Sports drinks

The functional foods market continues to grow day by day. Avid exercisers are no strangers to functional products designed to help you go longer, get stronger and become leaner. These products are very cleverly designed, advertised and marketed to appeal to the ambitious person inside us all and some people feel ‘naked’ training without them. BUT throughout different blog posts I want to show you that these products are unnecessary, a waste of money, and contain additional ingredients that are damaging your health. I’m focusing on sports drinks as my example today.

Sports Drinks – The soda drink dressed up as ‘healthy’ and ‘functional’

We are a nation of sugar addicts. This addiction has been fuelled by the food industry steadily increasing the sugar content of foods to the point we’re at now where the nasty substance is hard to avoid. Fizzy drinks –or soda- have become a staple in many peoples diet as a way to satisfy this need for sugar.  Following this sugar addiction has become expanding waist lines that have led to an increased demand for ‘diet’ products containing calorie-free sugar replacements – the artificial sweeteners. So people swap the soda for a diet soda, healthy right? Wrong, these ‘diet sodas’ full of artificial sweeteners and flavourings can provide the same taste to satisfy the consumer and keep them coming back for more but the added chemicals breakdown in the body to their toxic counterparts and cause damage.

Many people consume one or more cans of soda each day. As a fit and healthy person you may be feeling smug that you don’t do this. But do you drink a sports drink to fuel your exercise? Just because the product has the word ‘sport’ it in, this does not mean it’s necessarily a healthy choice. Sports drinks make claims that they will help you perform better during athletic events, and I’m not disputing this. Of course a quick supply of glucose is going to keep you going for exercise lasting more than 1 hour, and of course the addition of electrolytes to water will help to hydrate you faster. But will the artificial sweeteners make you run faster, will the flavour enhancers make you reach that PB, or will they disrupt the finely tuned chemical balance within your body….I’m going with the later.

Sports drinks, naturally

Keeping well hydrated during exercise (and throughout life in general) is necessary to maintain peak optimal performance in all that you do. Water helps to regulate your body temperature, lubricate your joints and transport nutrients around your body. During exercise you lose water through sweat and increased respiration, and these losses need to be replaced. The longer and more intensely you train makes this even more important. If you fail to replace lost fluids your blood and plasma volume will decrease leading to muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue, heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Research has shown that a loss of only 2% body weight from dehydration is enough to negatively affect athletic performance.

Your body also loses valuable electrolytes through sweat that are needed to carry electrical impulses throughout your body to help your cells communicate with each other. The need to replace these electrolytes will depend on the intensity and duration of your training and how much you sweat. I would advise electrolytes to be taken on board for strenuous exercise lasting more than an hour. This is also the case for carbohydrates as it will generally take about an hour for your glycogen stores to become depleted. About 0.7g of carbohydrate as glucose per kg body weight per hour (approx. 30-60g/hour) has been shown to extend endurance performance.

So, taking all of this into account; when you are exercising for longer than an hour swap your plain water for a sports drink containing a simple mixture of water, sodium (0.5-0.7g/L), potassium (0.8-2.0g/L) and glucose (6-8%). Make up your own and add a splash of lemon juice to taste. Next time you pick up a sports drink check the label. How many ingredients are on there? Keep things simple people.

Detoxing in our toxic world

There is a lot of mixed opinion surrounding the issue of detoxing. Some people swear by their regular detox, where as others see them as pointless. To add to the confusion there are also many different detox diets available to choose from. So should you detox, and if so how?

Following a detox plan for a short period of time can help your body to readjust if it has been subjected to chronic stress from poor diet and lifestyle choices. A detox can help to quickly cleanse and heal your system in the event of a health scare or benefit those struggling with immuno-compromised disease such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes and chronic fatigue. A detox can also set people straight if suffering from food intolerance or allergy. They can be used to jump-start a healthy weight loss plan or, quite simply, set you on the right tracks after years of neglect to your health.

Your body has its own built in detoxifying system and detoxification is one of its most basic automatic functions. Your body naturally detoxifies everyday through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph and skin. However, we are now living in a toxic world, whether it’s in the food we eat, water we drink or air we breathe, and our natural cleansing proces can become clogged somewhere along the line. At times it may be necessary to give it a helping hand. A detox programme should never be started without caution however. Your body is a finely tuned machine and just as easily as abuse causes disruption, a detox taken too far can cause problems of its own.

