Eat Right, Recover Faster

Hey Champ! Have you been partying this week? Well, good. You know what they say about all work and no play 😉 but there’s a time for everything and now it’s time to focus again on your health and fitness goals. (The holidays are around the corner, right?)

As you recover from the Cup and approach the holiday party season, keep these tips in mind.

Foods That Help You Recover from Too Much Partying

Too much of everything last night, or last week? Much as we admire our clients who push through their training sessions when they “just don’t feel like it,” we don’t recommend trying to work out when you’re truly hung over.

Most people know that alcohol is a diuretic, and dehydration can be a serious side-effect of excessive drinking. But fewer people know that alcohol can also increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. Between those serious concerns and the muscle fatigue that typically accompanies the day-after feeling, working out after a long night of partying just isn’t a great idea. What is a good idea? Eating to recover!

Great food choices for the day-after include:

• Lots of water, coconut water, and herbal teas – iced or warm, to rehydrate and add back some electrolytes
• Avocados, bananas, and sweet potatoes to pump up your potassium
• Blueberries, and pineapple for their anti-inflammatory properties
• Meat, as the body breaks the protein into amino acids which help improve liver function and aid in muscle-recovery
• Oatmeal, because the complex carbohydrates break down slowly, you’ll get the benefits of more consistent levels of energy and blood sugar. Trust me, that’s important.

Pre-Party Season Eating Tips

This time of year the menu can get out of hand quickly – too much sugar and trans fat, not enough vitamins and protein. And, plates of party food make it easy for to fill up on bad fats, meaning most of us won’t get the healthy fats we need (like those Omegas in nuts and seafood). Get ahead of the curve by sticking to some basic rules.

• Mind your vitamins! If you’re not keeping up a steady rotation of veggies, you might be low in vitamins A and E as well as iron – all of which are extra-important for staying on track when you’re imbibing in annual festivities. (Iron is especially important for athletes.) One symptom of Vitamin A deficiency is fatigue…and that will kill your party fun fast. Get more A in carrots, pumpkin and rockmelon – or consider a supplement, if only for the holiday season.
• Stick to (or start) a meal-planning routine. One of the easiest ways to eat healthful food daily is to meal prep. When you do, you’ll find good food is more readily available, and you’ll be less tempted to grab take-out for dinner or eat the leftover cake for breakfast. (Read about eating to avoid that bloated feeling here.)
• Remember, coffee is not a complete breakfast. Whether you’re training hard or recovering from a long night, breakfast should include a hearty amount of protein.

Trying To Lose Weight During the Holidays?

We hear it all the time: everyone seems to want to lose weight fast, especially to get in shape before the holidays. Well, now’s as good a time as any to get to work on your goals, but there really are no overnight fixes. You just can’t un-do years of bad habits in a few weeks or months. But, you can start!

Why not consider a gift to yourself this season, and take up a new habit? Boxing is fun! TRX helps you build strength, endurance and coordination quickly. Meeting with a personal trainer on a regular basis boosts your knowledge and your confidence, and – importantly – keeps you accountable, too. I’ll say it again: you cannot get a new, hard body overnight, but when you commit to a regular training program, you WILL see results. Even if you party once in a while 😉

The key is to GET STARTED and stick with it. Come see our playground, where we have fun (and get results) every day! Call me to talk about your goals or book a session so you can start REACHING those goals soon.