Grocery Shopping For Pre-Workout Meals With Brandon Beckrich
It’s not always easy to focus on proper nutrition while traveling.
While you may be able to train anywhere (at least to some degree), it’s not always easy to eat on the go. Sacrificing good nutrition can and does take a toll on your training.
The result, loss of gains hindering your lean muscle mass goals.
Recently, Team Allmax Athlete, Brandon Beckrich, traveled to Columbia, SC to train at the Muscle & Strength Headquarters.
The other day we showed you how Brandon trains his massive quads on his quad focused leg day workout.
Today, we’re going to show you how he shops and eats for both pre and post workout nutrition.
Brandon’s first tip to look bigger- rent smaller cars. While traveling the roads of Columbia in his compact rental, Brandon describes his views on peri-workout nutrition. While eating well throughout the day will assist you with your goals, it is the pre, intra, and post workout meals that really impact performance and fuel recovery.
It is while you are breaking down the muscle to allow it to regrow that the body is most susceptible to nutrient absorption. Overlooking these meals will impact your performance and recovery.
Related: 43 Best High Protein Recipes That Anyone Can Cook
Pulling into a parking spot at the local grocery store, Brandon is greeted by some South Carolinian locals. After a few hugs, photos, and shoulder rubs, Brandon heads inside to begin his shopping spree.
Brandon’s first stop is the rice aisle. When you’re on the road, you don’t always have the time or access to the appropriate cooking utensils to cook rice. Brandon’s go to in this situation is microwavable rice cups. Each cup has about 40g of carbs and only takes a minute to cook. Brandon prefers a jasmine rice, but long-grain white rice will also do the trick.
Hydration is a key component to performance. A lot of people will pass on drinking water while traveling, because having to use the bathroom provides a major inconvenience. While you can use this practice to get from place to place, it is important to rehydrate when you reach your final destination. It will help flush you out and relieve any bloating that might’ve occurred.
Brandon lays to rest a common bodybuilding on a budget assumption. A lot of lifters will buy frozen chicken breast thinking they can get a better bang for their buck. However, what they don’t realize, is a lot of times the frozen chicken will hold a lot of water solution. So, when you eventually cook it, it shrinks considerably in size.
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Brandon recommends buying standard chicken breast. While it might be a little higher in price, he feels as though it is a better financial decision. Brandon also recommends purchasing eggs as a good source of cheap protein. Tuna and albacore are also bodybuilding budgeting favorites.
Brandon then hunts down some bagels. They are one of his go-to preworkout carbs as he feels they’re not only tasty, but they also don’t bloat him. The blueberry kind are his favorite and they contain approximately 54 g of carbs for each bagel and 9g of sugar. Bagel thins are a good alternative for those trying to get preworkout carbs in, but have a lower carb requirement.
Finally, it is time to get some quality protein. Being on the road, Brandon loves to eat shrimp. They are a bit easier, because they come precooked. Also, and more importantly, they’re a very lean protein source. Containing no fat, they do not slow down digestion of the other key nutrients pre and post workout.
Back at the Muscle & Strength Headquarters, Brandon is ready to devour his preworkout meal. He’s got his shrimp, rice, and blueberry bagel prepared and will down it with a jug of water. The meal contains about 100g of carbs and 30-40g of protein.
I think we can all put Brandon’s recommendations to practice the next time we travel. If you have any other bodybuilding nutrition or training while traveling hacks, drop them in the comments section below.