Some people love to detox purely for the way it makes them feel. People report increased energy levels, better concentration, better sleep, healthier looking eyes and skin, and a general feeling of wellness. However, some people respond badly to a detox and can feel awful throughout the whole process. This can be the effect of withdrawal from substances such as caffeine, or simply the effect from the elimination of toxins. However, this could also be the result of a badly practiced detox and your body’s way of telling you to stop it.

A gentle detox could be achieved by drinking cleansing teas and plenty of water and eliminating sugar, caffeine, alcohol, processed food and food products. However…shouldn’t you really be following these guidelines all the time (albeit maybe not 100% strictly). And on those occasional times you do fall off the band wagon, isn’t that what our liver and internal cleansing systems are for? Whilst our bodies are well designed to rid themselves of nasties, the environment we live in now is so full of pollutants that our natural defences are being challenged everyday. Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle and avoiding toxins where possible will help your body to keep up with demand but there may become a time when a little cleanse will be greeted with open arms. Just remember that a detox should only be followed for a short period of time and always under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Whilst a detox is aimed at de-stressing your liver and lymphatic system, following a strict dietary cleanse for too long can create nutritional deficiencies and all the flushing can actually create its own stress on your system.

But why intensely detox only a few times a year? Why not take preventative measures and include some form of detoxification everyday?

Most toxic chemicals we are exposed to in our environment today are lipophilic. This means ‘fat loving’. Our body tries to protect us from these foreign bodies by surrounding them in mucus and fat which then gets trapped and stored somewhere on our bodies. By burning fat, we leave these toxins exposed to cause damage to our bodies, but equally, maintaining unhealthy levels of body fat exposes us to other health problems, plus the problem of all these stored toxins! A toxic body is less willing to burn fat as it wants to prevent the release of these stored toxins. So, rather than waiting until your body becomes clogged, take action now and help your body cleanse itself everyday. Some things you can include in your diet to aid your natural detoxification processes include:

- Gelatinous plant foods- chia seeds or aloe vera for example. The gelatinous fibres in these foods move through the gastrointestinal tract and absorb and bind to toxins. I personally take 60ml of aloe vera juice first thing in the morning, every morning and have certainly noticed a difference in my health since doing so. If you’re interested in including this amazing plant food in your diet, please contact me for more information and advice.

-Green vegetables – their high chlorophyll content is a potent natural cleanser. Try adding a green juice to your daily diet, here’s a few ideas: Celery, lemon and pear; Celery, cucumber, lemon and apple; Celery, cucumber, kale, lemon and pear; Celery, cucumber, spinach and apple.

-Parsley – also a great source of chlorophyll and has an excellent ability to cleanse the blood system.

- Coriander – binds to heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead, to help eliminate them from your system. Coriander is also a powerful antioxidant which is thought to be the reason behind its potent anti-inflammatory effects on the body.

            Try this recipe for a detoxifying pesto: 3 cloves galic, 1/3cup Brazil nuts, 1/3cup sunflower seeds, 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, 1 cup coriander, 1 cup parsely, 2/3 cup olive oil, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, pinch of sea salt.

Blend all ingredients together…simple!

- Lots of clean water!

Supplementation, sorted!

We live in a pharmaceutical world full of pills, potions and powders all promising to have us firing off all cylinders and ready to tackle what ever this stressful world has to throw at us. Millions of people now have breakfast with a side order of pills. But before you turn yourself into a human rattle, do you actually know if what you are taking is beneficial to your heath or if, in fact, you are wasting your money, or worse still, harming your body?

21^st century malnutrition is the result of modern day food processing. The food we eat today has 50% less nutritional value than it did 50 years ago. Our soils are so intensively farmed that they have been leached of valuable nutrients. Add to this the fact that we can get any variety of fruit and vegetable all year round shipped in from Timbuktu and you’ve got yourself a shopping bag full of lifeless, tasteless, nutritionally deficient food. In order to counteract these problems many people turn to supplementation.

Supplementation is a great way to ensure you are getting the required nutrients into your body to keep you functioning optimally. But it’s not as simple as walking into your local shop and picking up a bottle of X, Y or Z from the shelf because some magazine said you should. Supplementation, as with all nutrition, is completely individual. What one person may need, you may not, and by following what they do you could end up damaging your health rather than benefitting it. The phrase ‘too much of a good thing’ can definitely be used when talking supplementation.

