Enya Sliwinski

Course: Exercise Assessment & Instruction, HES-200
Professor: Justin Mabe
Assignment Title: Whole Foods Vs. Supplements for Workout Meals

Assignment Details

This project focuses on the benefits of receiving nutrients from whole foods versus supplements. The purpose is to inform the audience about the best source of the nutrients considering dietary needs and workout meals (pre-workout, periworkout, and post-workout).

Each workout meals should provide nutrients that will help someone fuel their workout and make the most out of it. With that, there are different considerations that must be had based on where the person might be, what they might have access to, and how often it would be healthy to consume certain foods. If an individual has a diet that does not offer many foods containing certain nutrients, for example calcium in vegetarians, other considerations must be made. In most cases, supplements are quick and easy fixes for a meal, but is this something we want to consume for most of our meals? Are there any benefits to choosing whole foods over these supplements, especially since it takes longer to prepare and often costs more to do so? Which workout meals should contain whole foods and which should contain supplements? These questions are explored in this project.

Research for this project was completed using several primary journals that included research on specific nutrients (such as magnesium and creatine) but also supplements and whole foods in general.

Application

The conclusions gathered in this assessment can apply to the overall health and nutrition of anyone. Eating the proper foods and receiving the proper nutrients is vital to maintain energy levels, movement, and overall health throughout our lives. However, a significant portion of people living in the U.S. are experiencing nutritional deficiencies whether it be in vitamins, minerals, or macronutrients. These deficiencies can lead to significant health problems.

For individuals who incorporate strength training and weightlifting into their daily routines, nutrition is a key part of fueling these activities. With proper knowledge of pre-, peri-, and post- workout meals including what they should contain and where they should typically come from, these individuals will be able to take care of their body and reach their goals.

There are many nutrient-specific benefits that someone might experience if they are receiving the proper amount. For example, creatine can be used for recovery and to reduce cortical damage following a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from 35-50% (Galpin, 2025). Consuming about 10-20 grams is possible through whole foods such as meats and seafoods and can be made even easier with supplements.

Results/Conclusions

In terms of pre-workout, this is typically a small meal that functions to give the body energy to perform better during the workout. Consuming carbohydrate and protein dense snacks or meals is critical in this period because these macronutrients will maximize performance (Arent et. al, 2020). For peri—workout meals, location and accessibility needs must be considered. It is not convenient to bring whole foods to the gym and eat them while you are exercising. Eating whole foods during this time can also create gastrointestinal problems (Arent et. al, 2020). In this case, supplements containing caffeine, protein and micronutrients should be consumed in the form of powders instead of whole foods (Arent et. al, 2020). When it comes to post-workout meals and other meals throughout the day, there are training specific demands to consider. Whole foods can offer specific micronutrients along with a spread of macronutrients. Supplements typically focus on specific macronutrients (protein and carbohydrates) vitamins, minerals, etc. Whole foods also tend to offer these nutrients in an amount that is natural and not excessive for the body (Stanford University, 2024). With supplements, it is very easy to ”over-do” it and consume more than the body can digest and absorb. For example, very high doses of vitamin D can lead to calcification of soft tissues and can create an adverse effect for dialysis patients (Dwyer et. al, 2018).

Overall, when it comes to pre-workout and peri-workout meals, supplements should be taken considering their convenience compared to whole foods. Meals outside of this should consist of whole foods and supplements should only be used if there are deficiencies.

Challenges and Successes

A challenge that I experienced when conducting research for this assessment was considering the various personal factors that people might have relating to nutrition and health. A blanket statement about supplements and whole foods cannot be made because individuals might have different deficiencies, dietary restrictions, and more.

To combat this challenge, I found articles that covered specific nutrients but also included what someone who was deficient in these nutrients should do. This allowed for me to gain an overall better understanding of the needs of people with these deficiencies and how whole foods and supplements could work to help them.