8 Best Foods for Fitness
1. Start With
Whole-Grain Cereal
If you don’t have enough to eat before you
exercise, you may not have enough gas in the tank. You might burn fewer
calories, too. Have some healthy carbs at least an hour in advance of your
workout.
Try a bowl of whole-grain cereal with skim
milk or some whole wheat toast or a bagel. Skip the cream cheese and butter.
Saturated fats take longer to digest and can affect the amount of oxygen your
blood delivers to your muscles.
2. Grab a Banana
Don’t
have much time before you head to the gym? Eat an apple or a banana 5 or 10
minutes before your workout for some quick, natural energy.
Your
body easily digests these carbohydrates and turns them into the energy you need
for exercise. Also, fruit is packed with helpful nutrients.
3. An Energy Bar in the Afternoon
When
you’re working out later in the day, have a small snack about an hour before
you get started. A sports bar that has 200 calories or less is a good option.
Look
for a bar with low-fiber content, ideally 3 grams or less. Too much fiber
before a workout can upset your stomach.
On
the ingredients list, keep an eye out for sugar alcohols, like sorbitol,
xylitol, isomalt, and mannitol. Too much of these ingredients can give you
cramps or diarrhea.
4. Grilled Chicken at Mealtime
When
you exercise regularly, you need more protein than people who don’t, especially
after a workout. Your body uses it to repair muscles, to make blood cells, and
for many other purposes. For lunch or dinner, serve a leaner source, like
grilled chicken or turkey, instead of something like a cheeseburger.
5. A Bowl of Berries
After
a workout, go for these instead of a bottle of juice. A lot of the fiber in
whole fruits is lost as they become juice.
Blueberries,
in particular, have been shown to reduce muscle soreness from strenuous
exercise. Cherries are another good option. But any berry will likely help.
6. Veggies and Hummus
When
you exercise regularly, it’s all too easy to overestimate how many calories
you’ve burned. An intense, hour-long bike ride could burn 590 calories, but a
more leisurely one might only use 290.
While
you might feel like you’ve earned a cookie, it’s better to snack on fruits and
vegetables. After you work out, pair your produce with protein to help you feel
more full and replenish muscles. Try vegetables with hummus or fruit with Greek
yogurt.
7. Peanut Butter
While
you train for a big event, the ideal post-workout snack combines protein with
carbs. Revisit your childhood with a sandwich made with 2 slices of bread and 4
tablespoons of peanut butter. Of course, now that you’re an adult, you can
substitute almond butter. Or try two or three cooked eggs for protein with a
half a bagel.
8. Water or a Sports Drink
Hydration
is a must when you exercise. Often, water is all you need. But it depends on
what you are doing. If your activity is less than 60 minutes, sip small amounts
of water often to replace lost fluids. But when your workout is intense and
lasts longer than an hour, a sports drink could help your hydration and your
performance. Just keep an eye on the calories and sugar, like with any other
drink, especially if you want to lose weight.
No comments:
Post a Comment