It’s been proven that exercise can reduce stress and depression, and it can lower your risk of early death by up to 30%! Aside from the eye-opening health benefits, exercise can also boost your mood, energy and sleep quality.
But how does the food we fuel our bodies with affect how our bodies perform when exercising?
We all know how important food is to sustain a healthy body, but do you know which foods you should be eating before and after a workout?
This blog post is to help you shed some light on the foods that best support your exercise regime.
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According to Heart.org, you should aim to fuel up two hours before working out. This should include adequately hydrating by drinking water, eating healthy carbohydrates (such as fruit and whole-grain pasta) and you should avoid saturated fats and over-loading on protein. Foods high in saturated fat and protein can take longer to digest in your stomach, making you feel sluggish.
Water helps to regulate your body temperature, which is essential when you’re working out – so you don’t overheat and become dehydrated. Water also lubricates your joints and enables your body to perform at its highest level.
You should eat depending on the intensity of the workout you’re about to undertake. For example, when on a jogging session, your body will burn fat so carbohydrate loading is not necessary for this workout. But, if you’re running a race or a longer distance, then your body will require you to top your body up with foods high in carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates help you replenish the glycogen you lost in your muscles when working out, so that’s why you must eat foods that contain both carbohydrates and protein. Protein in your muscles can be broken down and damaged after a workout. Protein helps you build and repair muscle, so you must eat foods containing protein after your workout.
Your body will be exhausted after running a race – whether it’s 5k, 10k or a marathon, you need to ensure you give your body what it needs.
Exercise is a cheap and easy way to keep your body, and your mind fit and healthy, but it’s important you understand which foods weigh you down and which help support and better your workout routine. We hope this blog post has given you some foodie fuel tips – got a spare £6.95? Read below!
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