3 minute read
FITNESS FUEL
By Abigail Baker
It can be difficult to stay motivated enough to stick to your workout routine during the darker and colder months. Your duvet feels more and more enveloping, your home cosier than ever, and your slippers practically glued to your feet…
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The good news is that there are ways to help you get back out there in spite of the weather. One of them is nourishing your body with the right fuel to leave you feeling energised, strong, and in a positive state of mind.
Follow the tips below to help you work out more regularly and perform better, as well as avoid injury, maintain your blood sugar levels, alleviate aches and pains, and improve your recovery time.
Pre-Workout Nutrition
It’s very important that you consider how long before your workout you are going to eat, and how much you’re comfortable consuming before you start moving. While it’s imperative to fuel your body so that you’re not running on empty, if you eat a heavy meal right before your session, you might experience stomach discomfort, and as your body processes your food, it can reroute oxygen and energy-delivering blood from your muscles.
Try to eat a light meal between 30 minutes and three hours before working out, so that you have time to digest but also have the opportunity to burn through the calories you’ve consumed.
If you’re short on time, try some of these easily-digestible pre-workout snacks:
• Fruit and nuts • Yoghurt and granola • Egg on toast • Oats and protein powder
If you have more time, try the following about two hours before your workout:
• A protein smoothie with milk, protein powder, banana and berries
• A sandwich on wholegrain bread, with lean protein and a side salad
• Roasted vegetables, brown rice and lean protein
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Take your immune defence strategy to the next level. Support a healthy immune system to increase resistance to, and prevent, infections.
Intra-Workout Nutrition
Unless your workout is over an hour and highintensity, you shouldn’t need to refuel during the session. However if you do feel as if you need something, consider consuming between 50 and 100 calories every half hour. Light, energy-rich snacks like low-fat yoghurt, raisins, a banana and honey are ideal.
Post-Workout Nutrition
Eating well after a workout will help your body to decrease muscle protein breakdown, increase muscle protein synthesis, restore glycogen stores, ward off soreness, and enhance recovery. Make a meal that is high in complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Eating within two hours of your workout is ideal.
Hydration
Focus on staying hydrated before, during and after your workout. If you are finding it difficult to drink enough water, add some natural flavour (for example from fresh fruit or mint) to make it more appetising.
Supplementation
There are many sports supplements on the market, but it’s important to make sure that you’re choosing clean solutions, without all the nasty ingredients.
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Beta Glucan with vitamins C, D and zinc helps to build a resilient immune system. Daily use may help reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections, especially when due to increased mental and physical stress.
Delicious organic Elderberry Throat Spray is suitable for the whole family. A great source of vitamin C, the berries are also known to have antibacterial properties, boosted by manuka honey. Marshmallow root offers relief of sore throats and chesty coughs, coupled with soothing aloe vera.
Vitamins C, D and zinc Antibacterial Vitamin C