During different life stages – childhood, teens, pregnancy, menopause, old age- you require different things. From different lifestyle factors –activity level, stress, diet, environment, disease-status- you have different needs. There is so much to consider when looking at supplementation that I will always recommend consulting a professional for advice before self-diagnosing. Supplementing your diet is an extremely beneficial thing to do, but only if you do it correctly. For more information and to find out how you should be supplementing your own diet, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me.

Supplementation is also more complicated than individual need…you need to consider the supplement itself and how and when you are taking it.

Determining the good from the bad…

When you walk into any chemist, pharmacist or local health food shop you are faced with row upon row of supplement options to choose from. By process of elimination you may just grab the cheapest one as they’re all the same right? WRONG! Unfortunately, this is one thing you really shouldn’t skimp on. The quality of the supplement is very important to ensure it is easily available for use, your body doesn’t need to use its own resources to break it down and you’re not just going to be paying for very nutritional urine!

Source food based supplements. Vitamins and minerals in this form are recognisable to the body on a molecular level. Many cheap supplement products are synthetic (man-made) and your body cannot recognise their structure which dramatically reduces their bioavailability. Supplementing this way will be more expensive, but doing it the cheaper way is effectively pointless. And besides…you really can’t put a price on your health!

When to take your supplements

The most important thing to remember here is never take your supplements on an empty stomach. Your body will not absorb the supplement and all the goodness will be lost in your urine. Also consider that nutrients work in synergy and this needs to be addressed when you take your supplements. For example, iron is absorbed better in the presence of vitamin C so should be taken with a vitamin C rich meal.

In many cases people will require some form of supplementation protocol that they will follow daily. But not everyday is the same and you may need to include additional supplements in response to changes such as illness, intensity of training, the time of year, monthly cycle, stress and sleep patterns etc. Working with a professional can help you to determine a good supplementation procedure to work with you, your body and its ever changing needs.

And finally…I couldn’t write about supplementation without the cliché…Supplementation will not and should not make up for bad diet and lifestyle choices. If you don’t look after yourself in the first place, popping a few pills each day isn’t going to help you. As I mentioned above, nutrients work in synergy and supplements won’t work on a nutritionally depleted body.

Supplement to support your diet and lifestyle not to make up for it.

:) 

We have no time to stand and stare

Life is busy. We work hard, we play hard. And with everything going on how do we find the time to rest? Well, quite simply, we don’t!

Whilst striving to lead healthy lifestyles we exercise regularly and eat well but fail to remember this very important aspect. Without rest you are setting yourself up to burn out. Not allowing time to rest can put a strain on your immune system and cause fatigue, irritability, forgetfulness, mood swings, weight gain and depression. You are essentially putting down your shield of armour and waving your white flag to welcome all the nasty bugs and viruses into your body. Rest is essential and is repeatedly ignored by most people. We are too busy trying to fit everything in, please everyone and get things done that we forget to take a step back from time to time.

I’m going to focus on exercise as my example here…

Now we’ve all seen them (maybe you are one of them). They turn up to the gym wrist straps on, a bandage on one knee, ankle supports flashing above socks. Should this person really be in the gym? And should they really be going hell for leather on that treadmill?? Injuries aside, have you ever gone for your workout and coughed and spluttered your way through your session; felt so weak but bullied yourself into going to make up for those few glasses of Chardonnay you drank last night? Well its time we all stopped beating ourselves up and started focusing on REST.

A few weeks ago my glands started to flare. A week of intense cross fit workouts and strength training was followed quickly by a bank holiday weekend of drinking with friends and not getting enough sleep. So what did I do when I started to feel under the weather…well I soldiered on of course! I cut out the intensive cardio and stuck to slow strength sessions as I wasn’t feeling 100%. What should I have done? NOTHING. The swollen glands led to a viral infection which has now attacked my nervous system and caused me to be the victim of partial (and I’m hoping, temporary) paralysis. So I wanted to spend a bit of time stressing the importance of rest to all you hard working folk as I think we all just need to CHILL OUT (ok putting it in block capitals like that makes look anything but ‘zen’, but I’m just trying to highlight my point! J )

So firstly, I want you to take a good hard look at your schedule. How often do you take a day off? A day off from training, a day off from work, what ever it may be. And I don’t mean ‘I’m only going to do some casual cardio for an hour but that doesn’t count’ or ‘I’m just going to reply to a few emails after Sunday lunch’. I mean OFF, fully switched off. Not many I presume? Well it’s about time you started.

