In my previous post, I discussed on the benefits of HIIT and what it can do for your body. However, like any other machine, your body needs fuel. If a car has no fuel, it will not start. Likewise, if our body has no fuel/energy, it cannot be pushed to its potential. Therefore, let's get down to basics first.
Your body and it's energy sources
Your body has 3 ways in which it uses energy:
1) Aerobic energy system
2) Anaerobic energy system, which then breaks into 2
2i) The ATP-PS system (Alactic)
2ii) The anaerobic glycolysis system (Lactic)
I don't intend to go into the technicalities of the systems because it is way too much info so here's a link for you. BODY ENERGY SYSTEMS
Due to the nature of HIIT, our body will use up systems (1) and (2ii). Aerobic will be when you are jogging to recover and anaerobic glycolysis is when you are sprinting for that 20 seconds or so.
Now that we know how our body is using up energy, we can think about what kind of fuel to put into our body so that only the right energy is used.
Pre HIIT Nutrition
Personally, I like a bit of fuel in my body before I do a workout. That way, I do not tire as fast as without fuel. Some like to do their sessions on an empty stomach as this will burn more fats due to the low levels of glucose and glycogen. To each their own but I prefer some form of fuel in my body.
Examples: A protein shake 20-30 minutes before a workout. This allows for the carbs to change to glucose and can then be used during the HIIT workout.
Post HIIT Nutrition
Post HIIT nutrition is a bit shady, in the sense that it really depends on what your goal is. If you intend to lose fat ONLY, then do not take too much carbs post workout. Have a protein rich meal with a small amount of slow digesting carb so that you can recover from the workout, and still be able to lose fats.
However, if you on a weight lifting routine and don't want to sacrifice your hard earned muscles, have a small amount of high GI carbs with loads of protein so that recovery can commence right after the workout. Your body will not use the muscles for energy since the carbs are there for use. ( You use your leg muscles during HIIT, which is why I encourage a high GI carb for post workout, so that recovery can start quickly and get nutrients to the muscles asap. )
So there you have it, HIIT nutrition at it's most basic. I strongly urge you to take more time to read other articles about this topic so that you have a larger understanding of it. What I write here is of my own opinion and if you feel something is wrong, do not hesitate to tell me what it is and together, we can learn.
