As a personal trainer one thing I often hear far too much, is how little my clients eat throughout the day. In fact, quite a few will either come in without eating the entire day or leave the gym without properly replenishing their body.
This is a huge red flag! Remember earlier in the series when I explained how you should view your body as a really nice car? Well, since you are a really expensive sports car, you want to make sure you put the best quality fuel in that tank of yours. With that being said, I can’t stress enough the importance of a proper diet.
When the word “diet” comes to mind, I am sure you are thinking of either putting yourself in a caloric deficit, which in most cases is true. However, in this case, think of a diet as the fuel that will help you run better.
There are endless tips and tricks I could give you to improve your eating habits, but I want to give you three main tips with which my clients have had a huge success and I have even personally found to be successful.
Tip #1: DO NOT GO ALL DAY WITHOUT EATING!
Oh gosh, if I had a dollar for every time I have either had a client almost faint because they go all day without eating and then try to work out, I’d be rich! Scary but true. Listen, I get it, we are busy. Sometimes we might even pack a really healthy lunch, but get so caught up at work that we forget to eat. Whatever the reason might be for not feeding your body, stop! You heard me, stop. YOU are important, YOUR health is important and YOU deserve just 15 minutes to sit down and eat. We should all be striving to eat at least 5-6 small meals a day instead of 3 large ones. Really make this a priority and know that none of us work at our best capability when we are “hangry” 🙂
Tip #2: Everything in M-O-D-E-R-A-T-I-O-N
The thing with food, and pretty much anything in life(besides dogs), it should be taken in moderation. Here we go with the car analogy again, there is only a certain amount of gas you can put into a car and if you kept filling it beyond it’s limits, it won’t function right and something might even go wrong. So, I know, get to the point already Chelsea. What I am trying to say is, enjoy life. Birthdays, celebrations, vacations, holidays, they all happen and we all partake in them. Don’t be the party pooper in the corner eating cucumbers. BUT, don’t over indulge on the cake. Just have a little, savor the flavor and move on. One thing I want to mention about moderation is fruit. As you will find later in this post, I included a delicious fruit smoothie that is full of minerals and healthy goodness. However, as you know, fruit is high in natural sugar. The thing is, I am a strong advocate infor fruit. I love all fruit and think it can be great for you. BUT, I don’t believe that it should be consumed in abnormally high amounts. Like everything else, eat it in moderation is all I am trying to say. Start to pay attention to the nutrients on the back of the label and even try and download My FitnessPal, so you can see how much sugar and carbs are in one serving of a banana to give you an idea.
Tip #3: If not one of the most important ones…THE POST WORKOUT MEAL!
I’m sure you are wondering why is this so critical? Well, great question if you are! Long story short, our body is literally burning calories by the second after working out, especially if you are weightlifting. Since your body will be in a constant state of burning, replenish those muscles. You don’t want all of that hard work to go to waste right? One advice I always give to my clients is to invest in a supplement called, protein powder. I highly recommend a plant based protein powder, (not just because I am vegan) but because it is much easier on our digestive system. I use Sun Warrior and I love it! (click the link to buy yours). The reason why protein powder is so beneficial is because it is fast absorbing and goes directly to the muscle fibers that you just tore while working out. It will help restore and build the muscle and also give you the carbs and protein intake that you should be consuming no later than 30 minutes after working out.
Also, protein powder is a great way to add some flavor and up your protein intake to almost any smoothie. Which brings me to my latest creation…are you ready for it? …The “Sunset Muscle Builder” 🙂 keep scrolling to see how I created this delicious, healthy, vegan, protein smoothie…ENJOY!
All you will need to make this smoothie is,
- 1 small papaya
- Juice from two oranges
- 3 tablespoon coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 peach
- 1 banana
- 1 scoop of protein powder
That’s it! Just 6 simple ingredients that make a nutrient packed post workout smoothie! So let me break down why a few of these ingredients are UH-MAZING after a workout and for your overall health.
Papaya: also called the “fruit of angels” by Christopher Columbus, is filled with nutrients. They contain antioxidants, have been known to improve heart health, fight against inflammation, improve digestion and are rich in vitamins B and C. And the best part, they are so tasty.
Oranges: Ah, nothing beats a nice cold class of freshly pressed orange juice. But did you know that there are so many amazing things about this beautiful fruit. (DO NOT GO AND BUY THE FAKE STUFF). Oranges have been known to lower cholesterol, prevent kidney disease, are high in potassium and are PACKED with vitamin C that can help any chronic conditions.
Tumeric: MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THING…EVER! I am such a firm believer and advocate for Indian medicine. I believe that sometimes the best way to treat an illness is with natural remedies; and let me tell you, turmeric does it all. Tumeric is known for it’s anti-inflammatory agents and can help battle any chronic inflammation in your body. Tumeric has even been used to treat cancer, yeah, it’s that amazing. There is an antioxidant in numeric called “curcumin” and it is a powerful neutralizer for all of the free radicals in your body. Curcumin can lower heart disease and improve the quality of your cardiovascular conditions. One amazing fact is that curcumin can even help those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. Amazing stuff with a powerful flavor!
Lastly, the protein powder: Protein powder is essential after a workout because you are literally feeding those muscles after completely exhausting them. So upon working out, you have around 30-60 minutes, to absorb that protein and rebuild the lean muscle in your body. Protein is so important for muscle growth! Protein powder is a great supplement because it’s a great way to either use it as a meal replacement or just add some extra flavor to your smoothies like I did above 🙂
I know this was a long blog, but I wanted to emphasize the importance of properly feeding your body. I always tell my clients, 80% diet, 20% gym. You can workout for hours on end, but if you don’t eat right or replenish your body, it’s honestly just a waste. So, let’s get to eating clean and lean…and try this amazing smoothie I made, you won’t regret it!
If you do end up making this smoothie, tag the NORM Facebook page in your picture! We would love to see your work and even hear your spin on it. Enjoy 🙂
….lastly, a one hour workout is 4% of your day that will change 100% of your life. You guys should have known this was coming!