There are people that come into the gym everyday, sometimes more than once a day, without fail. I can see why and how this obsession begins. Exercise is addictive, especially once you start to see results and the incredible changes it can have on your body. I became one of these people; became obsessed with getting strong; wanted to achieve unassisted pull ups, wanted to deadlift more than my body weight, wanted to carry heavy weights over to my clients with ease. And yes I was doing great and the results were so satisfying…but then it all went wrong. Rather than sit back and let my body recover from the onslaught and build itself back up again I kept going. Sounding familiar to anyone yet…? Ever walked in for your 5^th session in a row on a Friday morning with a feeling of dread and fatigue? Listen to your body, don’t ignore the signs.

            You may argue that professional athletes manage to train 6, maybe 7 times a week and have no problems. Well the clue is in the title- ‘professional athlete’. These people’s lives are dedicated to fine tuning their bodies. They don’t complete a gruelling workout and then have to dash off to work for their 9 hour stint in the office.

            So I am advising you to take one day completely off from training per week- If you feel restless go out for a walk or casual bike ride. See if you aren’t refreshed and even more ready for action when you go back to train the next day.

Now to look at the bigger picture. When did you last take an extended break from your training? More than 5 days? Maybe you got injured or became ill and had no choice but to take extended rest. I bet you were thrilled when you could start again and hit the ground running, training like you did before, as much as possible with no consideration of rest for weeks, months, maybe years, until the same problem reared its ugly head again and the cycle continued.

Taking a break from training can help to alleviate any twinges or pains, boost energy levels and help you to overcome plateaus. If you don’t start including this into your routine you will just keep following the same pattern. Try training intensely for 3 weeks and then take an easy week. Slow it down and reduce volume, intensity, frequency or all three. After about 3 cycles try and take 5 days completely off from your usual training. Take an extended break or do something completely different for a bit – staying off the weights, simple body weight circuits in the park, long bike rides, hiking up hills. Don’t be afraid to take a break. Give your body and mind a rest for a few days, you wont lose anything and you will find you come back to the gym feeling fitter and stronger and more prepared for the next phase. Gains don’t happen during the workout, they happen during recovery. Following difficult bouts of work with rest will allow your body to adapt and improve to better handle the new workload.

 Mentally you may find it hard to rest- I understand this. When you’re used to training solidly what could happen if you stop…you’ll lose all your strength, muscles will disappear, your fitness will diminish and heavens above you’re going to get fat! THIS WON’T HAPPEN. I haven’t been able to exercise for 2 weeks now, and yes it is frustrating and I can’t wait to get back to training but my body has told me to stop – well it actually told me a while ago and I didn’t listen so now it’s made me stop. So listen to your body and respond to what it is asking of you.

Exercise is the perfect example to highlight the importance of rest. But the same principles must be applied to all aspects of your life. We live in a hectic world and there are constant stressors all around us. The human body is fragile and can be extremely vulnerable if it’s not looked after properly. So sit back, chill out and keep on smiling. J

Wake up and smell the coffee!

Sitting down to enjoy a cup of warming, fresh coffee is one of my favourite times of the day. There is something incredibly satisfying and comforting about a cup of coffee. It’s a great drink to catch up with friends over, ponder the newspapers with or simply sit and watch the world go by. I would never tell someone to stop drinking coffee, why deny yourself of this great pleasure in life? Coffee has been slated as an unhealthy commodity by many in the health industry but there’s no chance I’ll give up my daily dose.

            Everyone has their ‘drink’. The one they’ll order day in day out. I certainly have mine which the local coffee shop now starts preparing for me as they see me walk in the door! Whether yours is a tall vanilla, extra hot skinny latte or a simple black Americano have you ever considered whether ‘your drink’ is actually good for you or whether it could be playing the lead role in your battle of the bulge?

            In itself coffee isn’t actually the health demon many would have you believe and scientists are finally starting to admit that coffee poses very little risk to most people. It is easy to see why researchers took a dislike to coffee considering the average cup contains about 100mg of stimulating caffeine which increases metabolic rate, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. This led researchers to fear for the health of our hearts under the influence of caffeine but regular coffee drinkers quickly build up a tolerance to caffeine which sees all these effects diminish after a few weeks of regular consumption. Habitual coffee drinkers are no more likely to suffer from hypertension than those who never touch the stuff. Drinking coffee won’t cause any greater trouble to an irregular heart beat or increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer or osteoporosis (as was feared a few years ago). In fact, coffee has been shown to improve neurological function, helping people to learn and retain new information and improve attention and psychomotor skills. However, at the end of the day coffee is a stimulant and can cause stress on the adrenal glands causing a release of cortisol into your system. Coffee should be consumed and enjoyed in moderation. Don’t rely on coffee as a pick me up; enjoy coffee for the flavour it provides not for the functions it brings with it. When your relationship with coffee becomes one of dependence you need to start looking at the wider picture.  

