You're Working This Hard in Class. Are You Actually Fueling It?

If you've been doing Pilates-inspired strength training for a while, you already know the workout is demanding.

You know the feeling when your legs start shaking halfway through a hold. You know what it feels like to move slowly when every part of you is begging to speed up. And you definitely know that "low impact" does not mean easy.

But here's something I see all the time in consultations and goal reviews. People are willing to put in the work in class while completely under-fueling the work they're asking their bodies to do.

And if you're consistently doing Pilates-inspired strength training, your nutrition matters.

Not because you need to eat perfectly. Not because you need to count every calorie. And definitely not because you need another set of rules around food.

You need to give your body enough energy and the right building blocks to actually perform, recover, and get stronger.

Your Workout Is Only Half the Equation

Think about what you're asking your body to do during a Pilates-inspired strength training private or class.

You're using resistance. You're working muscles to fatigue. You're spending a significant amount of time under tension. You're challenging your core, legs, glutes, arms, and everything in between.

That is a lot of work.

Your body needs fuel to do that work well.

If you walk into class having barely eaten, you may notice that you don't have the same strength or endurance. You might feel lightheaded, sluggish, or like your muscles simply aren't responding the way they normally do.

That's not a lack of motivation.

You might just need more fuel.

Carbs Are Not the Enemy

This one needs to be said loudly with our entire chest.

Carbohydrates are fuel.

If you're doing Pilates-inspired strength training, running, lifting, playing a sport, or simply living a very active life, carbs help provide the energy your body needs to move.

That doesn't mean you need to eat a giant bowl of pasta before every class.

It can be as simple as having a banana, oatmeal, toast, fruit, or another carbohydrate-containing snack before training.

If you've ever walked into a class feeling completely depleted and wondered why everything felt ten times harder than usual, your pre-workout nutrition may be part of the answer.

Protein Helps You Rebuild Muscle

Here's where nutrition and strength training really come together. Your workout provides the stimulus. Your body needs protein to help repair and maintain muscle afterward.

If you're consistently training your muscles but aren't eating enough protein, you're making it harder for your body to recover and adapt to that training.

You don't need to turn every meal into something huge but a good rule of thumb is about 30g of protein per meal.

Think about getting a meaningful source of protein throughout the day: red meat, chicken, fish, tofu, beans, cottage cheese, egg whites or whatever protein sources work for you.

And yes, that means breakfast too.

Your body doesn't know that you're "saving your calories for dinner” and needs the fuel first thing in the morning to boost your metabolism after sleeping and regulate your blood sugar.

Fats, Brain Health, and Hormones

Fats often get pushed to the side when people start focusing on fitness, but they're an important part of a balanced diet. Healthy fats support normal hormone function, brain health, and overall health.

Avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, nut butters, eggs, and fatty fish are all examples of ways to incorporate them.

You don't need to fear the fat on your plate.

You need a balanced plate that actually gives your body what it needs.

What About Water?

You can absolutely feel the difference between walking into class hydrated and walking into class having consumed approximately three sips of water since yesterday.

Your body needs water to function, and hydration matters for exercise performance and recovery.

Keep your water bottle with you.

Drink throughout the day.

And yes, bring it to class.

What Should I Eat Before Strength Training?

There isn't one perfect pre-workout meal because everyone responds differently to food.

Some people can eat a full meal a couple of hours before class.

Others prefer something smaller closer to their workout.

A few simple combinations:

A couple hours before:
Eggs and avocado toast (millennials were on to something =), oatmeal with fruits and nuts, rice with chicken and veggies, or a balanced meal with carbohydrates and protein.

Closer to class:
A banana, toast with peanut butter, Greek yogurt and fruit, or another small snack that's easy for you to digest.

The goal is to walk into class feeling fueled—not stuffed.

What About After Class?

After a challenging workout, give your body a combination of protein and carbohydrates.

That might look like:

A smoothie with protein and fruit.

Kite Hill yogurt with berries and granola.

Fish, potatoes, and vegetables.

Egg whites and toast.

A turkey sandwich with avocado.

It doesn't have to be complicated.

You don't need a $14 post-workout concoction with seventeen ingredients.

You need food.

You're Trying to Build Muscle. Feed the Muscle.

One of the reasons people love Pilates-inspired strength training is the way it changes how their body feels and looks…pretty quickly if consistent.

But building lean muscle isn't something that happens during the 50 minutes you're on the machine.

Training provides the stimulus.

Nutrition and recovery give your body the resources to respond.

That's why I don't want our clients thinking about their workout and nutrition as two completely separate things.

They're connected.

If you're consistently showing up, challenging your muscles, and working toward getting stronger, your nutrition should support that effort.

The Goal Is to Feel Better in Class, Too

Sometimes we get so focused on what our bodies look like that we forget to pay attention to what they're capable of doing and the cues their giving us about what they need.

Can you hold the plank longer?

Can you use more resistance?

Can you get through a sequence that used to make you want to cry?

Can you recover faster between classes?

Can you walk out feeling strong instead of completely depleted?

Those are results, too.

And when your nutrition supports your training, you may find that you have more energy to actually experience them.

Core (LP) + Nutrition = A Bigger Picture

Your workout matters.

So does what you eat.

So does your sleep.

So does your hydration.

So does recovery.

There isn't one magic meal or one perfect workout that's going to change your body overnight.

It's the combination of small things you do consistently that gives your body the opportunity to get stronger.

At Core (LP) Berkley + Rochester Hills, we spend a lot of time talking about how to challenge your muscles.

We should probably talk just as much about giving those muscles what they need afterward which is exactly why we are hosting our Healthy Habits Challenge this September.

Because if you're going to show up, shake, sweat, push through the last few seconds, and give your workout everything you've got...

You might as well give your body what it needs to do something with all that work. Curious about Nutrition Counseling with a Registered Dietician to get the most out of your workouts and recovery? Join the waitlist.