They are only partly right. The truth is that if you don’t use the right nutrition to support your fitness efforts, you will not get the results you want AND you may actually do harm to yourself. So, to help you out, I have outlined the 5 nutrition-related things you can do when you are in training or physically active:
1. Get the right amount of protein.
Research has shown over and over again that you need more protein when you are working out in order to replenish muscle stores and to keep the immune system running properly. As the World Health Organization maintains that a healthy adult needs 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram, a person that works out needs at least 1.5 - 2 grams per kilogram of weight. So, be sure to include grass-fed meat and poultry, organic grass-fed dairy products, and fish in your diet. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you can also find great sources of protein from spirulina, chlorella, hemp, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Include organic whey protein or spirulina or hemp protein powders into your diet if you don’t have time to eat the amount you need.
2. Boost your diet with antioxidants.
Most people don’t realize that they put a great deal of stress on their bodies with even a normal work-out routine. In order to protect the immune system from crashing (so you can carry on working out without getting sick), make sure to include plenty of fruits and vegetables into your diet. Smoothies are the best way to get a lot of nutrition in only a small serving. Click here for a yummy and refreshing spinach, strawberry, blueberry, and banana smoothie.
3. Get the right amount of calories.
People that hit the gym and want to lose weight sometimes try to severely limit how much they eat. This is the absolutely worst thing you can do as you do not supply your body with the right amount of energy or nutrients to support your fitness efforts. Therefore, you can deplete your muscle stores and become more prone to injury. If you are not sure about how much you are eating or would like some guidance as to how many calories you should eat when you are working out, visit our webpage or download our appapp to help you out. Also, listen to your body’s hunger signals. If you are hungry, eat! Of course, don’t use sugar, highly processed white flour, or other processed foods just to make your calorie requirements. Eat real, whole foods that will feed your body nutrients instead of deplete it from essential nutrition.
4. Eat within an hour after finishing your workout.
This is the time where your muscles can absorb the highest amount of nutrition. Just a little can go a long way to heal and repair your muscles. Try to mix some carbohydrate from fruit with some protein. For example, you can make a protein shake from organic whey protein and mix in some blueberries. Or you can have a banana with some almonds. Don’t miss this window of opportunity to get some highly absorbable nutrition. Not only will it help you to get the results you want, it will help you to maintain better energy stores for the next time you work out!
5. Make sure you are well hydrated!
This may seem like an obvious one, but I felt that I needed to stress this point because most people are severely dehydrated even without being physically active. So, needless to say, you need to pay attention to how much water you are drinking when you work out. Weigh yourself before and after a workout. For every pound of weight lost (about half a kilogram), drink 3 cups or water. This will help you make up for what you lost in a workout. Control water consumption with Superbody app
Well, I hope the above helped you guys out there that lead a physically active lifestyle. Keep exercising, eat real, whole food, and stay well!