So, the good news…you don’t need to quit you daily coffee J but you do need to consider what’s going into your cup…

The increase in coffee houses providing a multitude of ways to jazz up this simple drink are what is turning this simple beverage into a health nightmare. Artificial sweeteners, flavourings, sugars, soup-bowl sized mugs and chemicals involved in the decaffeinating process are all making this morning ritual something intoxicating.

            Enjoy your coffee the healthy way by following my tips below:

• Avoid the flavourings – Even if you think you are being health-wise by opting for the sugar-free syrups this extra shot will fill your body with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame which can cause long term side effects to your health.
• Sprinkle some cinnamon – Cinnamon is one of the most antioxidant rich herbs on the planet. It has been shown to have amazing medicinal qualities that enhance blood sugar signalling, reduce inflammation, stimulate immunity and promote neurological health. Cinnamon has been shown to powerfully stimulate regions of the brain allowing for greater attention span and memory- just what you need for that dull morning meeting....it tastes great too!
• If you can’t cope without added sweetness, swap sugar for honey. Honey is still full of simple carbohydrates but raw honey contains antibacterial and antifungal properties making it a better choice than the empty calories sugar provides.
• If your morning coffee is all you manage to grab first thing, make it with full fat rather than skimmed milk. Full fat milk will keep you feeling fuller for longer and dampen the stimulatory effect of the caffeine which can play havoc on an empty stomach. The added calories will keep you going until lunchtime so you are less likely to snack on sugary treats.
• Skip the whipped cream….do I need to elaborate?!
• Go organic- As with all fresh produce coffee beans are an agricultural product at risk of exposure to nasty chemicals so buy organic beans if you can.

So stop stressing about your coffee habit, make the right choices, sit back and enjoy your steamy cup…you deserve it! J

Good Mood Food :)

It is amazing how the focus on diet and food has become so wrapped up in weight loss, building muscle or stripping fat.  Food has become a product to serve vanity and people have forgotten how this vital part of our lives can actually affect the way we view ourselves and our lives. I’m talking about our mood. What you eat on a daily basis will ultimately affect your mood on a daily basis and also influence your brain function. In a world full of work and social pressures and the prevalence of chronic stress and depression on the rise, isn’t it time we started to look and our food differently?

There is well documented evidence of the positive effects food can have on our mood swings, depression, anxiety, concentration, memory, fatigue and behavioural disorders. Equally, there is also evidence of certain products having negative effects on our moods, such as alcohol, caffeine and sugar.

The control of blood sugar levels is vital when it comes to tackling your mood. How do you feel when you’ve missed a meal? When trying to navigate the tube home when you’ve not eaten since lunch are you calm and patient? Have you ever tried to cut out carbohydrate completely and felt great for the first few days? The picture all these scenarios bring to my head is me frantic, impatient, snappy, weak and fuzzy-headed desperately searching out a mars bar to provide some much needed sugar! Allowing your blood sugar levels to drop so dramatically has detrimental effects on your brain function as glucose is the only source of fuel for the neurons in your brain. 

There is a lot more to brain function than just fuel however. The neurons in your brain are responsible for the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters (stay with me, the science lesson is nearly over!), which all effect the way we think, feel and behave. Examples of these chemicals include serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine. The nutrients in your food affect the release of these neurotransmitters and, ultimately, your mood! So….simple J now all you need to know is how to eat to keep that smile on your face…read on…

PROTEIN

Protein is not only useful for muscle growth and repair but is also largely responsible for our intelligence and mental abilities due to the amino acids that regulate brain activity and development. One such amino acid, tyrosine, increases the production of dopamine and epinephrine (or adrenaline) which are responsible for increasing energy levels and alertness. Peanuts, almonds, avocados, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are great natural sources of tyrosine.

CARBOHYDRATE    

Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, the essential fuel for your brain. Research has show that the human brain functions best with approximately 25g of glucose circulating in the blood stream, which is only about the amount of carbohydrate found in an average banana.

Carbohydrates also trigger the release of insulin which allows for the uptake of amino acids into muscle cells, apart from one – tryptophan. This allows a clear pathway for tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier where it is converted into serotonin which regulates mood, appetite and sleep.

