How to Stay Fueled During Your Workouts

Working out is an important step in leading a healthy, happy life. Exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight, and have more energy. However, many people find themselves struggling to find the energy and motivation to work out. Try implementing these foods to stay fueled during your workouts. 

Eat Low-Glycemic Foods

When nutritionists and food scientists catalog carbohydrates, they do so on something called the glycemic index. This is a ranking of how much a certain carbohydrate will spike your blood sugar levels after consuming it. When you’re focusing on having long-term energy supplies, sticking to low-glycemic foods can help you have the prolonged energy you need to last through your workouts. Low-glycemic foods include things like chickpeas, green vegetables, yams, whole grains, and more. These foods are the best to eat because they digest more slowly. This helps you have more consistent energy levels.

Hydrate

When you exercise, your body sweats to help keep yourself cool. However, this sweat is also water being released from your body. As such, it’s important to rehydrate after a workout. Your body requires water for nearly every function. Not consuming enough water can lead to serious issues including death. Be sure to hydrate adequately before, during, and after each workout. Although sports drinks contain electrolytes, you should know that they’re often loaded with sugar. Instead of sports drinks, try drinking coconut water after a workout. Coconut water is one of the best sources of electrolytes, and won’t load your body with unnecessary sugar. The more you are exercising, the more you’ll need to rehydrate and make drinking enough water a priority.

Protein

After completing a workout, it’s important to consume protein. Your body uses protein to rebuild the muscle you worked during your workout and helps keep you strong. Consuming enough protein can help give you energy, and help increase strength faster in your workouts. Many people who exercise regularly choose to consume protein through products like protein bars or protein shakes. These can be great for fast protein, but can also contain many unhealthy additives and a lot of sugar. Be sure to check the ingredient labels on your products before use.

So much of your energy comes from what you eat and drink. If you want to have a good workout and see real results, that change starts with your diet. Be sure to follow these tips to fuel yourself for your workouts. 

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