The art of combining food and exercise to maximize its benefits is not easy, but its nevertheless important for every person who’s passionate about their physical development. The recommendations haven’t changed very much over the years, yet many people still don’t seem to be very up to date in the matter.

Whether you’re just trying to stay fit or you’re a professional athlete, what you eat and when you eat it will have an effect on your performance.

Before working out

You should eat before you work out for two reasons:

• Food, mainly food rich in carbs, will give you the energy needed to maximize your performance.
• The energy gained from the food will prevent your body from entering a catabolic state where it needs to break down your muscle tissue in order to get the energy needed. In other words, your workout is more likely to increase your muscle gains if you consume a pre-workout meal than if you abstain from doing so.

Personally, I avoid eating a major meal two hours or less before I work out. The reason for this is that during those two hours after eating your body will be focusing on digestion, which results in that it will have less energy for other activities. Howevery, a minor meal before your workout, such as a fruit, is likely to grant you more benefits than disadvantages.

If you chose to work out in the morning, avoid doing so before breakfast, since this will force your body into a catabolic state if you do so, resulting in a breakdown of tissue (both fat and muscle). Most of us don’t mind burning some fat, yet we’ll pay for doing so by losing the muscles we’ve worked for so hard. If we wish to effectively burn fat in the mornings without this loss of muscle, we can do so by consuming lean protein such as egg white, lean meat or quark before exercising.

During the workout

Whether you chose to consume some light snacks (bananas and energy bars seem to be fairly popular) while working out is up to you, but don’t eat anything too heavy. If possible, drink water. During a one-hour workout an average person  loses two liters of water that should be replaced during or after the workout.

After working out

The meal after working out is the most important. It may be difficult to eat right away (you might want to calm down, stretch, shower, etc.), but you should strive to eat as soon as possible – aim for within half an hour, and if that is not possible, at least within two hours. There are three main reasons for this:

1. To give your body the energy it needs to maintain a high metabolism without compromising other body functions.
2. To gain muscle mass.
3. To store energy as glycogen in your muscles to be used next time you work out.

If you do not eat within two hours, you’re unlikely to gain very much benefits from your workout at all.

The post-workout meal should, if possible, be a fairly big meal. If this is not possible, then you should try to eat several minor meals during the following hours. This meal (or these meals, if you wish) should give you at least 30 grams of protein, and fairly high amounts of carbs and/or fat.

Also, after a workout is the only time when it might actually be a benefit to carbs with a high glycemic index, as this will increase the glycogen stored in your muscles. High glycogen levels will give you more energy the next time you’re exercising, which in turn will make your workout more worthwhile.

If you enjoy this post, feel free to subscribe by RSS or Email.

Related posts:

1. Three Reasons Why Fasting Will Ruin Your Body

People have done fasting for several thousand years, mainly for religious reasons. Nowadays, fasting has become a popular way to “cleanse” your body and lose weight.

However, there are three big problems with cutting out food completely:

1. You will tell your body to store fat.

When you don’t eat for a longer period of time, your body will enter “starvation mode”, and as soon you start eating again it will try to store as much energy as possible for the bad times ahead. And how does it store the energy? Well, as fat.

2. You will lose muscle.

When your body doesn’t get the food it needs, it will use the glycogen stored in your muscles. When that glycogen gets low, the body will produce a hormone called cortisol, that will work catabolic and break down your muscle tissue.

3. You will fill your body with waste.

When your muscle tissue is broken down, there will be a lot of waste stored in your body. This makes fasting a very counter-productive way to cleanse the body.

Studies have shown that calorie restriction is a great way to live longer, but fasting may not be the ultimate answer. Instead, go for a low calorie diet with fairly high amounts of protein – in that way you can lose weight without compromising your health.

Related posts:

1. What to Eat Before, During and After Exercise

Aiming to make 2010 slightly healthier than 2009? Here’s a few foods to get you on the right track.

1. Goji berries

The red goji beriies contains incredible amounts of antioxidants, that will help you stay fit, strengthen your immune system and keep your body from aging. Goji berries also have a low glycemic index.

2. Quinoa

Quinoa is really a super food. It has a very high protein content and contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a popular choice among vegetarians. It’s high in calcium, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants (if you chose the dark quinoa) and fiber. No wonder the Aztecs called Quinoa “the mother of all foods”.

3. Acai

Acai is a dark berry from South America. Studies have shown both good and bad vitamin values, but luckily that’s not what makes it so amazing. What makes acai a true super food is rather its extremely high content of antioxidants – in fact one of the highest of all foods on this planet.

