SPORTS NUTRITION: FUEL FOR FIRE?

Hello from GMHQ!

It’s been a busy old week of sports medicine, shadowing, on calls and lectures but finally my feet have touched the ground and my hands ready at the key board to share my thoughts in this week’s blog!

Fuel for Fire? Food for Thought? Need for feed? Half of the time I have no idea what the hash  tags on Instagram mean! One thing I do know is that sports nutrition for the masses is SIMPLE and with a few tips you really can optimise your training sessions.

This isn’t specifically for the elite athlete, the weekend warrior or the devoted yogi but for EVERYONE & ANYONE taking part in periods of exercise…here’s me hoping this is all of you because the benefits are endless!

Today won’t be talking about weight loss, aesthetic improvements or dieting…today is about balance and how to feed YOURSELF properly to get THE BEST out of every workout!

SO let’s get going…

Over the last few weeks I’ve been talking to teenagers about sports nutrition, and for them the frame of mind of balance is VERY important. They are still growing, developing and therefore need a varied diet without restrictions. This frame of mind is also vital for us adults who are of normal weight and build, because by fuelling our workouts properly with balanced nutrition we’ll be able to make greater progress towards our goals. 

What can we do?

·         Balance those macronutrients

Whether you call them Macronutrients or Macros, these include carbohydrates, protein and fat. The big 3 should make up the main stay of your diet. If you have a match or big race, try and eat a meal containing all three macronutrients 2-3 hours before. This will give your body time to digest before you start your charge about!

·         Grab a snack 30 mins before exercise

Try eating a small sugary snack 30 minutes before you exercise. When I say sugary I don’t mean chocolate, as the fat in this will slow down digestion. I’m talking something like a banana, dried banana chips, raisins or berries to name but a few. All have a high GI index which means you’ll quickly digest the sugars to utilise at the start of your workout.

·         Keep Hydrated

Take a water bottle with you. Not gunna lie, I often forget and that leaves me dehydrated, lethargic and not performing as well. This is a must. Poor hydration has been researched and it negatively impacts on performance!

·         Eat 30mins after exercise

Whether this is just a small snack or your supper, by eating after exercise you will replenish your glucose losses and so are less likely to binge eat a few hours after exercise!

Common sense? Probably. Simple? Yes. Do we all do this all the time? No, because life inevitably gets in the way. However if you want to get that last rep, extra few steps in or PB, eating smart may help you get to your goals!

So guys and gals, hit follow on the blog for updates on new posts and comment: What do you do to optimise your nutrition around work outs? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

In the meantime I’m off to eat my snack and then hit circuits!

Over and Out!

The Gym Medic

(Instagram: @TheGymMedic Twitter: The_Gym_Medic)