A healthy dinner. What to eat before bed after an evening CrossFit workout

The benefits of buckwheat for an athlete

The rich natural composition of buckwheat - complex carbohydrates, a complex of vitamins, minerals, excellent taste - make it popular for a healthy diet. For those who play sports, porridge made from this cereal is one of the main elements of the diet. What are the benefits of consuming it and why is it so important for the body?

• Reduces the concentration of cholesterol in the blood;
• improves appetite;
• accelerates metabolism, promotes smooth functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• promotes overall strengthening of the body due to a complex of useful substances;
• normalizes blood pressure and heart function;
• stimulates the burning of fat reserves;
• is a source of protein with essential amino acids, which is so important for bodybuilding;
• increases the period of saturation;
• reduces blood glucose levels;
• removes excess water from the body;
• promotes muscle growth;
• increases physical endurance;
• contains antioxidants that remove harmful substances and slow down the aging process.

It should be noted that buckwheat is an environmentally friendly product: when growing it there is no need to use pesticides, it grows well anyway.

The absence of gluten in the composition makes buckwheat one of the important components of diets, including sports ones. The main thing is to know when - before or after physical activity - to properly consume the product, as well as the correct methods of preparing it for those who are engaged in bodybuilding.

Barley porridge

It is not very popular among bodybuilders, since few people can prepare a truly tasty dish. If you choose the right recipe, it will become one of your favorites. Barley contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B, which is part of the cereal, is involved in protein synthesis and the process of blood formation, which is a definite plus for those involved in bodybuilding. Pearl barley stimulates the production of collagen, a substance that maintains healthy bone tissue.

Buckwheat before training

Physical exercises during bodybuilding require significant energy reserves - otherwise there simply won’t be enough strength for an effective workout. The carbohydrates contained in the product will help provide the body with the necessary energy for intense sports and building muscle mass. Buckwheat eaten before training will help:

• prepare the body for upcoming stress;
• improve endurance and performance indicators;
• protect muscles from overstrain and rapid fatigue.

When you take buckwheat porridge before training, creatine is better absorbed, which prevents fat deposition. The volume of product consumed should be within the usual serving - about 150 g of ready-made porridge. It is best to combine buckwheat with protein products - meat, fish - at the rate of 60% to 40%.

Lack of food will lead to rapid fatigue and exhaustion. However, it should be remembered that the concept “before training” does not mean 5-10 minutes before it starts. Food should be taken at least 1-2 hours before exercise. Otherwise, physical activity will slow down the digestive process, causing drowsiness and heaviness in the stomach.

Meals for evening workouts

Specific foods and nutrients can balance hormones and neurotransmitters that have been elevated or suppressed during exercise. Cortisol is critical for energy production, so it is important to keep it high during exercise. At the same time, constantly elevated levels will impair sleep and recovery after exercise.

Healthy eating / Photo: stockasso / depositphotos.com

Increasing levels of melatonin, serotonin and growth hormone will help promote healthy sleep and recovery. Cortisol levels should be low in the evening to allow growth hormones to be secreted during the initial stages of sleep. Foods that will help achieve this include carbohydrates. After exercise, the body is called upon to absorb carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores. This is especially important if you are training the next day. Carbohydrates also reduce cortisol levels due to insulin secretion. Consuming certain foods will help you sleep peacefully.

It is also recommended to eat certain proteins that contain omega-3 fatty acids. Eating quality protein in the evening can also boost serotonin levels. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce cortisol levels, increase growth hormone levels, and reduce the inflammatory response during exercise. Absolutely avoid foods that are deep-fried or high in refined sugar.

List of dishes and products that need to be included in your diet for healthy sleep:

• Turkey meatballs with quinoa

• Baked Salmon with Fried Brown Rice

• Mexican Chicken with Sweet Potato Wedges and Black Beans

• Cherries and berries with Greek yogurt

• Green vegetables

• Potato

• Almond

• Berries

• Mutton

• Seafood

• Cherries

Proper nutrition / Photo / depositphotos.com

Buckwheat after workout

Of course, buckwheat can and should be eaten after training to replenish strength and normalize metabolic processes. The opinions of experts on the question of when to eat porridge differ. Some advise doing this during the first meal after training, citing the fact that the body needs carbohydrates at this time, which buckwheat is rich in. Others insist that an athlete needs protein after training and only then carbohydrates. Still others recommend drinking clean water, then combining the intake of carbohydrates with proteins.

