Top Ten Nutritional Tips

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate- proper hydration is essential to keep our bodies performing at a high level. Make sure that your urine color is clear or has a slight yellowish tint.

2. Eat at least 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Try to pick fruits that vary in color.

3. Consume 1 to 2 grams of fish oil per day. Fish oil is loaded with Omega-3’s. Some benefits of fish oil are:
-improved brain function
- regulated blood sugar levels
-fish oil has natural anti- inflammatory properties, especially for people with digestive issues

4. When shopping for chicken, eggs, beef or pork, try to buy meats that are all natural and have not been treated with any type of hormones.

5. Avoid drinking soda at all costs. Soda is filled with sugar and provides empty calories with no nutritional benefits.

6. Surround your workouts with protein. Consuming a small amount of protein before a workout will fuel your muscles for the duration of your training. Your post workout meal should consist of a 2/1 carbohydrate to protein meal. For example, try to ingest 60 grams of carbohydrates and 30 grams of protein immediately after a workout. This will ensure that your body has the proper nutrition to repair muscle tissue that was broken down during your training routine.

7. Don’t starve yourself, eating 1 to 2 meals a day will slow your metabolism down. Your body will be using protein as fuel instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to a decrease in lean muscle. Instead try to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks each day, always include a lean protein with each meal or snack.

8. The best time to consume a complex carbohydrate is after your workout. Try to get your carbs from fruits and vegetables for the rest of the day.

9. Eat more fat. Foods such as almonds, cashews, peanuts, and Greek yogurt provide a healthy source of fat. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat.

10. Try a protein shake- Shakes are one of the tastiest ways to get protein into your system - you just need to be creative with the ingredients. Here is my favorite recipe:

10 oz skim milk 2 Scoops of Vanilla protein
4 large frozen strawberries
1 banana

You can change the liquid content to change the consistency of the shake. Some like it thicker while some enjoy a lighter shake