It’s a beautiful thing. Your body is a super-powered machine designed to convert food (aka calories) into potent kinetic energy, feeding that powerful squat or sprint with every bite. Of course, not all calories are created equal and there’s true science behind what your body needs before and after you workout. Not surprisingly, your system runs on different types of fuel for different needs. Timing is also a big factor and knowing when to get your nutrition in both pre and post workouts are critical to your optimum performance and recovery. If you don’t eat enough of the right types of macro nutrients at the right time, you can actually ‘undo’ the beneficial effects of the workout before you ever get started. So, before you got hot and heavy into your fitness regimen, keep these guidelines in mind:

– Timing is everything. Enjoy a balanced macro nutrient meal around 2 ½-3 hours prior to exercise in order to allow for digestion. Combine...