A special type of carbohydrate called Inositol does not render energy like a classic sugar, but has a wide range of beneficial effects on the nervous system. Inositol has been shown to improve mental endurance, modulate serotonin activity, support brain and bone marrow cell membranes, and combat a number of psychiatric conditions and disorders. This special carbohydrate can be found in fruits (bananas, raisins and citrus fruits), beans, yeasts, grains and most nuts.

ESSENTAIL FATTY ACIDS (Omega-3)

The cells of the brain and nervous system depend on these essential fats as they are made up mainly of fat themselves. Numerous studies have shown positive effects of omega-3 consumption and improved brain function, especially in children.

Chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts are great plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

SELENIUM

Many people are deficient in this essential mineral as due to intensive farming methods it is now leached from our soils. A deficiency in selenium has been linked to irritable, anxious, depressed and hostile behaviours which have been corrected with supplementation. Include a daily dose of Brazil nuts, shellfish, fish, oats and sunflower seeds in your diet to up your selenium levels.

FOLIC ACID

A deficiency in folic acid causes levels of serotonin in the brain to decrease which has been linked to depression. Foods high in folic acid include dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, avocado and nuts and seeds.

CHOLINE

Choline affects the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which plays a role in memory. Low levels of this B-complex vitamin have been linked to poor memory, concentration and even increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Look to foods with high cholesterol levels such as eggs and liver to get your dose of choline.

VITAMIN D3

Recent studies have linked vitamin D3 deficiencies to depression and it has been speculated that vitamin D3’s physiological protections directly affect moods. Several studies indicate the potential for preventing and treating mental disorders such as depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), anxiety, and schizophrenia with vitamin D3 supplementation. This is a new area of research and so no conclusive answers can be said yet, but there does appear to be a connection with vitamin D and mood – the sun makes us all smile right..? And even if it turns out not to be beneficial in this area, I will always recommend everyone to get a plentiful supply of this vitamin for its other numerous health benefits.

Should you eat before an early morning workout?

This is an on-going debate amongst people in the health and fitness industry and there will never be one simple correct answer to this question. Nutritional practice is individual and what works for one person for their pre-workout meal won’t work for everyone else.

The importance and type of pre-workout meal varies depending on the type of workout you are doing, its duration, intensity and what you hope to achieve from it. If you are planning on a high intensity, anaerobic strength or speed session I would always recommend you fuel up before. However, if you are planning on a steady state cardio session at a comfortable intensity the requirements of the pre-workout meal will change. It will also be dependent on what you want to achieve, whether this be fat loss, performance, metabolism shifting or endurance training.

Food choice is crucial when it comes to the pre-workout meal/snack. Stick to easily digested foods that won’t sit heavily on your stomach causing nausea and cramps. The food choices made are completely individual as different people can tolerate different things so experiment to see what works for you. You should be able to exercise 30-45 minutes after a light snack, but if you can’t, you may have underlying digestive issues that need to be sorted out first (contact me for more information on this problem).

The most important thing to ensure from your pre-workout meal is that you help your body build and maintain muscle mass. Consuming essential amino acids – specifically Leucine- before (and after) exercise has been proven effective at maintaining muscle mass. If the aim ISNT to lose body fat, low GI carbs will also be a good addition. Building and maintaining muscle mass will create a healthy metabolism, lean body composition, strong skeleton and aid any weight loss efforts. When you wake up, your body is in a highly catabolic (muscle wasting) state. Therefore, if you then exercise at a high intensity on an empty stomach you will be using your muscles for fuel….counterproductive! You are also likely to fatigue faster making your workout less effective.

In addition to fuel, hydration is also very important before a workout. When we wake up in the morning our bodies are very dehydrated. Ensure you drink a plentiful amount of water (again, amount is down to individual tolerance) before you exercise and have a bottle of water to hand during your workout.

If training for performance gains I would also recommend an intake of caffeine 30-60 minutes before. Caffeine is one of the FEW ergogenic aids that has repeatedly been shown to benefit exercise performance (don’t believe everything you read on a forum!!).  Caffeine is a natural stimulant that will provide you with greater ‘energy’ and focus. It also has the added benefit of blocking receptors in the body that cause inflammation and pain which will dramatically reduce post workout muscle soreness…win win!

 In relation to this topic I direct you to an abstract from the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism that concludes: “when moderate endurance exercise is done to lose body fat, fasting before exercise does not enhance lipid utilization; rather, physical activity after a light meal is advisable”. Please follow this link to read a bit more:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21411835