Whether you’re just getting started on your fitness journey or currently trying to maintain fitness and frequenting gyms like Gold’s Gym, proper fueling and hydration can help you improve strength, endurance, speed and recovery, while at the same time lower your risk of injury.
Fueling and Nutrition Tips:
1. Consume protein and carbs in every meal.
You can be selective with your food choices but you should make sure to include a sufficient amount of protein and carbs in every meal.
2. Don’t skip meals.
Missing meals can adversely affect your performance and progress. Always be consistent with how many snacks and meals you eat daily. Food is fuel for your workouts. In line with this, breakfast should never be missed. Your morning meal is your opportunity to refuel, rehydrate and replenish. If you’re always in a hurry in the morning, at the very least you should have a smoothie.
3. Create a balanced plate.
About 50% of your plate should be produce (vegetables and fruits), 25% protein (meat, poultry, eggs or plant-based protein) and another 25% carbs (pasta, quinoa, bread, rice, potato or cereal).
4. More protein is not always a good thing.
A person’s protein requirement can range anywhere from 0.5 gram/pound 1 gram/pound of body weight. Don’t consume more than what your body needs so as to not compromise important carbohydrates. A good rule of thumb is to consume 20-30g of protein in each meal, which is about 3-4 ounces.
5. Don’t be too dependent on supplements.
Supplements are supposed to complement meals intended so you get all the needed nutrients. Supplements should never be considered a replacement for food.
Hydration Tips
To ensure you get the most out of your workouts, you need to be well-hydrated. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
1. Before you start a workout, make sure you are properly hydrated.
Your pee should be light yellow in color before you start your workout. Drink fluids and smoothies to improve speed, strength and stamina.
2. Drink electrolytes.
Electrolytes like potassium, sodium and calcium prevent cramping. Electrolyte packets and sports drinks can boost your electrolyte intake.
3. Replace fluids you lose.
Replace lost fluid with water or a sports drink. A typical bottle usually contains 20-24 ounces of liquid. So if you lose 5 pounds on an intense workout session, you should drink around five bottles of fluid gradually following your workout. If you’re a heavy sweater, drink two bottles right after your exercise. Keep in mind that fluid replacement after your exercise is on top of your daily fluid needs.
4. Sip your water.
Chugging water is not very efficient since the human body can only absorb 1 quart (32 ounces) per hour in a humid and hot environment. Drink up to four – eight gulps of fluid every 20 minutes to make sure you are well-hydrated.
5. Avoid drinking alcohol at least day before your workout.
Booze may lead to loss of fluid, and at the same time it also affects your muscle, quality of sleep and overall performance. What you drink, when you drink and how much you drink must always be taken into consideration.
Here are the effects of alcohol on fitness: