“Fitman” Eric Brown, who owns the Fitman Performance and Physique Center in Roslyn, says that the key to having phenomenal workouts is definitely not an overpriced “pre-workout” powder.
“The key to having consistently great workouts is proper preparation,” the 2022 NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia winner said. “The worst feeling for a lifter is to train hard and frequently but then see an absolute lack of changes to their physique or with their performances.”
A Lack of Results
Fitman explained why he thinks many people struggle to get results in the gym.
“The reality of the situation is that most people in the gym are not putting in the work necessary to create real changes with their physique,” Fitman said. “The official data and health statistics of the United States tell us this. The truth is that the people who are not being accountable on their fitness journey will never get anywhere near their goal when it comes to being healthier, leaner, and stronger.”
He noted that there are also lifters who do train hard, but they are not getting the optimal results from their efforts.
“Now there are also a healthy amount of people who train hard, but they cannot see the fruits of their labor,” Fitman said. “The reason why is because training is only 1/4 of the battle. Optimal results come down to fine-tuning your nutrition, recovery, and mindset as well.”
Fitman added that the percentages of what’s important looks like this:
- Training: 25 percent
- Nutrition: 25 percent
- Recovery: 25 percent
- Mindset: 25 percent
The Importance of Nutrition
“If your nutrition is lackluster then your results will also be lackluster,” Fitman said. “It’s not just about eating ‘healthy.’ It’s about the quality and quantity of food that you consume at a given time. For lifters who truly want to maximize their results, the most important meals of your day are the pre and post-workout meal. Consuming these meals give you the ability to have consistent performances in the gym and also to recover properly from training,” he said. “The folks who eat bad vs. the folks who eat good end up with two completely different physiques.”
Pre-Workout Meals That You Should Eat Before a Workout
“A lack of the proper pre-workout meal is what leads to minimal progress and frustration with building your body,” Fitman said. “My short list below can give you some great food options for what you should eat before your workout. I consistently rotate all of these options.”
• Oats, Eggs, and Egg Whites
• Whole Grain English Muffin, Natural Peanut Butter, Banana and a Protein Shake
• Omelet (eggs, egg whites, spinach, tomatoes, and chicken breast) and Whole Grain Toast
• Chicken Thighs or Breast, Brown Rice, and Broccoli
• Canned Tuna and Whole Grain Toast
Why Should I Eat This?
Fitman said that having carbs before you train will prevent you from prematurely running out of gas during your workout.
“All of these pre-workout meals have a solid amount of carbohydrates,” Fitman said. “Your energy source for high-intensity training like lifting weights or sprinting comes from the carbohydrates.”
“There is also a good amount of protein in these meals to increase the amount of muscle you can build and to minimize muscular damage from the workout.”
“Your fats are not high during these meals because your body does not prioritize using fat as fuel during high-intensity workouts like sprinting and heavy lifting,” Fitman said. “There is no need to load up on extra, unusable energy if you do not need it. And fat has a slower digestion rate than carbs, so too much fat before a workout could lead you to feeling full and sluggish during your workout.”
“The amount of food you eat will also vary based on how fast your metabolism is. On average most people should have their pre-workout meal about 1.5 to 2.5 hours before they train.”
“Your pre-workout meal is the most important meal of your day if you are training on that day. By prioritizing your pre-workout meals, you will be rewarded with consistently great performances and a better-looking body.”
Follow Fitman
Fitman is on multiple websites and social media platforms. Fitman is also an internationally published author of 3 eBooks. To get the unvarnished truth about natural bodybuilding, athletic performance, fitness/health, and to purchase his eBooks, follow him at:
Books:
FitmanClassicBodybuilding.com/Books
Websites:
FitmanPerformance.com
FitmanClassicBodybuilding.com
Social Media:
Instagram: @FitmanEB
Tik Tok: @FitmanEB
X: @FitmanEB
YouTube: @FitmanEB
Facebook: @Fitman