4. Shellfish

Shellfish is a great source for the omega-3 acids EPA and DHA, that among other things will prevent heart disease. It’s also a great source for protein.

5. Almonds

Almonds contain a lot of protein as well as a lot of good monounsaturated fat that will help you lower you LDL cholesterol. Almonds increase your metabolism, and studies have shown that adding a handful of almonds a day to your diet actually will help you lose weight, even though your total calorie intake will go up.

6. Walnuts

A great source for omega-3. Even if it’s not the same kind of omega-3 that you can find in fish (it’s a kind of omega-3 called ALA, instead of EPA and DHA), you will still gain great health benefits from it.

7. Salmon

Another good source for omega-3, as well as protein.

8. Dark chocolate

Thought chocolate was bad for you? Well, it is. If you eat too much, that is. However, if you can restrain yourself and avoid over-eating, dark chocolate is a great source for antioxidants.

9. Garlic

Garlci is one of the oldest known medicinal plants. It’s very good for fighting colds, as well as heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. It’s truly nature’s own antibiotic.

10. Green tea

Green tea is a very good source for flavonoids, a type of antioxidants. However, don’t drink it with milk, as the milk will stop your body from metabolizing its flavonoids properly.

11. Blueberries

Blueberries have a very high content of antioxidants (anthocyanins). They also help preventing Alzheimer’s and brain damages. Consumption of blueberries help to lower cholesterol as well as total blood lipid levels. Their low glycemic index will help you keep your weight as well as your energy levels on top.

12. Cinnamon

An averagely high consumption of cinnamon will provide you with loads of manganese, iron, calcium and vitamins C and K. It also contains insane amounts of antioxidants – even far more than acai. It will also help you boost cognitive function and memory.

Got any other great foods that should be on the list? Share your thoughts.

Related posts:

1. 14 Foods That Will Boost Your Brain Power
2. 5 of the Best Sources of Antioxidants In the World

“A hungry man is not a free man.” – Adlai E. Stevenson

When you’re on a diet, do you ever get hungry? Cutting down on food often results in feelings of hunger and cravings for really unhealthy food. When your friend chews on a quarter-pound hamburger and you’re finishing a salad, being healthy is not very easy.

Then, how do you avoid hunger while being on a diet? It’s easy – just follow these steps.

Protein, fibre and water

The foods that reduce hunger the most in relation to their calorie content are the foods that are rich in protein, fibres and water.

Protein makes you full, period. Therefore, eating a diet filled with protein reduces your hunger. It’s that simple, yet it’s often overlooked. Protein also helps you build muscles that raise your metabolism. The trick is to eat lots of protein without eating lots of fat. Avoid the big steaks and instead go for beans, lentils, quorn, tofu, soy, low-fat dairy (low-fat cottage cheese and quark are awesome) and lean meat such as turkey and chicken.

Dietary fibre is great in the way that it makes you feel full without giving any calories. Fibre can also absorb some of the fat from undigested food in your stomach. The best kind of fibre is soluble fibre that can be found in beans, peas, lentils, fruits, berries, vegetables, onions and potatoes.

Plain cool water in itself doesn’t make you feel that very full, and therefore you can’t replace a meal with just water. However, water bound in food may reduce hunger. Examples of foods with high water content are fruits, vegetables, salad, spinach, fish and seafood. Avoid dry foods such as crackers and cornflakes.

Eat more often

By eating five to six small meals a day instead of three big ones you can avoid cravings for unhealthy food. You’ll also maintain the flow of energy to the brain, keeping you sharp and alert.

People who eat several small meals automatically eat less. They also automatically buy healthier foods, since they’re seldom hungry when they go to the supermarket.

Drink warm drinks

Studies have shown that by drinking warm drinks such as tea or coffee half an hour before eating a meal, people have a reduced hunger and appetite, thereby eating less.

It may be heard to drink warm drinks before every meal if you eat six times a day, but try doing it before dinner since that’s the biggest meal of the day for most people.

If you don’t have time to make tea or coffee, at least drink regular water. It won’t reduce hunger as much, but it will have a small effect.

Eat slowly

It takes about 20 minutes before the brain realizes that you’re full. By eating slower you eat less during these 20 minutes. You’ll therefore get full on less food.

Stay occupied

When you’re doing something that demands a lot of thinking, your brain won’t focus as much on the hunger. If you know you easily become hungry, don’t do things like watching TV. Instead, play with your kids, hang out with some friends or get a hobby.

Got any great tips on how to avoid getting hungry? Share your wisdom below.

Photo: Pink Sherbet Photography

Related posts:

1. Ten Easy Ways to Start Losing Weight

Your brain needs energy. Lots of it. Yet, you can’t just feed it with anything.

