How often do you think about the fact that food could help you achieve your fitness goals?
While it’s important to get your time in the gym, it’s just as important to watch what’s going into your mouth. Makes sense, right?
But it’s not just for weight loss – you can ramp up your health and fitness goals by eating the right foods. Here’s how to help four of your health and fitness goals by eating the right things.
Get extra energy
You may want to try high energy foods that’ll rev you up – think pumpkin seeds, hummus, or a hardboiled egg. There’s always trail mix, but I bet you don’t consider reaching for this one when you’re low on energy – a glass of orange juice. No, it’s not because of the fruit sugar – it’s the vitamin C. If you’re low in vitamin C, your body slows down on its ability to burn fat to turn into energy. That’s a good reason to eat an orange or pair a small glass with your morning breakfast, right?
Other high energy foods are:
- brown rice
- edamame
- asparagus
- apples
- quinoa
Boost muscle and help lose weight faster
Whey protein is great before a workout – it’ll counteract against the stress hormone cortisol, which can slow down muscle growth (and tell your body to store more fat).
Other options? Apple slices with peanut (or almond) butter, a banana (especially for morning goers), or oddly enough – even a turkey sandwich on wholegrain bread. Jelly and a wholegrain bagel or muffins works well too, if you prefer the mornings to the after work rush.
Need more options? Try these:
- green tea
- beets
- cantaloupe
- cottage cheese
- tuna
Recover From Workouts
Your post-workout recovery doesn’t have to be so hard – let food help. Try cherries to help prevent muscle inflammation, almonds as protein so your body burns fat not muscle, and even chocolate milk to help rebalance and replenish your body.
Other great foods to munch on once your workout is done include:
- blueberries
- spinach
- bananas
- Greek yogurt
Lower Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, a lot of your focus is on how to lower it quickly. Going to the gym will do a lot for you – but you can support your efforts with the right food. You probably already know that olive oil, and fatty fish (like salmon) are good foods to help drop blood pressure – but that’s not all.
If you like tea, drink a glass of hibiscus tea three times a day daily. Studies show that it takes just six weeks to lower both your systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Other foods to add to your diet include:
- flaxseed
- white beans
- kiwi
- peaches
- pomegranate juice
- kale
- avocado (avocado oil works too!)
Need more advice on what to eat to achieve your goals? Come talk to the the Jersey Strong team – we’ve got the best personal trainers in New Jersey! Let Jersey Strong help!