Today`s urban lifestyles demands optimal physical fitness, for which, most of the people include a fitness regimen (workout session) in their routine, some people, once a day, and some, twice a day, for various reasons like – to burn calories, to lose weight, to build and/or strengthen muscles and bones, to build stamina, but most of the people are motivated to take up fitness activities just by the need to perform competitively in the world`s rat race.
Most of the people who work out, for whatever reason(s), set a goal, for themselves to be achieved in a time schedule.
However, folks, just working out is not enough to achieve goals. A planned diet is essential. Especially, the drinks and foods you consume after working out is significant, because, the right drinks and foods will improve your health and fitness considerably and enhance the possibilities of reaching your goal fast and sure. But, the wrong foods will negate and can even reverse the hard earned benefits of your workout.
Your brain will send signals and your body will demand drinks and food immediately after a workout. Beware, not to grab and guzzle, mindlessly, your favourite drinks and foods at your reach, after a hard and heavy workout, to quench your thirst and sate your hunger.
Think before you drink and eat after a workout. Keep the following information in your mind about certain drinks and foods that have to be avoided in order to achieve the best results of workout.
PIZZA
Pizzas are loaded with cheese, grease and oil and some contain meat. If you have burnt out 1000 calories in your workout – two slices of pizza will put it back into your body easily, thus negating the benefits of a workout. If you eat more you will only be accumulating fat and putting on weight. Avoid strictly.
BACON & EGGS
No doubt, bacon and eggs provide good protein, other nutrients and lots of energy. But these protein and nutrients slows down metabolism to a large extent which is an undesired result of a heavy workout. Avoid these immediately after a workout.
RAW VEGETABLES
Sounds quizzical ! Yes these low calorie, low nutrient foods are not sufficient to supplement(replace) the energy and other nutrients that are burnt out during a workout, substantially and maintain the metabolism at a healthy rate, which is not good. These are inadequate – no point in eating them.
FATTY FASTFOODS
These sounds like the right things to silence your hunger pangs immediately after a workout. Beware, all the fat these fast foods, like French fries, chili dogs, cheese burgers, nachos etc., will only succeed in slowing down the digestive process which is quiet opposite to the purpose of working out and will slow down the progress you are making towards your fitness goal.
SALTY SNACKS
Salty snacks like chips, gretzels will lower the potassium levels in the body. Potassium is a very essential electrolyte – more important than salt. If your body looses more potassium it may lead to dehydration. As it is, you have lost a lot of fluid and electrolytes while working out, through sweat. Better avoid salty snacks to prevent dehydration.
SWEETENED SODA AND FRUIT DRINKS
Obviously, you will be thirsty after a workout as you would have lost a lot of fluids. But it is not advisable to replenish these lost fluids with sweetened beverages like sugar loaded fruit juices, soda pops and sports drinks, immediately after heavy workout as these drinks will add more weight than you have lost by working out, making all your efforts un productive. Better to avoid.
MILK CHOCOLATES
These really do not have anything that you need to recharge after a workout, except, an instant burst of energy. But the sugar and calories these contain will negate the benefits of the workout . These will put back the calories and weight you have lost by working out. Better avoid.
PASTRIES AND DOUGHNUTS
Although these contain carbohydrates that your body needs after a heavy workout, to replace, glycogen (muscle fuel) – one thing – they do not contain good nutrients; secondly, they contain bad fat that is capable of clogging arteries. Better to avoid these and other identical bakery items, immediately, after a workout.
Hence, considering the above, it is imperative that, we, be doubly conscious and choosy in what we prefer to drink and eat, while, at the same time, what drinks and foods we should better avoid. So folks, keep the above information in mind while practicing a fitness/health regimen, reap the desired results, reach the set goals, comfortably, and live a healthy, happy and a successful life.
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