Considering that you’re reading this article, you most likely know that exercising could help you stay healthy. But what you may not know is that diet, exercise, and sleep are the main pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Improving one could help, but studies suggest that improving all provides you with better physical and mental health results. Exercising or dieting on their own aren’t effective enough but combined, they could bring the results you’re seeking.
Exercise, diet, and sleep impact each other in several and complex ways. It would help if you learned how they influence one another to adopt the lifestyle behaviours that support your daily efforts and encourage your well-being.
If you plan to ramp up your gym workouts (in frequency, length, or intensity), it’s paramount to adjust your diet and sleep patterns accordingly because they work as fuel for your body.
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The relationship between diet and exercise
Your diet impacts all aspects of your health because committing to a healthy and nutritious diet can lower the risk of experiencing several health issues such as obesity, diabetes, or heart problems. Diet can also impact your mental health, as many studies suggest that particular nutrients reduce the risk of developing anxiety and depression.
Food can help you nail a workout, and research shows that when you combine a nutritious diet with the proper exercise routine, you could get more benefits than if you’d improve only one of them.
When you eat the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fluids your body needs, at the right time, you can boost your fitness performance and lower fatigue. You most likely know that if you eat before a HIIT workout, you can feel nauseated and find exercising more challenging than eating 60 to 90 minutes before. But the foods you eat also impact your performance, workout duration, and sleep quality.
If you drink caffeinated beverages before getting to bed, you may find it more challenging to fall asleep and even experience sleep disruptions during the night.
Physical activity is a pillar of health and benefits your entire body. You can notice some of its benefits from the first workout sessions (improved sleep, lowered blood pressure, reduced anxiety).
When you exercise regularly, you enjoy long term benefits like stronger bones, improved weight management, and lower risk of health problems. If you engage in HIIT exercise, you can decrease your appetite for around 60 minutes after completing a training session.
Working out could also make you feel satiated for a longer period in opposition to sedentarism that makes you eat more calories, and triggers weight gain.
Best foods to eat when doing intense physical activity
Suppose you’re passionate about fitness and are already consuming a nutritious diet. In that case, you don’t necessarily have to change your menu, but tweak some of the meals to fit your fitness needs better. It mostly depends on the physical activity you enjoy.
Endurance training burns more calories per minute, and you need to replace them if you want to recover properly and prevent losing weight (unintentionally). You need two macronutrients to replenish your glycogen stores that might get depleted after exercising, namely carbohydrates and protein, that are essential for repairing and building muscle fibres.
Here is a list of foods you should include in your diet, if you’re a fitness enthusiast.
Oatmeal is a recovery food for people who love exercising because it is rich in carbs and protein, and you can easily pair it with other nutritious foods like nuts and fruits. Also, it’s filling and hearty and makes you feel full for several hours, so you don’t feel the need to snack.
CBD helps in recovery, enhances athletic performance, and boosts energy, so you should mix it with your favourite foods to enjoy its benefits. You can also buy CBD drink wholesale to have them on the go if you’re not the type who cooks their meals at home. It’s best to purchase wholesale edibles to get a better price and have a long-term supply because you don’t want to waste your time ordering a new batch every week.
CBD is great for fitness enthusiasts because it reduces post-workout inflammation and pain, encourages gains, and promotes sleep, which is essential when engaging in intense physical activity.
Berries are known for their inflammation-fighting properties. You already know that inflammation is normal after working out because it’s your body’s natural healing mechanism. Still, intense muscle soreness and reduced mobility can have a negative impact on your quality of life. All types of berries, from raspberries to blueberries and blackberries, decrease swelling, alleviate pain, and mitigate overall inflammation.
Beans could provide you with the proper amount of protein and carbs after exercising. However, don’t start eating beans after your workout session if you have a sensitive stomach because you may experience aches.
Almonds are described as some of the healthiest nuts and great recovery ingredients. A handful of almonds provides you with 20% of the needed amount of magnesium, a mineral essential in producing energy and the function of muscles. Almonds are also known for helping in hunger levels management.
Greek yoghurt is a great source of protein, together with any other milk protein. If you get 9 grams of milk protein after exercising, you can encourage protein synthesis in the muscles and promote recovery. Greek yoghurt is also an effective probiotic together with ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, and kefir.
Chocolate milk is a great alternative if you don’t feel like eating foods after exercising. You can sip one cup to help your muscles rebuild and recover because it contains plenty of carbs and encourages glycogen regenerations. Research shows that chocolate milk is better than electrolyte recovery drinks and water for speeding up recovery naturally.
Final words
If you want to get the best results when working out, make sure to eat a diet rich in carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Save your money on pricey supplements and take the nutrients your body needs from whole foods.
