Top 5 Workout Foods
I have not been active my whole life. I did absolutely nothing active in high school, well, I “played” volleyball but I was TERRIBLE! It wasn’t until I got to college that I found running as a healthy way to manage my stress. I remember going for long runs through the winding streets of State College and completing my first 5k. I never ran with goals, I just ran because it felt good.
When I moved out to LA, I leaned on running even more to deal with the stress of being in a new location and starting my career. I ran my first marathon in 2014 and that was the first time I took a serious look at my nutrition as an added edge to performance. I realized very quickly that what I ate impacted how I felt, my endurance and my recovery. As my fitness improved I became more interested in how my nutrition impacted my performance. Now I can feel when I have eaten something that doesn’t help move me forward.
Smoothies have become my favorite pre and post workout fuel. Below are my top ingredients for pre-workout fuel. If you are looking for post workout recovery I suggest using almond milk and a scoop of protein powder in this blend.
Oats – I use to eat oatmeal religiously before every morning practice but found even more power and endurance when I blended it with other ingredients. Oats are a great source of slow digesting carbs ensuring you have energy to run those extra miles.
Salt – Don’t forget about salt! A general nutrition fact is that salt is bad and avoid it, which it can be in large amounts, especially when ones diet is primarily processed foods. But when you are eating clean and working out, salt is crucial to stay hydrated. Add a pinch into your smoothies or even water or coconut water.
Almonds and Raisins – Give your body an added boost of energy and carbs that will help your muscles contract and will provide healthy fat to soothe inflammation. Also they taste good, duh!
Blueberries or Raspberries – Adding fiber and heart protective nutrients, adding these berries to your morning fuel is so important. These are also a great snack throughout the day.
Chia Seeds – Exercise is an inflammatory activity, to aid your body in repair, give it plenty of omega 3 fatty acids which will help soothe some of the inflammation and actually replace other molecules that bind in the same sites that promote inflammation.
I take these ingredients and blend them with about 1 cup of coconut milk, full fat if I have an intense workout ahead. I am defining intense as anything over 90 minutes. You can add in a cup of spinach for some added fiber and nutrients. Drink this about 30-45 minutes prior to a workout and see how you feel! Now get out there and dominate and let me know what you think of this mix! I added some raspberries and blueberries to the top for a little nutritional boost
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