Jay Cutler advises to pack in calories before and after workouts.
Jay Cutler was one of the biggest bodybuilders of all-time during his career. He packed on an incredible amount of mass in order to win four Olympia titles. Outside of his work in the gym, Cutler was extremely dedicated to a strict meal plan. In a recent video on Instagram, Cutler spoke about the best way to plan meals around workouts in order to add muscle.
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“I always wanted to build muscle so I always paid attention on eating portioned meals every three hours. I always ate one hour prior to training and one hour after training. I think those are the most perfect times to get in your nutrients, your carbohydrates, proteins.”
Cutler was a bodybuilding icon as a 4x Mr. Olympia spanning from 2006-2010 and a 6x runner-up. At 5’9” tall, he’s still considered one of the best bodybuilders and managed an epic rivalry with 8x Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. Still, he’s managed to stay in fantastic shape well after retirement. This is because he has remained active in the gym but continues to tailor his meal plan to his goals.
Jay Cutler’s Best Time For Meals
Cutler always made sure to prioritize meals around his workouts or first thing in the morning. This is when the heaviest meals should be eaten. Cutler continued to explain that this is when the body needs to most nutrients and it will help aid in muscle growth in a big way.
“I always tried to have the most calorie-dense meals around training or first thing in the morning. If you are looking to do something in the bodybuilding arena or just trying to get more weight on you, build muscle, you have to get your meals in and time everything perfect. Ideally, wake up in the morning, eat your breakfast, follow something three hours after that and continuous through the day.”
Importance Of Timing For A Pre-Workout Meal
Keep in mind that what time you consume your foods is also of paramount importance, especially with a hard workout. If you’re looking to workout within a thirty minute window of consuming your food then high glycemic foods are going to be your best bet. But if you’re looking to train about two hours after your meal, then consuming lower glycemic foods are a better bet so that your energy stores stay full long enough until you’re ready to get into the gym.
Carbohydrates
Consuming the right kind of carbs before a challenging workout is extremely important for a number of reasons. For one, it makes a great energy source that allows the human body to push itself to new heights. You can’t simply eat a piece of chicken and think your body is going to go into overdrive. The idea behind eating carbs is to eat the right kind of carbs for the right occasion. If you’re someone looking do a ton of cardio, then you’re likely to consume a mix of slow burning and fast burning carbohydrates.
- Slow burning carbs (carbs with a low glycemic index) such as legumes, beans, whole grain breads, and pastas can contribute to slower released energy throughout your exercise. That means glucose is slowly pumped into the muscles. So if you plan on going for a long run or doing activities that consist of a ton of cardio work, then this type of carbs will be a good option for the top quality pre-workout meals.
- Fast burning carbs (carbs with a high glycemic index) are foods with a higher sugar content and contribute to energy being released faster throughout your exercise. This can include some fruits, yogurts, white breads, and pastas. Glucose is released into the muscles far faster than low glycemic foods and can be great if you’re trying to get a really good pump.
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