It should be remembered that buckwheat porridge is a source of slow carbohydrates, and to replenish the insulin index, which accelerates catabolic processes, fast carbohydrates are needed. Therefore, it is best to drink a protein shake after training to restore strength and saturate the body with proteins, and 2-3 hours later eat buckwheat porridge.

Meal prep after CrossFit

So, you've just finished your workout and your body needs a boost. Having healthy, nutrient-dense food that is easy to prepare or takes little time to prepare is one of the best ways to make sure you're eating well in the evenings. That's why:

• Prepare meals in advance

• Use frozen food prepared at home

• Use instant meals such as stir-fries, omelettes, etc. Use instant foods - couscous, lentils; add vegetables and lean meats to them.

• Cherries are a great food to help you sleep peacefully.

Using a meal delivery service is also a great way to ensure you get nutrient-dense food quickly.

CrossFit class / Photo: DimaGavrish / depositphotos.com

Harm and contraindications

It is wrong to talk about the global harm of buckwheat to the body. This product can be harmful under certain conditions. Reasons why buckwheat porridge should be limited or consumed after consultation with a doctor.

• Increased blood clotting - due to the high content of rutin in cereals.
• Phlebeurysm.
• Kidney failure.
• Low blood pressure due to the high content of magnesium in cereals, which relaxes blood vessels.
• Constipation, gas formation - gastrointestinal diseases.

You should not overuse buckwheat porridge. You need to know that long-term mono-diets are generally harmful, and buckwheat is no exception. You cannot sit on it for more than 4-5 days. It is not recommended to often eat buckwheat porridge with milk due to possible digestive upset, especially for dinner. In general, it is advisable to eat porridge in the morning.

Despite some restrictions, you should not completely exclude the product from your diet. When consumed rationally, buckwheat will be beneficial and help stabilize the body.

Composition of buckwheat

In Rus', buckwheat has long been called the “queen of cereals” because of its rich composition, which has a beneficial effect on health. The entire plant, except the roots, is a source of mineral and organic substances valuable for the human body.

• In addition, buckwheat contains vitamins A, B, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, E, H and PP, minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron.
• Buckwheat contains tryptophan, the main source of serotonin production, which is called the hormone of happiness. This element helps improve mood, improves stamina and normalizes night sleep.
• Rutin, a natural flavonoid that cereals are rich in, enhances the effect of antioxidants, protecting the brain and heart from aging.

The nutritional value of 100 grams of raw product is 330 Kcal; the same amount of boiled buckwheat contains much less calories - only 110 Kcal. The glycemic index of cereal is 50-60 units.

This is interesting!

Buckwheat is the only grain containing choline, which stabilizes the functioning of the nervous system and brain activity.

How does buckwheat affect muscle gain?

Buckwheat is a source of three important amino acids involved in protein synthesis, and muscle mass gain largely depends on its quantity. In addition, protein is contained in the cereal itself: it makes up 1/5 of all substances included in its composition! Slow carbohydrates, which the product is rich in, are also important for gaining weight: they saturate the body with energy for physical exercise.

Buckwheat keeps you feeling full for a very long time, having a low percentage of fat, speeds up metabolism, which also has a positive effect on muscle growth. Tryptophan, contained in buckwheat, increases endurance: this means that training will be more intense and the result will be more effective.

Important!

Buckwheat has a rather low protein digestibility index. To increase muscle growth, it is advisable to combine it with products of animal origin - meat, fish, eggs or with foods containing vegetable protein - beans, avocado, cabbage, nuts, berries.

What is important for a bodybuilder's diet to gain muscle mass?

An athlete who wants to gain muscle mass is guided by four basic principles. The menu is based on them.

Meal frequency

With food, energy and substances enter the body, without which muscle tissue does not develop properly.

Muscle mass increases only when three primary nutrients are present in the body - proteins, fats, carbohydrates. In their absence, muscles stop growing.

