Recovery After a Workout

The sooner you intake your post-workout food the quicker your recovery will be, which means the sooner you can jump back into your training. Here are some suggestions that include protein and carbohydrates:

• Low fat chocolate milk
• Brown rice pudding with bananas
• English muffin with cheese and egg

(www.runnersworld.com)

Pre-workout Food Ideas

There is a unique balance of dietary intake before a run or workout. You need to have the nutrients necessary to get you through the workout or run, but not something that will make you feel heavy, increase chances of side-aches, or slow you down. Here are three easy ideas for a pre-run/workout snack. Suggestion, eat one hour before your workouts.

• Glass of milk and a couple graham crackers
• Whole grain waffle and peanut butter
• Trail mix (make your own with ½ cup cereal, 2 tablespoons nuts and 2 tablespoons dried fruit)

(www.runnersworld.com)

Never Been a Runner? No Problem!

There is one form of exercise that can be cheap, easy, and available. Running. All you need is a pair of tennis shoes and the open road, sidewalk, or trail. Running is a great calorie burner, can be done morning, day, evening, or night, and even begins right out your front door (no driving to the gym). Don’t be intimidated if you have never been a runner. Here are some easy guidelines to get you started.

• Head out for a 30 minute walk/run. If you walk the whole time, no problem, keep it at a brisk pace.
• The next time you head out for your 30 minute run/walk, run for 1 minute, then walk for 29 minutes.
• If you feel good while walking, run another minute or two, then walk. Slowly build up the number of minutes you are running.
• Pretty soon, you’ll be running the entire 30 minutes and loving it as well.
• Sign up for a local future 3K or 5K to give yourself something to accomplish at the end of your training.

Change It Up!

Are you stuck in a monotonous rut? Does your exercise start to feel more like a chore than something you look forward to? There is a quick and easy way to help you get out of that rut…CHANGE IT UP! Muscle memory starts when you get comfortable with your workout and the workouts become less challenging. This is the point that you should try something new in order to prevent your betting getting to use to a workout.

• Aerobic/Runners: change up tempo, uphill, downhill, sprints, biking, spin class, step-aerobic, kickboxing, go run outside vs. treadmill.
• Muscle strengthening: try kettlebells, resistant bands, bar bell, dumb bars, medicine balls, whatever method you currently are NOT using.
• Stress relaxation and flexibility: yoga instead of Pilates, meditation.

If intimidated to try something new on your own, call a friend and follow their exercise plan. Try a new fitness class. Change it up and get yourself out of that fitness rut.