The next time you look at the body of a pro athlete with envy, consider for a moment how they got a body like that. Yes, they surely have an exercise regiment that keeps them in shape. What you might not be aware of is a lot of pro athletes hire nutritionists to help them keep their bodies healthy and fine-tuned.
You may not be able to have an athletic body, but you can use similar nutritional tips to help you stay healthy. Here are 8 tips worthy of your consideration.
1. Eat Breakfast
When people awake in the morning, they tend to want to skip breakfast in favor of getting their day started. It’s the wrong thing to do. Athletes are trained to eat a big breakfast to help build up their energy resources for the day. When people first awake, their blood sugar is at its lowest point. They need to fix that for the highest level of function during the day.
2. Drink Lots of Fluids
An active body will perspire throughout the day. To prevent dehydration during workouts, athletes take in fluids all day long whether exercising or not. As a general health guideline, you should take in 0.5 to 1 ounce of water per pound of bodyweight every day.
3. Strengthen Your Immune System
As you exert energy, you theoretically weaken your immune system. You can keep it strong by making sure you get plenty of antioxidants and superfoods in your diet. The best sources of antioxidants are lean proteins, colorful fruits, and veggies.
4. Prep Your Weekly Menu Ahead of Time
Instead of impulsively preparing your meals, you can get great benefits by planning your menu a week at a time. That will give you time to think about putting together healthy meals and locate all the best ingredients. If you plan to eat takeout food, stick with healthy foods.
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5. Get Plenty of Iron
Iron-rich blood will give you all the right oxygen you will need as you exert energy during the day. You can get iron from foods such as oatmeal, fortified cereals, broccoli, red meat, and spinach.
6. No Calorie Counting
When trying to live a healthy lifestyle, people put too much emphasis on calorie counting. It would be a far better idea to focus on making sure your diet has the right balance of carbs, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
7. More Carbs on Days You Need More Energy
As you plan your busy week, you might come to realize that some days are going to be more active than others. Your active days are the days you need to boost your energy levels. You can do that by taking in as many carbs as possible the day before.
8. Give You Body Time to Recovery
After days of high physical exertion, your body is going to feel depleted. It is depleted of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. You should always plan for a rest day when you can replenish your system for the next active day in your life.
