I am a regular reader of t2 and have been getting great guidance from your column. Could you shed some light on the timing, quality and quantity of food I should eat before and after exercise? I heard that one shouldn’t do any exercise on an empty stomach. If that is true, then how long before the workout should I eat ? How much and what should I eat in the morning and after the workout?

AC

Good question. Time and time again I see clients working out and because of their diet timings, quantity and quality, they fail to see results. A proper diet is 80 per cent of the battle if you want to see results.

You are right about not exercising on an empty stomach, especially when doing weight training. We need food for energy before workout and food after workout for muscle tissue repair.

Don’t weight-train on an empty stomach

Try having complex carbohydrates such as fruit, cereal or a piece of multigrain toast with honey to get the necessary energy before work-out. Afterwards, protein is a must to feed muscles for repair and growth. A protein shake, egg, chicken, fish or a peanut butter sandwich would work fine. Remember, our body can only assimilate 30 g of protein per meal. As far as timings are concerned, you must wait at least an hour-and-a-half after a heavy meal to exercise. If it’s a light snack, half an hour to 45 minutes will do. Post work-out, eat within 30 to 45 minutes.

ways remember, as we get older, our quality of food should improve and quantity should go down. Eat balanced meals and have them at two-to-three-hour intervals.

I am 17 years old, 5-ft-11 and weigh 60 kg. I used to be a cricketer and played for Bengal at the junior level and also for different first-division clubs in Calcutta. Two years ago, I stopped playing and started gymming. I took some protein supplements such as three baskets of Ans’s Mega Amino Mass. I took an injection named Deca Durabolin (25 g and 50 g) with Neorobin and Weider’s Mega Mass 4000. But my body is not gaining any more muscle. My health is getting poorer day by day. I eat good food and do proper exercise. I try to lift as much weight as I can. My skin also looks dull and thin.What could the problem be?

Suprotip Chatterjee

To guide you effectively I need more details about what you’re eating, how you’re working out and for what duration you took the supplements. I cannot stress enough that you should avoid steroids and one injection is not enough to see results. Steroids have a lot of side effects — like the skin looking dull and thin.

If you have a balanced diet and are working out properly, you should see some results. However, I need to sit with you and discuss your case. Please note that even after following all the rules, some guys do not gain bulk till they stop growing, which is usually after the age of 22. Please focus on strength and shape formation in the meantime. If you can’t meet me then please write to me again with full details of food timings, how often you take protein supplements and what exercises you are doing.

I am a 40-year-old lady. My weight is 65 kg and my height is 5-ft-2. I have been practising freehand exercises for the past four years. I also use the stationary cycle and walker. My sugar and blood pressure levels are normal. I have no other diseases. Am I fit for weight lifting? If yes, what weight should I lift and for how long?

You should definitely start weight training. Start off with light weights (1-3 kg dumbbells) and gradually progress to heavier weights in due time. I would suggest targeting one muscle group each day initially and then grouping them into two groups per session, three to four times a week. Start by doing two sets of 10-12 repetitions and then take it up to three sets of 12-15 repetitions. Be sure and focus on proper posture and breathing.