For a person who does not pursue the goal of pumping up, three meals a day is enough. This kind of routine is not suitable for a bodybuilder, since long pauses between meals lead to a lack of nutrients.

He should eat with breaks of no more than 3 hours - 5-6 times a day. This mode allows the athlete's body to more easily process food and receive all the nutrients for the ongoing work of building muscle.

Calorie content of food

The basic principle of building muscle mass: always know how many calories you consume per day. Otherwise, you will not be able to achieve success.

Muscles grow when calories enter the body. But only a certain part of it is spent on the development of muscle mass. Therefore, the energy value of the daily diet should exceed the amount of calories burned.

Balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates

A well-structured ratio of nutrients allows you to create a healthy diet for weight gain:

• amount of proteins - 30-35%;
• fats - 10-20% of the diet;
• carbohydrates make up the bulk of the menu - 50-60%.

The presence of a gap of 5-10% indicates that the exact ratio of BZHU is determined and adjusted individually depending on the characteristics of the body and goals.

Water

A lack of water in the body is fraught with a lack of progress in working on muscle mass. The average daily intake for bodybuilders is from 2 to 4 liters, depending on the weight of the athlete.

You should not drink while eating - this interferes with the natural process of digestion and absorption of nutrients, and prevents the digestive system from functioning fully. The liquid is consumed between meals.

Does buckwheat help you lose weight?

Buckwheat is a unique product: it not only promotes muscle gain, but is also effective for weight loss and is included in many diets. This is explained by the peculiarities of its rich composition.

• The slow carbohydrates contained in the product maintain a feeling of fullness for a long time: buckwheat dietary fiber takes a long time to digest, and there is no feeling of hunger. As a result, food portions and the number of snacks are reduced, and weight melts off.
• Providing a diuretic effect, promoting the removal of toxins, buckwheat cleanses the body. Fat goes away with excess water and waste.
• The fiber and starch contained in the product normalize the functions of the gastrointestinal tract and promote normal bowel movements, which leads to weight loss.

It is important to understand: in order to lose weight on buckwheat, you need to know what you can combine cereal dishes with and observe the intake time.

Is it possible to eat buckwheat when dried?

Buckwheat, which promotes muscle mass gain, can also be used during the period of drying the body. The difference between drying and losing weight is that in the first case, fat burning does not occur at the expense of muscle mass.

During drying, the amount of carbohydrates is reduced, but this cannot be done completely: a glucose deficiency will occur. It is in this case that complex carbohydrates come to the rescue: they should be at least 20% in the daily diet. And buckwheat is a rich source of these substances. The main condition is to eat the product only in the first half of the day, combining it with proteins of animal or plant origin.

Reviews

As an example, here is a review from bodybuilder Artem Kharchenko, 24 years old: “ I consider buckwheat one of the main products for gaining muscle mass. I have been bodybuilding for 6 years now, and throughout this time, buckwheat has been a regular part of my sports menu. Buckwheat is universal; it is used by both vegan and meat-eating athletes. Personally, for me, this cereal tastes better with sour cream.”

Leave your feedback in the comments below the article

What types of buckwheat are there?

Two main types of whole kernel buckwheat are widely available: fried and green.

• The first type is cereal that has undergone heat treatment, this is the dark brown buckwheat we are used to.
• The second is cereal without heat treatment, due to which it retains more nutrients.

In addition to whole grain options, there is another option - crushed cereals, or chaff. This is not a product defect, but simply a crushed appearance. Prodel is used for casseroles, soups, and liquid porridges.

Buckwheat flour is an indispensable product in the diet of people with gluten intolerance. From flour you can bake pancakes, pancakes, make noodles, casseroles and confectionery.

How to choose the “right” buckwheat? Just look at its color: fried is dark brown, green is light brown, there may be greenish grains. The latter is more useful for bodybuilders, since it undergoes only mechanical processing, which means it retains its unique properties and complex of useful substances. And one more thing - it’s better to buy premium-grade cereals in order to get a high-quality product without impurities, litter, or spoiled grains.

How to eat buckwheat correctly?

