What to Eat Before and After Pilates To Get the Most Out of Your Workout
As you have likely heard before, getting that bod you’re after doesn’t happen solely by working out. You’ve got to couple your workout with a healthy diet to get the results you’re after.
And that includes prepping for your Pilates class and cooling down from it by putting the right things in your belly.
Since everyone takes classes different times of the day, and everyone has slightly different eating schedules, it’s hard to say across-the-board what you should eat before and after Pilates class, and exactly when you should eat those certain things.
However, we are here to give you some tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of the hard work you’re putting into your Pilates class. Take our advice down below, and adjust it according to your personal timetables and schedule, and your personal dietary choices and restrictions.
See this as the ideal starting point for you to really make your effort in class worth the while to get on track with looking and feeling your absolute best.
Here’s What You Should Eat Before and After Class
Pre-Class Eats
If you’ve ever been to a Pilates class at Pilates Platinum, it is no secret that your core and your stomach are going to get seriously worked. And if you haven’t been to class yet, then prepare to have your abs hurt when you laugh for the next few days.
Other than this meaning that you’re in the process of sculpting a seriously strong core, it also means that you probably shouldn’t scarf down a big meal before class, unless you want it to end up on the floor in front of your machine.
While you don’t want to run on empty, you do not want to have something that is going to leave you feeling especially full and tired.
If you’re headed to an early morning class, reach for a bit of fruit before class — a banana, a handful of nuts, some berries — something small that will give you some fuel but won’t have you feeling nauseous once you get your core working.
If you’ve signed up for a class in the afternoon, make sure you have a full breakfast that will keep you fueled through the end of class. You can have this meal 1.5 – 2 hours before your class and still be fine. This ensures your body has time to digest what you’ve eaten, rather than having it just sit there.
It is also recommended that you stay away from carb-loading before class. Though Pilates is a very challenging workout, it requires different energy than, say, running does, so you are not going to need the same levels of energy that carbohydrates provide.
Here are a few great things you can eat 1.5 – 2 hours before your Pilates class:
- Eggs and avocado
- Yogurt with berries nuts
- Apple with almond or walnut butter
- Salad with some form of protein
- Lettuce wrap with protein
- Fish and veggies
- Soup with protein
If you’re in the snack game pre-Pilates, here are some things you can pop into your belly before heading to class:
- Berries
- Raw nuts
- Banana and almond butter
- Hard boiled egg
- Celery and hummus
- Green smooth (skip the fruit or only use ½ banana)
- Protein bar (just make sure it isn’t packed full of sugar)
- Cheese
Though these are our suggestions, please remember that every body is different, and will require different nutrients.
Post-Class Eats
Your body will have used up some serious energy in class, so you’re going to want to re-fuel it after your workout. However, similar to pre-class fueling, you want to be careful what you fill your body with. Stay away from a lot of sugar, but be sure you’re getting something that has protein and fat in it, as those are two of the major things that will have been depleted during class.
It’s best to aim to eat something about 30 minutes after class because that’s when your body will be begging for glycogen that it lost while you were in class.
One of the best things (that also happens to be quick and easy) that you can eat post-workout is a nutrient-dense protein shake or smoothie. You will want a solid mix of fat, protein, and carbs that will help your body to keep working post-class. In case you didn’t know — one of the reasons Pilates is so great for your body is that it keeps your body in a lower-level workout mode even after you’ve left class.
So, here are some ideas for smoothies:
Mint Chocolate Chip
- ½ banana
- Almond butter
- Protein powder
- Cacao nibs
- Chia seeds
- Almond milk
- Fresh mint
Berry Good
- Almond milk
- ½ banana
- Berries of choice (no more than 1 cup)
- Protein powder
- Superfood powder
- Flaxseed oil
Chai Delight
- Almond milk
- ½ banana
- Berries of choice
- Chai flavored protein powder
- Flaxseed oil
These are just some ideas, but there are a seemingly infinite number of other combinations of fats, carbs, and protein you can create to make a delicious post-Pilates smoothie.
You also don’t have to opt for a smoothie — you can try something else, just be sure you get the three main areas of fat, carbs, and protein covered with as little sugar as possible.
Feeling ready to get to class and get sweating? Try Pilates Platinum today for just $10. Sign up for your first class here.