Four Suprising Food Facts Every Gym User Should Know

Flickr Photo At: Casa Velas Hotel

Exercising is not only about keeping ourselves fit and healthy, but it’s also about boosting our self-esteem, getting plenty of fresh air, and designing a workout routine that works for you. Whether you choose to go to the gym, run, or play a sport your body regularly requires fuel to replace all  the calories lost through exercise. This fuel’s found in foods high in protein, vitamins, fiber and carbohydrates which then allows your body to perform at the highest level. However, by adding a few new items to your shopping list you’ll be giving your body a big extra burst of energy!

Flickr Photo At: David Wright

Choose Cherries

Feeling a bit sore after your morning gym session? Before you reach for some painkillers, try eating a small bowl of cherries, or drinking a large glass of unsweetened cherry juice. Cherries along with other fruits like grapes, pomegranates, cranberries and blueberries all contain natural anti-inflammatory properties and will act the same way NSAID’s or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do when you take them. Cherries also help to reduce muscle damage that may have been caused by strenuous exercise.

Flickr Photo At: betancourt

Split Breakfast And Eat An Apple

If the idea of having a proper breakfast before a workout leaves you feeling a little sick, then this might be the answer. It seems that eating a larger meal before exercise will put more weight on as you then burn less fat. By leaving breakfast until afterwards, you’ll not only feel less bloated but be able to enjoy it properly. Many athletes prefer to have a small snack, say a banana before their activity and save breakfasts like whole wheat toast, organic peanut butter and a glass of orange juice for after the cool down. You can buy british groceries online, such as apples which contain antioxidants, or quercetin, that helps to push more oxygen into the lungs and  ideal if you’re busy running around on the football field.

Flickr Photo At: Jason Riedy

A Spoonful Of Honey

Studies have shown that blended carbohydrates, such as those containing fructose as well as glucose could be better for you than sugar, or just glucose during high impact activities. Thanks to powerful marketing companies, large graphs, and lucrative sponsorship deals when many of us need an extra hit of energy we turn to our favorite sports drink. However, before you open that bottle of Gatorade consider having a spoonful of honey instead. Honey is a naturally blended carbohydrate and is not only sweet, sticky and rather tasty on toast, but it also contains a handful of vitamins and antioxidants. It doesn’t exactly qualify as a superfood, but dark honey does have plenty of disease-fighting compounds.

Flickr Photo At: Veganbaking.net

Yogurt’s Where It’s At

A good probiotic live yogurt contains lots of healthy bacteria that help your gut as well as your immune system. A recovery bowl of the white stuff after an adrenaline-pumping workout provides plenty of carbs and protein as well helping to settle a bad stomach. Medical trials showed that one probiotic capsule a day reduced the symptoms of respiratory infections, as well as enhanced the participants T cells, those same little cells that help our immune system.