Avoid the processed food and the candy bars. Stay away from the vending machine. Instead, fuel up with good fats, antioxidants, fibres and the right carbs. These are some foods that may help you kick-start your brain.

1. Avocado. Foods rich in magnesium and monounsaturated fats, such as avocado, stabilize and increase the flow of blood to your brain.
2. Blueberries. Since blueberries are high in fibres and have a low glychemical index, they will feed your brain with small amounts of energy for a long time, keeping mental performance on top. Consumption of blueberries is also linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s as well as improved learning ability.
3. Tomatoes. Lycopene is the name of an antioxidant found in tomatoes. This antioxidant is good for your brain, and it may prevent dementia. However, you have to cook your tomatoes before your body can benefit from this antioxidant.
4. Nuts. Since nuts contain good fats and complex carbs, they’ll provide your brain with energy for a long time. Also, nuts are rich in vitamin E, which is important for cognitive function. The best kind of nuts is walnuts due to their high content of brain-boosting omega-3.
5. Salmon. Will improve mental abilities due o content of omega-3 and protein. Omega-3 is linked to improved alertness, cognitive function and memory.
6. Eggs. Egg yolk contains a nutrient called choline that is said to boost cognitive abilities.
7. Linseed. Contains lots of omega-3. Also makes your body digest food slower, thereby feeding your brain with energy for a longer time.
8. Olive oil. A diet rich in healthy fats can improve your memory and balance your mood. Olive oils contain good fats as well as antioxidants (that’s what gives the oil its colour!).
9. Legumes. Are rich in protein, fibres and thiamine (a.k.a. vitamin B1). Thiamine is a key to healthy brain cells.
10. Almonds. Contains phenylalanine that can do wonders for you neurological health and riboflavin that boosts memory.
11. Spinach. Contains lot of iron. Deficiency of iron is linked to foggy thinking, fatigue and cognitive issues.
12. Coffee. Caffeine raises alertness and helps you stay focused. Also, three cups of coffee a day has proven to reduce the risk for dementia.
13. Green tea. When freshly brewed, it may help you enhance your memory. Also contains small amounts of caffeine and catechines (antioxidants).
14. Yoghurt. Is rich in an amino-acid named tyrosine which is a key in the production of dopamine and noradrenalin, two neurotransmitters.

Photo: Jeff Kubina

Related posts:

1. 12 Foods You Really Should Be Eating

You thought coffee was bad for you? Think again. Studies has shown that two to three regular cups of coffee a day will give you antioxidants, increase the burning of fat and lift your mood without raising your heart rate too much or seriously affecting your sleep.

If you want to maximize the health benefits of coffee, here’s a few tips.

• Avoid coffee 8 hours prior to sleep

One of the most documented effects of coffee is that it raises your wakefulness. This is both good and bad. Good in the way that it makes you more alert and bad in the way that it can affect your sleep.

If you want to enjoy coffee and still be able to get your ever so important eight hours of sleep, avoid drinking coffee on the afternoon and in the evenings.

• Learn to drink it plain

Many people drink their coffee with milk, cream or sugar. Unfortunately, this adds up on calories and may eventually be a contributing factor to overweight.

How you enjoy your coffee is very much a matter of habit. Try drinking your coffee black for a week or two, and you may start to enjoy it. If you still don’t like it, change the high-fat milk and cream for low-fat milk.

• Drink it before working out

Before you go exercising, have a cup of coffee. The caffeine will increase your energy levels during the workout and therefore enable you to accomplish more.

• Avoid drinking it directly after a meal

Drinking coffee after a meal may block your body’s ability to absorb the iron in the food by up to 40 %. If you want to avoid that, wait an hour.

If you still want to drink coffee after a meal, compensate the loss of iron by eating fruits rich in vitamin C, as this will increase the absorption of iron.

• Spice it up

Antioxidants are nutrients that boost your immune system and protect you from several kinds of diseases. Antioxidant content is usually measured in ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) values, that tell you the amount of antioxidants that can be found in 100 grams of a food or drink. For example, tomatoes have an ORAC value of 200 and onions have an ORAC value of 450.

Several spices have extremely high ORAC values – such as cinnamon (267,000 ORAC) and cloves (314,000 ORAC). If you brew your own coffee, add small amounts of these spices before brewing. Your health will benefit from it, and it tastes great too.

Photo: josh.liba
Further reading

• Want To Lessen The Pain Of Working Out? Coffee To The Rescue! (Quick To Fit)

Also watch

Related posts:

1. 5 of the Best Sources of Antioxidants In the World
2. 12 Foods You Really Should Be Eating