As already mentioned, heat treatment destroys some of the nutrients. However, they don’t eat raw buckwheat, what to do in such a situation? It is possible to prepare buckwheat porridge in such a way as to minimize losses.

1. Place the cereal in a saucepan.
2. Rinse the buckwheat 3 times with running water under the tap.
3. Pour drinking water over the cereal and leave for 4-5 hours.
4. Cook the porridge for 3-4 minutes.

Thus, a finished dish with a preserved vitamin and mineral complex can be prepared in a matter of minutes instead of 40 minutes.

What can athletes eat buckwheat with? Buckwheat goes well with various healthy foods:

• vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, green beans);
• fruits and berries;
• quail or chicken eggs;
• lean meat - veal, lamb, chicken;
• nuts - cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts;
• seaweed, cauliflower, mushrooms, grain sprouts, corn;
• fatty varieties of sea fish.

Buckwheat with gravy, fatty meat, generously flavored with butter will not bring the desired effect. And one more thing: foods containing carbohydrates are best consumed in the first half of the day, and not for dinner.

Sample menu for buckwheat diet

During the sports buckwheat diet, it is important to have a variety of foods, the amount of liquid consumed per day, as well as the distribution of all meals during the day at the same interval of time.

Fruity option

You can use a variant of the buckwheat-fruit diet, when a lot of attention is paid to fruits, dried fruits and candied fruits. For breakfast you can eat buckwheat porridge with dried fruits, kefir and honey. Second breakfast is fruit: bananas, apples, grapes, figs, melon, watermelon or dates. For lunch, it is good to eat meat broth with fresh herbs, buckwheat porridge with boiled chicken and vegetable salad. Afternoon snack - fruit and herbal tea. For dinner you can make buckwheat porridge with stewed vegetables and salad. Second dinner - any favorite fruit and kefir.

Vegetable option

The buckwheat diet goes well with vegetables. For breakfast you can prepare buckwheat porridge with pumpkin and a little honey. Second breakfast is a sandwich, the basis of which is buckwheat or rice bread, with slices of cucumbers and tomatoes, lettuce and a slice of cheese. Additionally, you can drink a cup of sweet tea. For lunch - buckwheat porridge with turkey fillet, which is baked in the hands with vegetables, as well as fresh cabbage salad. For an afternoon snack, you can choose a simple vegetable salad, and for dinner, buckwheat pancakes with vegetable filling and cheese. Second dinner - kefir and several breads.

Fish option

As a breakfast option - buckwheat porridge with egg and fried onions. Second breakfast is a banana milkshake with honey. For lunch, you can bake fish with vegetables and make a vegetable salad. For an afternoon snack, eat some fruit and vegetable juice. For dinner you can make buckwheat porridge with seafood and fresh herbs. Late dinner - kefir and some buckwheat bread.

Buckwheat is an ideal product for sports nutrition. It is rich in essential amino acids and vitamins, fiber, and microelements. If consumed correctly, it will not make you gain weight, but by including buckwheat porridge in your regular menu, you can gain muscle mass, improve your health, reduce the risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases, and improve physical and emotional stamina.

TOP 3 recipes with buckwheat

Buckwheat is an excellent option for a sports menu. We present several recipes that are useful for people involved in physical activity.

Buckwheat porridge with mushrooms

For the dish you will need the following ingredients:

• buckwheat – 100 g;
• chicken eggs – 2 pcs.;
• champignons – 0.3 kg;
• 1 onion;
• vegetable oil;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Boil the eggs, cut them. Fry champignons with onions. Cook green buckwheat according to the recipe above. Combine all ingredients and mix. Salt and pepper to taste.

Buckwheat with chicken

Buckwheat – 150 g;

chicken - fillet - 350 g;

carrots - 1 pc.;

onion - 1 pc.;

vegetable oil;

salt - to taste.

1. Wash the chicken fillet, cut into pieces, fry in a frying pan with heated oil.
2. Pour in 100 g of water, close the lid and simmer until it evaporates completely.
3. Chop the onion and carrots, add to the fillet and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
4. Pour the washed buckwheat into the pan and add water in a 2:1 ratio. Add salt and mix.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender for 25-30 minutes.
6. Serve with fresh vegetables.