Fitness Essentials

Eating smarter helps you to work out smarter.  Fueling your body properly will give you an edge and help you kick up your workout and recover faster.  After exercise, you have about a two-hour window to replenish your glycogen stores and prep your muscles for rebuilding.  The raw materials needed are carbs and protein in a 3 to 1 ratio.  Here are some foods that can assist to get the job done:

Sweet Potatoes  Swap your French fries for a sweet potato, a nutrient-loaded complex carbohydrate.  It contains more than twice your daily requirement of beta-carotene which, if consumed regularly, reduces the stress of hard exercise on your system.

Raisins

For an on-the-go energy boost, opt for a handful of unsweetened raisins, which worked as well as an energy gel to fuel athletic performance in a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.  Plus they’re high in fiber, iron, potassium and other essential nutrients – all at a fraction of the cost of a sports bar, drink or gel. 

Milk

Embrace that small hot chocolate after all!  Studies conducted at the University of Connecticut back nonfat chocolate milk which has that 3 to 1 carb to protein ratio that you are looking for to make it an effective muscle-recovery beverage. How's that for a pleasant surprise?

Nuts

Few protein sources are as healthy as nuts, which are loaded with fiber, vitamin E and heart-friendly nutrients such as plant sterols, L-arginine and omega-3 fatty acids.  The fatty acids in nuts fight inflammation, making them an ideal post-workout food.  For a complete recovery snack, combine a small handful of almonds or pistachios (6 grams of protein) with a handful of dried fruit or an apple or go old school with PB & J and a glass of nonfat milk.

Tart Cherry Juice

Here we go again – this keeps popping up over and over.  That means that it is something to put on your grocery list like I do.  Numerous studies show that the ingredients contained in tart cherry juice provide the power to fight inflammation, ward off muscle soreness and accelerate recovery.  But the key is to consume it before your workout.  Or better yet, make it a staple and drink a glass a day.  Whole tart cherries will work also but you may need to eat 45 a day to get the same benefit!