle allows for muscle growth). As always, don't overdo it - drinking too much water is actually possible.

Final word of the day

Creatine can work for you, but remember that we are all different and respond to it differently. Fortunately, there are many forms that are available for you to try and see what feels and works best through trial and error. Be safe and don't use creatine if you are under 18, have any kidney or liver damage or are cutting for a bodybuilding show (because creatine retains water). STAY STRONG!

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